The leather manufacture in the United States : a dissertation on the methods and economies of tanning ; to which is added a report on the relative economies of burning wet spent tan by Theron Skeel

Front matter

Franklin Institute Library

FHIL^DELFHI/I

Class Book Accession

Chapter I. Selection And Classification Of Hides And

SKINS.

8IMILAEITY OF STOCK AS TO WEIGHT, SUBSTANCE AND CONDITION,

HIGHLY IMPORTANT ASSORTING IN THE SOAK AND HIDE MILL

HIDES SHOULD BE OF EQUAL CONDITION ON ENTERING THE HAND- LERS BREAKING THE NERVE IN CALF, KIP AND UPPER LEATHER

IMPOLICY OF WORKING SEVERAL KINDS OP HIDES IN ONE YARD

AT THE SAME TIME. I7

Chapter II. Preparation Of Hides For The Bark— Sweating

COLD AND WARM SWEATING CONSTRUCTION OF SWEAT PITS — CLEAN- LINESS, LIGHT AND IMPENETRABILITY TO AIR NECESSARY IN COLD

SWEAT PITS PROPER CONDITION OF STOCK BEFORE ENTERING THE

PITS — CARE NECESSARY IN THE SWEATING PROCESS TREATMENT

AFTER THE HIDES COME FROM THE PITS PART LIMING AND PART

SWEATING GREASE AND SALT ON HIDES. - - - - 23

Chapter III. Preparation Of Hides For The Bark— Liming

GETTING READY THE LIMES THEIR AGE AND STRENGTH — ^EFFECT OF

THE LIME ON THE FIBER PLUMPING AND BATING PROF. LUT- EIN'S PROCESS — THE " BUFFALO" METHOD THEIR RESULTS

HANDLING IN THE LIMES. - - - - - -31

VI CONTENTS.

CHAPTEK IV.

PllEPAEATION OF HIDES FOR THE BARK— FLESHING AND TRmMING.

THE BEAM WORK CLOSE FLESHING, AVITHOTJT BREAKING THE GLUE

CELLS — FLESHING LIME SLAUGHTER STOCK WORK TO BE DONE

BEFORE LIMING FLESHING SWEAT STOCK IT SHOULD BE DONE

WITH A WORKER THE GERMAN FLESHER — TKI5IMING CROP

LEATHER AND BACKS ADVANTAGES OF TRISIMING UPPER AS

WELL AS SOLE " ROUNDING" TRIMOTNG BEFORE TANNING

BEST METHOD OF UTILIZING THE HEAD, PATE, ETC. - - - 38

CHAPTEE V.

GRINDING BARK— BARK MILLS.

THE INEXPENSIVE AND ABUNDANT POWER OF SOLE LEATHER TANNERIES GRINDING BARK FINE AND UNIFORM— USEFULNESS OF SCREEN- ING THE GROUND BARK THE DOUBLE- GRINDING MILL ITS

EFFECTIVENESS WITH DAMP BARK THE ALLENTOWN MILL

ADVANTAGE OF A STRONG MILL AND A WEAK COUPLER THE SAW

CUTTING MILL A BARK CRUSHING MACHINE THE PROPER SPEED

AT WHICH MILLS SHOULD BE RUN TANNIN LEFT IN THE BARK. - 4G

CHAPTER YI.

LEACHING.

TANNIN VS. RESINOUS AND COLORING MATTER TANNIN REQUIRED TO

MAKE GOOD WEIGHT EXTREME HEAT IN LEACHING INJURIOUS

FLOODING THE BARK THE PRESS LEACH HEAT TO BE APPLIED

ONLY TO THE WEAKEST LEACH CONSTRUCTION OF LEACHES

CLAY AND LOAM PACKING FOR THE SIDES AND BOTTOMS WORK- ING THE PRESS LEACH THE SPRINKLER LEACH REVOLVING DE- TACHED LEACH. - -- -- -- -55

CHAPTER VII.

HANDLING.

THE HAND REEL THE ROCKER HANDLER ITS CONSTRUCTION AND

OPERATION IMMERSED DRUM WHEELS A METHOD OF RAISING

HIDES FROM THE HANDLER VATS — THE TUB WHEEL HANDLER

HANGING HIDES IN THE HANDLERS — THE " ENGLAND " WHEEL

HANDLING WITH THE COX ROLLERS. - - - - - G8

CONTENTS.

