FUR DRESSING
PRELIMINARY OPERATIONS
The fur dresser receives the skins in one of two shapes, flat or cased,
depending on the manner in which they were removed from the animal. Flat
skins, as for example, beaver, are obtained by cutting on the under side
of the animal from the root of the tail to the chin, and along the inner
side of the legs from the foot to the first cut. The skins are either
fastened to boards or attached to wooden hoops slightly larger than the
skins, so as to stretch them, and are then carefully dried, avoiding
direct sunshine or artificial heat, as it is very easy to overheat the
skins and thereby ruin them. The great majority of skins, however, are
cased. The pelts are cut on the under side of the tail, and along the
hind legs across the body, the skin being then removed by pulling it
over the head off the body like a glove, trimming carefully about the
ears and nose. The skin is thus obtained inside out, and is drawn over a
stretching board or wire stretcher of suitable shape and dimensions, so
as to allow the skin to dry without wrinkling. The pelts, after drying
in a dry, airy place, are removed from the stretchers and are ready for
the market. With some furs, as foxes, the skins are turned hair-side out
while still somewhat moist, and then put on the stretcher again till fully
dried. In most cases, however, skins are sold flesh-side out. Throughout
the various dressing operations cased skins are kept intact, being turned
flesh-side out or hair-side out according as the processes are directed
to the respective sides. The pelts are only cut open if they have to be
dyed, or after the manufacturer receives them, when they have to be worked
into manufactured garments.
A distinction which is made by fur dressers and dyers, and also by the fur
trade in general, divides furs into those derived from domestic animals,
particularly the various kinds of sheep, including also the goat species,
and those obtained from other animals by trapping. In fact, at one time,
and to a certain extent even to-day, dressers were divided into two groups
based on this distinction, one class dealing only with furs obtained
from the sheep family, and the other working with other kinds of furs.
This differentiation is not a simple arbitrary one, but has a rational
justification. As mentioned before, the manner and habit of living of the
animal are important factors in determining the nature and constitution of
its skin, both leather and hair. The structure of the body being dependent
primarily upon the nature of the food absorbed by the animal, it is only
natural that herbivorous or vegetable-eating animals such as sheep and
goats, should possess fur of a different sort from that of the carnivorous
or meat-eating animals, such as the majority of fur-bearers are. It also
seems clear that furs differing in their character and constitution should
require somewhat different treatments, and accordingly the methods are
modified when furs like lambs or goats are dressed. To a great extent,
however, the fundamental operations are similar for all furs, regardless
of nature or origin, and these will be discussed briefly.
Inasmuch as the first great purpose of fur dressing is to render the
skins more or less permanently immune from the processes of decay, it
is necessary to prepare the pelts so as to be most fit to receive the
preserving treatment. The skins as they are delivered to the fur dresser
have, in the majority of cases, been stretched and dried to preserve
them temporarily, while in some instances, especially with the larger
furs like bears and seals, they are salted and kept moist. The flesh-side
of the pelt still has considerable fleshy and fatty tissues adhering to
it, and the hair is generally soiled and occasionally blood-stained. In
order to get the pelts into such a condition that they can be worked
and manipulated, they first have to be made soft and flexible. Very
greasy skins are scraped raw in order to remove as much as possible of
the attached fat, the operation being known as beaming or scraping. The
typical beam, shown in Fig. 3, consists of a sloping table usually made
of some hard wood, and placed at an angle of about 45°. It is generally
flat, although in some instances convex beams are also used, about a yard
long, 8 to 10 inches wide, and firmly supported at the upper end. The skin
is placed on the beam, flesh-side up, and is scraped with a two-handled
knife (Fig. 4), always in a downward direction.
[Illustration: FIG. 3. BEAM.]
[Illustration: FIG. 4. KNIVES USED IN FUR DRESSING.]
The first step in softening the skins is to get them thoroughly moistened,
and this is variously done, depending on the nature of the skin. Lambs,
for example, require the gentlest means of wetting them, while rabbits
can stand soaking in water for several days. The manner and duration
of moistening must be adjusted to the character of the pelt. For the
putrefactive processes which were stopped by stretching and drying the
skins, continue as soon as the pelt is again moistened. The progress
of decay causes the evolution of certain gases, the simplest of which
is ammonia, and eventually, if permitted to proceed, brings about the
complete disintegration of the skin tissue. It has been found that a
certain amount of gas formation is necessary to loosen up the fibres in
order to get the best quality of leather after tanning. This process must
be interrupted at the proper time and not allowed to proceed too far.
