Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1864-09-23

Most of the gloves known in this souptv
as dog-skin arc Manufactured from ne
skin Of The Cape sheep;
Calcutta kid is the skin OF the Indian
buffalo, an nhimal more nearly ressmblins
the OK than our bison, familiarly knows.
though wrongly, BY the title Of buffalo,
The Indian buffalo is = domestic animal.
used as a beast Of burden; and taking thv
place of the bovine species with VI. The
skins Of partially grown animals ats cal.
led kip.skins, and are exported largely.
to be used, after different modes Of dress
ing or tanning, for harness, shoes, and
gloves. =,
Goat skins are brought mostly in bales
from South America, the West Irdiss.
Mexico, Sandwich Islands. and In1is.-
Goat and Kid skins are seldom used for
anything bat gloves.
The White Hog is South American
animal. the largest Of the rodents. Its
skin is Of 4 thick, close fibre, and makes
very heavy, durable gloves.
now TIE SKINS ARR PREPARED.
Most Of these skins are brought U New
York, but some are also eonsiRKcd u
Boston. From these two ports Aey ere
distributed among the manufacturers ID
various parts Of the country. It will bs
observed that these skins are imported il
raw state, and the manufacturers.
purchasing them in that form, are obliged
to undertake the process Of dressipg:--
Those packed in bales are dry and hard,
but the sslted ones are equally in need Of
the first process, which j. soaking then
in water, f,r the purpose Of softening
them. This occupies but few hours
during warm weather, but in winter oftes
several days.
When soft the particles Of flesh left ID
the process Of skinning are easily removs
ed this process is called deshing. They
are then placed in water containing .
strong solution Of lime. This liquid re.
qnircs great care in the preparation. q.
if too strong it will injure the fibre Of
the skins and render them useless and i'm
perfect and if too weak, it will not
loosen the hair and grain.
The workman tests this liquor by tast.
ing, and long practice renders this test
infallibIe. The skins remain in The yats
from three to six weeks the time requir.
ed being longer in winter than in sum.
mer. They are frequently moved and
turned, lifted and replaced. When the
hair seems sufficiently loossnsd, they are
hauled from the vats aud stretched upon
the "beam," which is large log Of wood,
and men with huge blunt drawing. knives
remove the hair and grain. and other use.
less portions. This hair makes excellent
manure, especially for gardens and fruit
trees, and when it is clean, or without
lime, it is used for stufing cushiols, sad.
dies, &c.
The skins are then placed in the mill.
and treated with oil. Whale or sperm
o | was formerly used, and the crude or
refuse cod-liver oil is now used; = dark,
il-smellng article, quite different from
the nanseous but rather pleasant.looking
preparation used in medicine. Kerosene,
or petroleum, is sometimes used in this
process. The skins are thrown into .
trough or vat, containing tho oil, and
subjected to trcadi 2 process With .
pair of iron feet, which turn and press
tlcm in the oil till they are thoroughly
saturated With it. This process makes Of
them leather
They are then treated with an slkali.
usually potash or soda ash. This is call.
ed the sapouifying process. The alkai,
mixed with oil, forms a soap, and water
being passed over the skins, they srs
cleansed and made pli.ble.-
After being dried and stretched, or drawa
out to the full size, the skins are ready
for the finishing processes. Of these
stalking is the 6rst. The skin is suspend.
ed, aud a man standing In front Of it
aud evens the surface BY means
,t repeated movements Of long blunt
lnife
The second gives il "face." By this Q
'elvcty smoothness is impaired to it,
The skin is held upon "bucktsil." vhic,
IS wh""l If pnmicestane set in ~ "
,rame and rev-lving by water powst
The hnal finish consists in colorip ~
skins.
The buckskins, of which We spii aiss
make mention, are colored y'ss'y y..:, "y
being rebbed with yellow OCH or 0'ues
earths cot,aining colorins m.ter. oo%.
of them, however, are tintd BY smoke
houses for tha purpose. rhey receive
light or dark cbeorlate co,or, according 70
the length of time hey are exposed !"