TU

CHAPTER YIII.

HANDLING AND PLUMPING.

TUK USE OF VEGETABLE AND MINERAL ACIDS THE EABLY USE OP

VITRIOL BY AMERICAN TANNERS CONSIDERATIONS AFEECTING THE

AMOUNT WHICH MAY BE USED ITS EFFECT ON LIMED AND SWEAT

STOCK STRENGTH AND AGE OF LIQUORS TO BE USED IN THE

HANDLERS DIFFERENCES IN THE HANDLING AND PLUMPING OF

SOLE AND UPPER LEATHER. ----- . 76

CHAPTER IX.

LAYING AWAY.

TIME REQUIRED AND STRENGTH OF LIQUOR WHICH SHOULD BE

EMPLOYED TANNING IN THE HANDLERS VS. LAYING AWAY

EURO:^EAN METHODS " BLACK ROT " AND WHITE SPOTS THEIR

CAUSES AND THE REMEDIES— SHOULD HIDES BE LAID AWA.Y GRAIN

UP OR FLESH UP ? MAKING WEIGHT IN THE LAST LAYER. - - 84

CHAPTER X.

DRYING AND FINISHING.

WASHING AND SCRUBBING THE LEATHER — THE " HOWARD SCRUBBER "

^WHEEL OR DRUM SCRUBBING DRAINING HOW THE ADMISSION

OF LIGHT AND AIR SHOULD BE REGULATED IN DRYING DAMPENING

BEFORE ROLLING THE FIRST AND SECOND ROLLING — EFFECT OF

THE ROLLING ON THE BUFFING QUALITIES BLEACHING WITH

SUGAR OF LEAD AND SULPHURIC ACID— THE WARM SUMAC BATH

EFFECT OF THE LATTER ON CALFSKINS, GRAIN LR^THER, ETC. - 94:

CHAPTER XI.

THE CAUSES WHICH AFFECT COLOR AND ASSIST IN THE MAKING OF A VALUABLE EMBOSSING GRAIN.

WHY LEATHER SHOULD BE THOROUGHLY DRIED STRUCTURE OF THE

GRAIN IMPORTANCE OF A PERFECT FINISH CARE TO BE TAKEN

TO AVOID STAINS AND DISCOLORATION " CUIR " COLOR — THE

NATURAL HEMLOCK COLOR " RUSSIA LEATHER " COLOR FRAUDS

IN SELLING HEMLOCK FOR OAK LEATHER DURING THE WAR COL- ORING TO BE DONE IN THE HANDLERS EFFECT OF " STRIKING "

Mil

CONTENTS.

CHAPTEK XII.

CONSTRUCTION OF TANNERIES— THE TURRET DRYER.

HOW THE ADMISSION OF LIGHT AND AIR IS CONTROLLED IN THE TURRET

DRYER ITS CAPABILITIES FOR DRYING LEATHER IN QUICKER

Ti:\IE, WITHOUT REGARD TO THE WEATHER ITS CONSTRUCTION,

AND HOW ITS CAPACITY SHOULD BE PROPORTIONED TO THAT OF

THE YARD HOW AND WHEN HEAT SHOULD BE USED HOW TO

PREVENT DISCOLORATION OF THE LEATHER SAVING OF LABOR IN

THE TURRET DRYER. _____ HQ

CHAPTER XIII.

CONSTRUCTION OF TANNERIES— PLANS, FOUNDA- TIONS, ETC.

THOi;OUGH EXAMINATION OF PRESENT TTRUCTURES AND APPLIANCES ADVISABLE BEFORE BUILDING — rH OKTANT CHANGES FROM THE

PRESENT GENERAL USE OF STEAM INSTEAD OF WATER POWER

LOCATING ON "MANUFACTURING" AND " CULINARY " STREAMS

A LOAM, CLAY, OR SANDY FOUNDATION FILLING IN BETWEEN

VATS AND LEACHES WITH LOAM OR CLAY PLACING THE A^ATS

THE "buffalo" vat— " BOX " VATS— THE PROCESS OF " PUD- DLING" IN SETTING THE VATS— UPPER CONDUCTORS SIDE AND

CHAPTER XIV.

CONSTRUCTION OF TANNERIES— LEACHES.

