Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-09-24
KID eLovE-MAKlNo.
Processes the Skins Have to Go Through
Before Being Converted Into Gloves.

|
Processes the Skins Have to Go Through
| Before Being Converted Into Gloves.
"Kid gloves" said leading glove
dealer TO a reporter tho other day, "arc,
for the hcst part, made in France.
There are some made in England and
Germany, but the best arc of French
make, the principle manufactures being
at Paris, Grenoblc and Chaumont. OF
all the materials used for gloves kid is
the fayoritc, yet OF the manifold oper-
ATOMS necessary 10 Put the skin into
shape to cover the hand few people
have Hny idea. In all there are 219
scpcratc and distinct processes that the
raw skin has to 60 through before con-
vcrtcd into the kid gloves"
The reporter had been brushing mp
his knowledge of glovc-making. Al
What period Of the worlds history
people began 10 clothe their hands in
gloves he had not been able to satisfac-
torly determine. His researches had
carried him back to Genesis, where il
tells Of the mother of Jacob covering
the boys hands with the hairy skin Of Il
| goat in order TO deceive his father, this
seeming to be the earliest mention on
record. Coming down to late date,
Homer sings about them, and they are
spoken Of in Shakespcarc's writings
Having exhausted his own tine and
patience, the reporter had gone to the
local glovc-dealrr.
THE first thing to dc" continued
the latter. ''is TO get tho hair from the
raw skins. A three weeks bath in lime
water does tbs. The skins arr constant.
ly turned and shifted, aud when taken
jht the hair comes oil easily.
"From the lime pit the skins 20 to the
'hha'ring room, where they are
stretched on wooden Llock and are
'craped with blunt knife. Then they
are taken by the ilcshcr, who cuts away
all the worthless parts, that arc used for
clue and gelatine, while the hair goes
for mortar and felt. The suddcr next
.akcs the skins and removes any hair
that may have escaped the previous
operators. A soak in clear water 10 take
nut all traces of lime is the next step the
-klns are put 10, and then they are put
through process of artificial fermcn-
taton. The French call It misc en-
conlit, and it removes every llcsly i'm
purity from the skins and renders them
soft and supple. The hctanning Of the kid
skin is not in the usual way with bark.
but they are put into revolving drum
%th a mixture of the yclks OF eggs,
wheaton flour, alum and salt Ii takes
40 end of eggs, one factory nj Cbau-
mont using. | understand, over three
hundred dozen every day. The skins
| are H. pit in this mess for an hour, then
boing allowed TO lay for twelve hours
Then they go to the drying-room, and
are subjected 10 temperature varying
from l40 10 100 degrees. This leaves
them dry, and they are next seasoned
Or 'sammicd' with cold water. Then
they are stretched backward and for.
ward over an upright knife of half
moon shape.
Shaving is the next process, this
requiring great dcxtcrity. 1t is done
with specially constructed knives, and
removes all the under flesh The skins
are again treated to composition OF
egg yolk. flour and oil, calculated t.
make them pliable, after which they
are ready for dycing, The preliminary
| operation is to tread the skins under
water for several hours to soak out an,
thing that would impair the action Of
the dye. Another egg Treatment fol
lows. and days drying is given the
skins. They are then brushed with am
monia and several costings Of lye. II
The skins are to be dyed on both side
hey are put in vat and covered with
the liquid. Black gloves show first de-
cided blue tinge, but this is worked on
until perfect black is secured This
process is called 'lustrng.
The caller, who had taken In tho ac-
count OF the preparation of kid skins
with increasing interest, began to won
der at this point, not that one of the
est make of gloves cost two dollars or
more, but how thcv could te made so
cheap. Here the skins had boon going
through no end of han''s, and had been
days on the way, yet they had only
reached the dye-shop.
Having been dyed and dried" went
on the affablc informant, ''the skins are
given grounding the object being tc
remove all roughness. They are next
sorted and cut up. This may seem an
easy thing, but it is called the most
difficult, and requires great care and
good judgment, as the natural stretch
Of the skin must be taken into account.
The finished skins, having been selected
and mapped out by the sorters, and
pieced out by the cutters, are put over
frame-shape like Q glove spread out
unsewn. Tho gloves, with tho thumbs
duly fitted and rent together, are
pressed, and punched, and trimmed a
number of times, after which the edges
nre folded by machinery, and they are
ready for sewing, The stitching is done
chiefly by hand, thousands of women
and girls being employed. The fasten-
ings are put on, the gloves are straight
ened on sticks, arranged in dozens,
placed in boxes, and there they are
ready for the market. Minneapolis
Tribune.