The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-04-22

placed over a tanners beam, and with
blunt knife the hair is pushed off; th
hide is turned over on the beam, and th
fleshly surface is shaved Of the loose "a
by means of long double edged knit
with two handles: great care is require,
in this art, as a slip Of the knife may de
stroy the even thickness of the hide.
Oak bark is decidedly the best for tan
ming purposes; it is broken and ground b,
means of a mill resembling a coffee mil
on large scale. These mills are driver
by water, steam or horse power. Tn,
bark is then Infused in cold water, b,
which tannic acid is extracted. Il Is Gus
tomary with some TO boil the liquor, bu
it makes the bark look burnt, which fire.
quently causes the grain of the leather /,
become hard. Different solutions of tan
mic acid are made. The bark has to b,
turned over and over before its strength
is exhausted, after which the liquor i
drawn of, and the tan thrown aWay---th,
liquor is conveyed into tan pits or watts
The hides are first put into tho weakes
solution, and should be taken out hourl,
for about one month, and then allowed {,
remain in the liquor for longer time, t.
prepare them for the action Of the mex
solution; they are then sprinkled with fin,
particles Of tan, and placed into stronger
liquor, when they are changed every ont
or two weeks. This process continues fol
two or three months, when the hides are
again sprinkled with tan, and placed in a
stronger solution, where they should re.
main for one or two months at time
The liquor has to be kept in constant agi.
tation; it is drawn from the watts, and
pumped in again by the same power which
works the mill. After the hides have
remained in the last state for two or three
months they are then tanned.
There is much leather manufactured
by cheap process, but the bad effects
which we experience from snow melted by
salt upon boots and shoes, 50 prejudicial
to health, Is in great measure owing To
the use Of red porous sole leather, which
leather is steamed, swollen and colored
with sweet liquors, rather than tanned
with oak bark, ,ohich offers greater resiis-
taHce TO damp; the other when it gets
wet remains SO, and keeps the feet damp
and cold. Common leather has a reddish
color, while best leather looks yellowish
white
Hides for harness leather after they
have been tanned are sent TO the currier,
who soaks them with water until they are
thoroughly wet, when they are placed upon
a machine and run between two rollers
between which revolving steel blade
passes, known as splitting machine
which reduces the hide to such substance
as the various purposes it may be desig.
mated for. Time aud labor have both
been greatly reduced by the use of this
machine-formerly the hide was placed
over curriers' beam and shaved with a
long two-handled double-edged knife, aud
these shavings were used for no other pur-
pose than fuel, whereas now the splittings
enter largely into many and important
uses, such as the coverings of trunks and
boot and shoe purposes.
After the splitting process the hides are
again soaked, and the grain of the leather
is blackened with a solution of the sui
phate Of iron (copperas) or an extract Of
nutgalls. The nutgalls are produced by a
cause similar to the grub or bot, as preyi-
ously described as affecting our cattle. A
little insect perforates the branches of the
oak tree, which grows in the Levant, and
deposits its eggs. In short time an ex-
crescence is forced out, which gives nour-
ishment to the young insect. This tumor
grows until about the size of a marble,
when they are removed from the tree and
are imported in large quantities to this
country, and serve as the best black dye
for leather, cotton and woollen fabrics.
When the grain of DE leather has been
blackened, the surface is rubbed with a
damp brush. The hides are then placed
in drying room, where they are stuffed !;
that is, a mixture Of oil and tallow is rub
bed into the Aeshy surface and allowed to
remain until thoroughly softened A
mixture of tallow and oil is also rubbed
into the grain, which is the last process in
the finishing of leather. Tanning is a
simple process, but is very critical in the
manufacture of good leather.
SAMUEL HUNT & Son.