ROUND OR SQUARE LEACHES THE DURATION OF LEACHES ABOVE AND

SUNK IN THE GROUND HOW TO BUILD A ROUND LEACH — HOW TO

MAKE AND SET LEACHES IN THE GROUND THE CAPACITY OF THE

SETS OF LEACHliS TO BE PROPORTIONED TO THE SIZE OF THE TAN- NERY. - - - - - - - 12G

CHAPTER XV.

CONSTRUCTION OF TANNERIES— FRAME WORK AlTD LOCATION OF BUILDINGS.

WHY THEY SHOULD BE ONLY ONE-STORY HIGH FOR THE YARD AND BEAM

HOUSE SAV NG IN INSURANCE BY S:^PARATING THE BUILDINGS

CONVEYING LEATHER TO THE " TURRET " DRYER — TRANSMITTING

CONTENTS.

ix

POWER TO DISTANT BUILDINGS PROPER SPEED FOR BARK MILLS

AND ELEVATORS SIMPLE PROVISIONS AGAINST EIRE AND BREAK- AGE, AND TO PREVENT DUST. - - - - 134

CHAPTEE XYI.

THE EOSSING OF BAEK.

THEORIES OF THOSE WHO ADVOCATE BOSSING — ITS COST ^DIFFICULTY

OF ROSSING WITHOUT TOO GREAT LOSS OF TANNIN STRENGTH

OF LIQUORS WHICH MAY BE OBTAINED FROM ROSSED AND UN- BOSSED BAEK POSSIBLE ADVANTAGE IN ROSSING BARK FOR EX- PORT IN THE " LEAF." - _ . - - 141

CHAPTEE XVII.

UTILIZATION OF TANNEEY REFUSE.

BURNING THE WET TAN GLUE STOCK — -IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING THE

PIECES PURE AND SWEET PRESERVING, CLEANSING AND DRYING

THEM — USES FOR CATTLE HAIR THAT WHICH COMES FROM SWEAT

OR LIMED STOCK ^WASHING, DRYING AND PACKING FERTILIZING

LIQUIDS FROM THE LIMES AND SOAKS. - - _ 14(J

CHAPTEE XYIII.

TANNING MATEEIALS.

DIFFERENT KINDS OP HEMLOCK BARK INFLUENCE OF SOIL AND CLI- MATE ON THE QUALITY HEAVY AND LIGHT BARK— VARIETIES OF

OAK BARK THE " SECOND GROWTH " BETTER THAN THE FIRST

GAMBIER ITS GROWTH AND PREPARATION FOR MARKET ITS

COST COMPARED WITH THAT OF BARK VALONIA, DIVIDIVI, MYRA-

BOLAMS " SWEET FERN," ETC. _ - . _ I55

CHAPTEE XIX.

THE COST OF TANNING.

THE SEVERAL ITEMS VARYING WITH DIFFERENT TANNERS DIFFERENCES

FROM UNEQUAL WEIGHT OF THE COED OF BARK THE AMOUNT

OF TANNIN IN UPPER LEATHER AS COMPARED WITH THAT IN SOLE

LEATHER COMPARATIVE COST IN MAKING HEAVY AND LIGHT

GAINS THE THEORETICAL STRENGTH OF BARK NEVER REALIZED

• — COST OF "union" and OAK TANNING ^ESTIMATED COST OF

TANNING IN EUROPE. - - - - - 169

X cc::tl!sT3.

CHAPTEE XX.

QUICK TANNING PROCESSES.

CO^IMON KEEOKS OF THOSE OUTSIDE OF THE TRADE — HOW WORTHLESS PATENTS ARE MULTIPLIED EXPERIMENT IN TANNING BY HYDRO- STATIC PRESSURE ^VACUUM TANNING — DIFFICULTIES ATTENDING

THIS METHOD HOW AGITATION OF THE FIBER FACILITATES THE

PROCESS A GENTLE MOVEMENT, WITH OCCASIONAL REST, MOST

EFFICACIOUS TANNING VS. TAWING. - - - 176

CHAPTEE XXI.

THE SPECIES AND GEOWTH OP HIDES.

