LEATHER, CURRYING OF 



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recently, various methods have been proposed to produce the best effect. We have 

 here (jig. 1374) a representation of one of these presses, which may stand as a type 

 of all others a a are the feet into which the uprights are inserted ; b b are the two 

 upright sides tied at the top by c, a similar cross-piece ties them a little above the 

 feet ; d is a leaf festened with hinges, which closes upon c when the press is not in 

 use ; ee are screws which press on the iron plate, in which the axes of the roller/ are 

 inserted ; these plates imbedded in the uprights b b have considerable play, so as to 

 allow the rollers fh more or less pressure as the case may require. The dotted line 

 i i', represents an iron bar or cylinder, supplied with a small cog-wheel at i', and a 

 crank handle j; this is turned round by the hand, and the small cog-wheel acts on a 

 larger one, k, which is attached to the axis of the roller/: /is a solid roller of hard 

 wood, such as lignum vita ; upon this cylinder is strongly glued the fish-skin, pre- 

 viously alluded to ; A is a cylindrical solid piece of wood, covered with stout flannel ; 

 ?is a piece of leather on which the leather to be pressed is placed; when all is adjusted, 

 the piece to be pressed is placed on I, the handle is moved slowly round, and the 

 whole is carried between the rollers ; the leather thus receives the imprint of the fish- 

 skin, and at the same time becomes extremely solid. After drying, this is fit for the 

 saddler. 



1375 



Of late years the currier has undertaken an office which was previously the business 

 of the bootmaker ; namely, the blocking of boot fronts. This is performed by the instru- 

 ment represented byfig. 1375. The leather is first dressed, as previously described, 

 up to the point of being ready for whitening. The fronts are then cut (fig, 1375 a), 



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