Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1921-06-29
Tanning Skins at Home.

s5,.s.- annEVS. al ASAAASs
The first thing to do with any kind
of, skin is to soak it over night or un-
I'll thoroughly softened, then remove
the surplus fat and flesh from the
flesh side. If hair is to be removed it
can be done by laying skin hair side
ND and covering it with air slaked
lime or fresh wood ashes, about half
AN inch for small skins up to three
fourths for cow hides, keeping same
evenly moistened and watching them
frequently, for as soon as the hair
Sips nicely the ashes or lime must
be removed and the skin washed. Be-
fore tanning sheep or goat skin the
wool or mohair must be washed well
with suds and rinsed in clear water.
Skins must not freeze during the
process, the formulas work much
better in moderate than in cold
weather.
For tanning thin, small skins like
rabbit or squirrel put one gallon OF
warm water into wooden bucket,
add slowly and carefully, one ounce
.sulphuric acid, also one pint OF ta-
BILE salt. Leave the skin in this solu-
tion thirty-fve minutes, hang in warm
room under surface dries off, after
which pull and kork it until dry.
For sheep, goat, dog or small calf
skins put into half barrel or other
wooden vessel 8 gallons of warm soft
water, add 6 ounces of oxalic acid,
also 11s pounds table salt. Stir and
when dissolved put skin in and leave
fourteen hours, moving it about oc-
,casionally. Wash the skin in clear wa
der, Let drain, then scrape and work
yuntil dry. For similar skins such as
Badger, coon, 'possum, skunk, house
cat, muskrat and the like, use only 2
gallons of water, A ounces oxalic acid
and I pound salt.
To those who wish to try tanning
the hides of cattle, horses or mules,
the following method has been used
and recommended by Mr.. Stokes OF
Arkansas. We do not know as to it's
value or where the ingredients can
be obtained. After soaking the hide
take it to the currying horse, which
Is made of smooth log foot
through, split in center, placed
rounding side up and one end raised
about three and one-half feet by
means of legs. The hide is placed on
this for removing flesh with a curry
ing knife or old drawing knife. The
smaller skins mentioned in above
.,parsgraphs can he f1eshei with dull
knife or half round file.
Dissolve 8 or 10 pounds of the gum
of gambler in a kettle with enough
rain water ;;totcover the hide well. To
this add A pounds of salt, 2 pounds of
saltpeter and I gallon of good yine-
gar. A barrel will do for vat, and
you must have enough Of the solution
to cover the hide. 1t. is not necessary
to add all the water when dissolving
the gum gambler; it can be made up
by adding cold rain water when put
ting the solution in the barrel. Air
the hide every two or three days by
lifting it out of the solution and hold
it short time. In from twenty to
thirty days take hide out, wash and
hang it in the shade or moderately
warm room. When nearly dry oil and
work it well with the hands. This
formula does not work well IN cold
weather! By adding one-third more
of each ingredient the solution will
tan second hide. For making sole
leather add one ounce oil of hemlock
ito above formula.
"A way that some like better for
taking the hair off is to put into
wooden vessel enough water to well
cover skin, then add quart of lime
for each bucket of water used. Put
skin in and move it about occasional
Iy until hair slips and proceed as
above.-Kansas City Star.