OCR Text |
Show 764 COMMON OAK. COMMON OAK. ing the hide on a sort of wooden horse or beam, and scraping it with a crooked knife. The hair being taken off, the hide is thrown into a pit or pool of waterto cleanse it from thedirt, &¢c., which being done, the hideis again spread on the wooden beam, andthe grease, loose flesh, extraneous filth, &c. carefully scrubbed out or taken off; the hides are then put into apit of strong liquor called ooxe or wooxe, preparedin pits called etches or faps kept for the purpose, byinfusing groundbark in water; this is termed colouring: after which they are removedinto an. other pit called a scowering, which consists of water strongly impregnated with vitriolic acid, or with a vegetable acid pre. Bare from rye or barley. ‘This operation (which is called raising), by distending the pores of the hides, occasions them more readilyto imbibe the ooze, theeffect of which is to astringe and condense the fibres, and give firmness to the leather. The hides are then taken out of the scowering, and spread smooth in a pit commonly filled with water, called a binder, with a quantity of ground bark strewed between each. After lying a onth or six weeks, they are taken up; andthe decayed bark and liquor being drawn out of the pit, it is filled again with strong ooze, whentheyare putin as before, with bark between each hide. ‘They nowlie two or three ana at the expiration of which ia same operation is repeated ; they then remain four or five months, when they again undergo 4s same process 5 iree monthsin the last pit, are completely tanand after being i ned, unless the hides are so remarkably stout as to want an ade ditional pit or layer. The whole process requires from eleven to eighteen months, and sometimes two years, according to the sub. stance of the hide and discretion of the tanner. When taken out of the pit to be dried, they are hung on poles; and after being compressed by asteel pin, and beat ont smooth by wooden hammers called Leetles, the operation is complete; and when thoroughly dry, theyare fit for sale. Butts are chiefly used for the soles of stout shoes. Theleather which goes under the denominationofhides is ge nerally made from cowhides, or the lighter ox rie whichare thus managed: After the horns are taken off, and the hides washed, they are : put into a pit of water Miele with Jime, aye where they remain a few days, when tliey are taken out, and all ‘i senvied: beam, as before described5 the hair scraped off on a wooden they are th ‘dina pit or pool of water, and the ait 765 flesh, &c. being taken off, they are removedinto a pit of weak ooze, where they are taken up| and put down (whic (which isis techni LE cally termed handling) two or three times a day for the first week ; every second orthird day they are shifte d into a pit of fresh ooze, somewhatstronger than’ the former ; till at the end e s . eo ‘ of a month orsp. kt six weeks ; are put into they a strong ooze, ooze, in which they are handled onceor twice a week with fresh bark for two or three month Phey are then removed into another pit called a layer, in whic they are laid smooth, c » 2 WEL he ground very fine > strewed betwee int n eac h hide. After remaini ng oS ) ree ? T herea two or fray « wal three xy months , they are generra lly taker up, when the ooze is drawn out, and the hic put in again with fresh ooze and fresh bark ; where, after lying two or three months more, they are completely tant ied, except a few very stout hides which mayrequire an extra layer: they are then taken out, hung on poles, and bssing hammered and smoothed by a st el pin, are, when dry, fit fae sale. These hides arecalled crop hides ;‘ they are fromten to cighteen months in tanning, and are used for the soles of shoes. Skinsis the general term for the skins of calves, seals, hogs, dogs, &c. These, after being washed in water, are put into lime pits, as before mentior red, where they are taken up and put down every third or fourth day, for a fortnight or thre weeks, in order to dilate the pores and dissolvethe gelatinous parts of the . The hair is then scraped off, and the flesh and excrescences being removed, theyare putint o a pit of water impreenated with with pigeonec : : pated dung (called a grainer or mastring), orming a strong alkaline ley, which in a week or ten days Soaking ig out the. lime, grease, and saponaceous matters (du wh ar: He period thley are several times scraped over with a crooked hilee o worktkout ¢ ir and filth), Al t the dirt ‘ I i softens the skins, and pre- res them the for the reception of the ooze. pares The 2y are then put ;intoDa pit of weak ocze, in the same manner ; the hides, and deing o frequen 1 equently handled, are by degrees removed into a str nger and 5 ill Stronger: liquor for a month are or six weeks, when they ny : Te put into a very strong ooze, with fresh bark ground very fine le, and at the end of two or three months, according to their subs stance, ie ta? are sey eeile parats when they are taken out, : poles, drie d, and fit forsale. These skins are atta ards dressed and blacked bythe currier, and are usedfor the upperleathers of shoes, boots, &c. |