CHAPTER XVII 

 FELLMONGERING 



Methods of removing wool from sheep-skins Sweating and painting 



methods. 



A FELLMONGER is the name given to one who takes the wool off 

 sheep-skins. He also scours the wool and tans or pickles the 

 pelts. Local fellmongers prefer green skins to work because they 

 can be handled more quickly and cheaper than the dry skins, the 

 latter requiring a long soaking in water to soften the pelt. There 

 are two methods in use for loosening the wool on the pelt so that 

 it can be easily pulled out by the hand. One method is called the 

 sweating process, where the wet skins are left in a closed-in 

 chamber till slight decomposition sets in and swells the pelt, thus 

 loosening the wool. The other method of removing the wool is 

 by painting the pelt with a solution of sulphide of sodium, which 

 also swells the pelt and loosens the wool. Both methods are in 

 use to-day by local fellmongers, and I will give a detailed 

 description of them later. 



Let us take a skin just as it comes from the abattoirs. The 

 first thing that is done to it is what is called heading and 

 trottering, that is, cutting off all the trotters or feet from the 

 skin, and the head, if it has been left on. The skins are then 

 placed in large vats or pits containing water. This is called 

 soaking. The skins are left in this for one or two hours till 

 the pelt has become very soft. This soaking also removes a great 

 deal of the blood and foreign matter from the wool and pelt. 

 If dry skins are being treated they require about forty-eight hours 



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