" HEALTHY " AND " WELL GROWN " HIDES DIFFERENCF'^. IN HIDES AT

VARIOUS SEASONS OF THE YEAR EFFECT OF CLIMATE AND FOOD

ON TEXTURE AND GROWTH IMPROVED BREEDS OF CATTLE MAKE

HIDES THIN AND SPREADY COLD CLIMATE MAKES A COARSE FIBER

AND WARM CTJMATE A FINE TEXTURE EAST INDIAN, AFRICAN

AND SOUTH AMERICAN HIDES — THE HIDES FROM THE EASTERN AND MIDDLE STATES AS COMPARED WITH THOSE FROM THE WEST- ERN PRAIRIES — CARE TAKEN OF CATTLE IN EUROPE. - - 188

CHAPTEE XXII.

FRENCH AND GERMAN CALF AND KIP.

WHERE OUR IMPORTED STOCK COMES FROM CAREFUL ASSORTING OF

THE RAW STOCK TO INSURE UNIFOIiMITY IN WEIGHT, SUBSTANCE

AND GENERAL CONDITION SOAKING AND MILLING BREAKING

THE NERVE LIMING BATING AND WORKING OUT LIME— COLOR- ING AND HANDLING ^LAYING AWAY AFTER WORKING STUFFING

DRYING SLICKER WHITENING BLACKING AFTER THE STOCK

IS CUT OUT USUAL IN EUROPE VEGETABLE OILS USED INSTEAD

OF FISH OILS DEFECTS IN FOREIGN CALFSKINS STEADY IM- PROVEMENT IN AMERICAN CALFSKINS. ^ - - - 194

CHAPTEE XXIII.

GRAIN AND BUFF LEATHER.

SPLITTING MACHINES MAKING SPLIT LEATHERS FROM GREEN HIDES

OR FROM TANNED LEATHER EVERY KIND OF NATURAL GRAIN

SUCCESSFULLY IMITATED STRENGTH AND DURABILITY OF SPLIT

CONTENTS.

xi

LEATHERS THEIR INTRODUCTION TO EUROPEAN CONSUMERS ES

SENTIALS TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GRAIN AND BUFF LEATHER. - - - - - 210

CHAPTEE XXIV.

CUERYmG AND FINISHING.

THE STUFFING WHEEL AND HOW TO USE IT TO PURIFY AND CLEANSE

DIRTY GREASE HOW TO MAKE STUFFING FLESH BLACKING

FLOUR AND SIZE PASTES — HARM THAT MAY BE DONE BY DEPEND- ENCE UPON RECIPES DAMPENING LEATHER BEFORE AND AFTER

APPLYING OIL AND TALLOW. - - - - - 218

CHAPTEE XXV.

DIRECTIONS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF DETACHED FURNACES FOR

BURNING WET SPENT TAN, BY THERON SKEEL, C. E. - - - 224

LIST OF ILLUSTEATIONS.

Pack

Cold Sweat Pits, --------- 249

Hide Mill, 251

Rocker Handler, - 255 Sole Leather Roller, -------- 257

Sprinkler Leach, ---- - - 261

Bark Cutting Mill, - - - - - - - - 263

Allentown Bark Mill, ------- 265

Howard Leather Washer, 265 Salem Tan Press, --------- 267

LocKWOOD Leather Scourer, ------ 269

FiTZHENRY Leather Scourer, - - - - - - -271

BuRDON Leather Scourer, - - - - - - - 273

Stuffing Wheel, - - - - - - - - -275

Charles Korn's Whitener, - - - - 277

Union Whitener and Buffing Machine, - - - - 279

Fisk's Whitener and Buffing Machine, _ - - - 281 Union Leather Splitter, 283 Henry Labipert's Hide Worker, ----- 283

Outline and Trim of Hide, ------- 285

Tanners' and Curriers' Tools, ------ 287

HoYT Furnace at Wilcox Penn., Plates I, II, HI, - 289, 291, 293 Design for Wet Tan Furnace, Plates IV, V, VI, - 295, 297, 299 liSTEODUOTION.

This Centennial year seems an appropriate perio:! in which to review the progress and present atfcainmsnt of the tanner's art in America. In the chapters which are to follow it is not proposed to give a chronological history so much as the general progress of the trade, and even that progress will be considered in subordination to the permanent advancement of the whole manufacture, rather than to the glorification of any special period of our trade history, or the commendation of any particular man or class of men, however conspicuous they may have been during critical periods. This purpose will make it unnecessary to iaquire whether "Simon" was a good or poor tanner; indeed, whether he was* a tanner at all, since, whatever his merits as an artisan, they have long since been surpassed by others with far better methods.

