SKIN CURING.

Rodney and Otamatea Times, Waitemata and Kaipara Gazette, 9 March 1932, Page 7

SKIN CURING.

In response to many requests we publish these valuable recipes sent by Mrs Mcßoberts, Hatuma, R.M.D., Waipukurau. Will members wishing to get any further information from Mrs Mcßoberts please enclose stamped addressed envelope ?

Lightning Skin Cure.

Over two quarts bran, pour five or six quarts of boiling water. Make an equal quantity of salt water by adding to lukewarm water as much salt as tho water will dissolve. Mix bran water (strained) and salt water together and when no more than uke-warm add an ounce oi sulphuric acid to each gallon of liquid. Immerse skin, which has been cleaned of fat, etc., and well washed; stir or move round occasionally. Take out when cured, rinse, and dry in shady place. Work up as usual. Time: Lamb skins,- two hours; sheep and calf, 3 hours ; rabbit, twenty minutes to an hour.

Test to Find Out Whether Curing is Complete. Make a small cut on the edge of skin in thickest part. When same colour right through, curing is complete.

Calf skins can be done this method, but are inclined to dry patchy and hard.

Cure For Cow-Hide and Calf-Skin. (Good for Bridles, Etc.)

Take one bucket lime (burnt), put in barrel with enough water to cover hide, about eighteen gallons. Soak hide ten days or until hair comes away readily, turning hide frequently. Take out, when ready and lay flat on hard smooth surface, preferably a concrete floor, hair side up and scrape hair off with a spade.

When clean, put in a barrel with a bucket of bran and cover with water. Soak for two days and then take out and put in following pickle: Eight-ten lbs. salt, ten lbs. alum, one ounce oxalic acid, sufficient water to cover hide. Dissolve all ingredients in water and put hide in. Leave for ten days turning frequently, Take out, rinse, stretch out to dry, and pumice when dry. This cure leaves cow-hide soft and pliable and the leather can be used in the making of bridles, girths, etc. • Have seen plaited bridles and girths made. To Cure Sheep Skins. To cure sheep skin with the wool on commence from the soaking in hran using smaller proportion as needed. Clean all fat and flesh off in each case and wash sheep skins before commencihg treatment. To cure the skin I used: Two pounds alum, one pound and a half of salt, one teaspoon oxalic acid, about onefifth of the amount used for hides; two to three gallons of water. Time of curing the same. This did three medium skins.

Two Methods to Remove Wool from Skins.

(1). Bury a well-soaked skin, previous to curing, in a damp place, as flat as possible. In hot weather when ground is warm test at end of second day and if the wool comes off with a rub of the finger it is ready to take out and cleanse for curing. If not ready leave for another day or, until ready. In cold weather with cold ground the process may take three weeks. There is not much odour if the skin is taken at the right time..

(2). Soak the skin in soapy water until wool slipes off easily.