HEAVY CHROME LEATHERS 173 



repeatedly used during the drying. They are finished off 

 with French chalk on flesh and grain. 



Picking band butts are neutralized by using warm 

 water and then borax solution, and are then sammed by 

 machine and very heavily fat liquored with cod oil and 

 tallow and hard soap, to which degras may also be added. 

 Up to 20 per cent, of greases (on the pelt weight) may be 

 used. They are well drummed in this, struck out, French 

 chalked, and dried out. They are softened finally by 

 machine. 



Waterproof chrome upper leathers are manufactured 

 usually from hides tanned by the two-bath process, which 

 is said to give a mellower leather. The neutral type of 

 chroming bath is common. The butts are neutralized, 

 machine sammed and struck, and then fat liquored with 

 2 per cent, each of neatsfoot oil and soft soap. They are 

 then sammed, shaved and blacked on the grain with log- 

 wood and iron, and dried further. They are stuffed then 

 by brushing with an abundant amount of concentrated 

 fat liquor. This gives the waterproofness. They are 

 staked after drying further, and often grained three ways. 

 A further waterproof finish is given consisting of a fat 

 liquor containing bees-wax. They are finally brushed 

 and re-oiled with linseed oil, to which some mineral oil 

 may be added. This leather is much the most durable 

 type for a shooting boot, or where waterproof uppers are 

 desirable. 



REFERENCES. 



Procter, " Principles of Leather Manufacture," p. 198. 

 Bennett, "Manufacture of Leather," pp. 234, 368. 



