Objectnummer
53/569
Beschrijving
This tanning hook is a crook-headed implement used in leather making, for pulling soaked hide from a lime bath in a tannery. Two men would walk either side of the lime bath and pull the soaked hides out together by using two hooks such as this. The donor obtained this hook from a tanner at the Tan Factory, Loddon Bridge, between Reading and Wokingham.
Fysieke kenmerken
1 tanning hook: metal; fair condition- handle missing
<DIV STYLE="text-align:Justify;font-family:Georgia;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;font-size:16;color:#000000;"><P><SPAN><SPAN>8. <B>Tanner's hook</B><P>Large quantities of dried oak bark would be delivered to the local tannery. Here, the bark's tannin would be extracted ready for use by soaking the bark, now finely ground, in tanks filled with cold water. These tanks were called leaching pits. The tanning of raw animal hides using oak bark could take up to twelve months and more.<P>Before the raw animal hides could be tanned they had to be prepared. On their arrival at the tannery the hides were washed and cleaned. The clean hides were next placed in lime baths (lime and water) in order to loosen the hair roots and lower layers of the epidermis so that both could be removed. The length of time the hides remained in the lime baths depended on the quality of leather required. Up to six weeks would be needed for soft shoe upper leather for example. Once the hides had spent the required period in the lime baths, they were removed by two men working together, one man either side of the bath, and each holding a long-handled hook like the example pictured above (the hook's wooden handle is missing). This hook came from the tan factory, Loddon Bridge, Reading, Berkshire. Following removal from the lime baths the hides were scraped so as to remove the unwanted hairs and fatty tissue. For some hides there followed a treatment called mastering which helped to soften them. Others were scraped with a scudding knife to remove any remaining hairs and dirt. