Daily Kennebec journal., 1911-02-27

and look smooth. there has been the ten
dcncS to get away from the original soft
mellow tannagc which has made chrome
tanned patent leather 81, popular, and to-
day. in many instances, the chrome
| tanned leather is almost as firm as the
old bark tanned leather. although the
wearing qualities are very much better
With all the great advantages that the
chrome tannage OF patent leather has
over the bark tanned leather, there are
still many very serious defects in it. The
| first is the difficulty in getting it through
the shoe factories without checking and
cracking The next is the trouble the re-
taller has had in unsatisfactory wear
from checking and the finish peelinS and
powderng in the creases of the shoes.
In winter time it almost without eXcep-
ton checks badly, which causes a great
deal OF dissatisfaction with the wearer.
who has made many unreasonable de-
mands OH the retailer for new shoes
when there was absolutely no good
ground fer it.
1t Is impossible TO get yarnished
leather that will be flexible under all con-
ditions. because the baking necessary to
dry ii. hardcns it, and when the leather
IS stretched above a certain point the fin
ish Is bound to crack. and when the cold
strikes it it is sure to check and crack
badly. The best patent leather that has
eyer been made will give more or less
trouble. at times. going through the fac
| tory. aud still more trouble in wearing.
Another great difficulty met with in the
| Manufacture of patent leather is the fact
! that it is impossible to get an absolutely
uaiform finish. The hides or skins vary
n great deal in finenesS of the grain. a
iine-grained skin requiring very much
less material than the coarse grain. Thy
worknen not knowing about this. or IL
many cases not caring. often put a great
deal more on the flne-Grained skins than
is necessary, and frequently much less
on the coarse-grained ones than they re
qure. and in vanishing they do the
same thing.
1t is now said that u new process has
been invented which will overcome these
objections by getting rid of the three
processes, vanishing. baking and sun
ming. Leather made this way is said To
be as soft as kid. as bright patent
leather and will hold its finish much
longer ana better
The grain is flexible and strong because
| 1t has not been baked, and it has all of
| the natural strength and fibre that any
| unfinished leather would have, conse-
| aucntly adding a great deal to its wear
| in@ qualities. IN the scverest tests that Il
| could possibly be put to In shoe factor
| les, in Wearing, and in cold tests il hdS
| In every instance come ont without II
check or il crack under any conditions.
This leather can be made in black aud
| in colors as well. The advantage i'll max
! ing coiorcd shoes OF this finish is that II
| requires no special care in going; through
! the factory, Tor IL they are +soiled in max
! Ing they can be cleaned as easily as pa
| tent leather. the shoes do not chang
| color in wearing. and it is more easily
cleaned than the ordinary coIored lpathe r
While this is Il bright leather--it cannot
/ be called patent because it is not var
nished. The finish is so thin that it leaves
a beautiful grain effect. much handsomer
, than can be obtained in any varuished
| leather.-Shoe Retailer.