For similar reasons no attempt will be made to bring under review the various exploded patents and so-called improvements that have for the past fifty years been pressed on the attention of tanners. No volume, howdver large, would be adequate to contain the recital of their origin and pretensions. But so many of such improvements as have been at any time adopted by any considerable number of the trade— and particularly if they have a practical existence in

XIV

INTEODUCTION.

any of our modern yards — will receive respectful consideration. Tliis, to be useful, must be candid, and free from ail bias.

To intelligently contrast the merits of mechanical inventions — to hold an even hand in weighing the advantages and disadvantages of systems and methods which include among their advocates men equally intelKgent — is a task not likely to be accomplished without involving the writer in much censorious criticism. But if an entire absence of all ownership or interest in patented or other improvements can qualify one for the task, then these chapters will contain a fair presentation of the merits of all claims.

The form chosen in which to present this subject is intended to elicit honest inquiry and full discussion. Instead of a treatise giving in dogmatic language the processes which it is claimed tanners have adopted or must adopt, it is intended here to present the merits and defects of known systems and methods as their advocates would state them, and hold these up in contrast with other methods commended by equally intelligent men, and thus, by candid comparison, show their relative merits, and indicate such preference as may appear to be justified by our experience. This course of inquiry and presentation will, it is beheved, lead to far better results than if preconceived and fixed theories and opinions were enunciated and defended. In still other words, these chapters will contain a tolerant discussion of the present condition of the tanner's art in America, and, by way of contrast and honorable emulation, with the relative position of the same trade in the more advanced nations of Europe, and in the treatment of these subjects there will be no pedantic use of terms, either mechanical or otherwise ; only such plirases and words will be employed as are familiar to all practical tanners. While it is conceded that the tanner's art is largely chemical

Introduction

XV in its nature, and may in tlie future be greatly advanced by the study and application of chemical laws, in this preliminary inquiry it is thought expedient for both writer and reader to confine attention to the tanner's art as understood by ordinary workmen.

It is proposed here to treat only of the subject of " tanning" as contradistinguished from "tawing." The art of " tanning " differs so widely from that of " tawing " that an expert in the one may be a novice in the other. They do not assimilate any more than the glove maker does with the boot or shoe maker. The latter uses " tanned," while the former uses " tawed " leather. Sir Humphrey Davy has drawn the distinction by the adoption of a chemical formula and test. He says, in substance, that leather is a chemical combination of gelatine and tannin, its characteristic being that, when combined, water will not separate the constituents or dissolve the connection ; whereas, in the tawing process, water will separate them and return the gelatine and salt or alum into their original elements.

In America we have but little experience with any other than bark tannage, and, therefore, if we speak at all of the various substitutes for bark used by tanners in the old world, it must be from a very limited experience and a qualified knowledge. In deference to the success of the tanners of Great Britain we are compelled to admit that vegetable substances other than bark — such as cutch, terra japonica, valonia, myrabolams, divi divi, etc. — do tan leather. These materials practically do the tanning for Great Britain, and make a serviceable and even artistic leather. The barks of our forests, particularly those of the hemlock and the oak, are, then, only two among the tanning agents which are to be employed in making leather. But as these are the agents with which we are most familiar — indeed, the only agents in genxvi

INTRODUCTION.

eral use in this country — ^it is with reference to their use that these chapters will treat, considering only incidentally such other tanning materials as come into competition.

The only exception to the use of barks or bark extracts in this country is that of " terra japonica," and this is used only to a limited extent. Bufc as this tanning substance has been the innocent cause of much misapprehension, and has led many novices into grave mistakes, as we pass along we may turn aside occasionally to point out this rock on which many hopes and even fortunes have been wrecked.

In illustrating the machinery which is most approved by tanners and workers in leather, it must be understood that only such kinds are here presented as are new, or comparatively so, in construction. Many useful machines are now in use, but so old and familiar that it is not thought expedient to encumber these pages with their presentation. Some of the illustrations are of old machines with new attachments ; whenever this occurs an attempt will be made to designate the added novelty, in the text accompanying the drawing, or in the drawing itself.