Skins which have been preserved fresh by salting, require only a
comparatively short time (about 2 hours) to become softened by soaking
in clean, soft water. Most dried skins need a longer treatment before
they are sufficiently flexible. The addition of certain substances to the
water facilitates and accelerates the softening. In some instances salt
water is used for soaking the pelts, the preservative action of the salt
tending to prevent any loosening of the hair. A solution of 1/4% borax
is very effective in rendering the skins soft, and clean as well. Borax
has an exceedingly mild alkaline action, and causes a slight swelling of
the skin tissue, which then absorbs the water more readily. Being also
preservative and antiseptic, borax tends to prevent decomposition of the
skin tissue. Another chemical of a different nature, but equally effective
is formic acid, used in the proportion of 1.5–2.5 parts per 1000 parts of
water. Formic acid also induces a swelling of the skin, the pelts being
soaked in a short time, and the antiseptic action of the acid obviates the
possibility of the hair becoming loose. The water used should be fresh and
clean, and the soaking must be stopped as soon as the skins have become
soft and flexible. Sometimes the skins are allowed to soak overnight in
water, while in other cases, the pelts are just moistened by dipping in
water until thoroughly wet, and then laying them in a pile for several
hours, or overnight. Another method which is practised with certain types
of skins is the use of wet sawdust or of sawdust moistened with salt
water. The fur skins are either embedded in the sawdust or drummed with
it for several hours, or until sufficient moisture has been absorbed
to render them flexible. By this means there is no danger of the skins
being over-soaked, or of the hair being loosened. When the skins have
been properly wetted, they are drawn with the flesh-side across the edge
of a dull knife-blade, in order to help loosen the texture of the skin.
They are then put into a tramping machine and worked until completely
softened. In the case of large or heavy skins, the moistened pelts are
worked on the beam with a dull beaming knife to impart thorough softness
and flexibility.
The pelts are then cleaned with particular reference to the hair. With
some furs this is accomplished simply by drumming for several hours with
dry sawdust, whereby the oil and dirt are removed from the hair, and the
hair is then freed from the sawdust by caging. Other skins are washed,
being passed through a weak soap solution for a short time, the dirty
spots being brushed. Occasionally an extract of soap-bark is used in
place of the soap, being even more effective. The cleansed skins are then
thoroughly rinsed to remove any of the cleaning material, which would
affect the gloss of the hair if allowed to remain on the skins. Then in
order to eliminate as much as possible of the water in the skins, they
are hydro-extracted, a centrifugal machine of the type shown in Fig. 5
being used. The basis of its action depends on the utilization of the
principle of centrifugal force. The machine consists essentially of a
perforated metal basket generally made of copper, capable of being rotated
at a high speed. Surrounding the basket is an iron framework, polished or
enamelled on the inside. The wet skins are placed in the rotating basket,
fur side toward the perforations, and the water which is thrown off from
the skins passes through the little holes, and is caught up on the walls
of the outside frame, from where it is led off through suitable ducts.
The centrifugal device is properly equipped with balancing and regulating
attachments, as well as with a brake. The power may be applied by the
over-drive or the under-drive as is most desirable in the particular case.
The inner surface of the basket can also be enamelled or otherwise made
resistant to the action of acids or other chemicals.
[Illustration: FIG. 5. CENTRIFUGAL MACHINE.
(_Fletcher Works, Inc., Philadelphia_)]
When the skin is removed from the animal, as much as possible of the
adhering fat and flesh is scraped off, but in spite of this, and in
spite of subsequent beaming by the fur dresser, there is always a thin
layer of flesh and fatty material remaining and this must be removed so
as to expose the corium, enabling the efficient action of the chemicals
used in the tanning processes. The process of removing this undesirable
layer from the flesh-side is known as fleshing. It is a rather delicate
operation, requiring considerable experience and dexterity on the part of
the worker, for it is exceedingly easy to cut into the skin and damage
the fur. A fleshing knife of the type commonly used is shown in Fig. 6.
It consists of a sharp blade fastened at a slight angle from the vertical,
with the cutting edge away from the workman, who straddles the bench, and
by drawing the skins back and forth across the edge of the blade, removes
all flesh and fat, leaving the corium free and clean. Large skins cannot
conveniently be fleshed in this fashion. They are placed on the beam, and
fleshed with a fleshing or skiving knife similar to the beaming knife, but
consisting of a slightly curved, sharp two-edged blade having handles at
both ends. Frequent attempts have been made to use suitable machines to
do this work. A type of machine which has met with considerable success
is depicted in Fig. 7. It is fashioned after the models used for the
fleshing of hides for leather manufacture, and has special adjustments
and regulating devices which afford protection for the hair part of the
fur. From time to time other fleshing machines are put on the market, yet
none of them seems to enjoy any great popularity, for fleshing is still
largely a manual operation. With some classes of pelts, fleshing presents
some difficulties, and chemical means have to be resorted to in order to
loosen the flesh sufficiently to enable proper fleshing. In the case of
large furs like bears, leopards, and the like, which while of no great
importance in the fur trade, are occasionally met by the fur dresser,
the skins after being soaked, and washed with soap-water, are partially
dried; then the flesh-side is treated with technical butter or oil, which
is tramped in. A mixture of salt water and bran is then applied to the
skins, thereby causing a swelling action to set in, and the flesh becomes
loosened, and is easily removed by fleshing on the beam. Seals receive a
special treatment which makes them soft, and gives them greater stretch
after they are tanned. A paste made by mixing a very dilute solution of
caustic soda with an inert substance like French chalk, china clay, etc.,
is applied to the corium after the skins have been fleshed, then the
pelts are folded up, and allowed to lie for several hours. They are then
entered into a dilute solution of calcium chloride and left overnight.
After being washed in a paddle or drum, first with fresh water, and then
in water containing lactic or formic acid to remove the lime, the skins
are ready for tanning.
[Illustration: FIG. 6. FLESHING KNIFE ON BENCH.]
[Illustration: FIG. 7. FLESHING MACHINE.
(_Turner Tanning Machinery Co., Peabody, Mass._)]