CHROME GOAT AND SHEEP 165 



In tanning chrome goat for glace the two-bath process 

 is mostly preferred. This is partly because the sulphur 

 deposited in the reducing bath assists materially in pro- 

 ducing the mellowness and fullness which are so essential, 

 and partly because a large proportion of skins are finished 

 in colours. The two-bath process also lends itself to a 

 paddle tannage, which is necessary for the smooth grain 

 finish. One or two illustrative processes may be given. 



One process presents many points of resemblance to the 

 first process suggested for willow calf in Section III. (q.v.). 

 The skins are first pickled in a paddle with 2 per cent, 

 hydrochloric acid and 10 per cent, salt, and then pass into 

 the chroming paddle, which contains at first only 2 per 

 cent, dichromate. Subsequently 4 per cent, dichromate, 

 3j per cent, hydrochloric acid, and 5 per cent, salt are 

 added to the paddle liquor, and the skins paddled until 

 well struck through. After being horsed overnight the 

 skins are struck out by machine, passed through a hypo 

 dip if desired, and reduced with 12 per cent, of thiosulphate 

 and about 5 per cent, of acid. The skins may be left 

 overnight in the hypo paddle, and the excess of thiosul- 

 phate, which is a feeble alkali, commences the neutralization. 



In another process the chroming bath is made up of 

 5j per cent, chromic acid and 6| per cent, of salt, and to 

 this paddle liquor 2 or 3 per cent, of aluminium sulphate 

 may be added if desired. The reduction is with 14 per 

 cent, hypo and 7 per cent, hydrochloric acid. A little 

 of the acid is added to the reducing bath ; when the liquor 

 turns milky, the skins are rapidly inserted, and the rest 

 of the acid gradually added. 



In the finishing processes the mechanical operation of 

 " striking " is very prominent, on account of the necessity 

 of obtaining area and smooth grain. The skin of goats 

 has rather a tendency to bold grain, and this enhances 

 the need of striking. Most manufacturers lay great stress 

 upon thorough neutralization and washing. An important 

 point also is that the staking should be carried out at the 

 proper condition of dryness. If either too damp or too 



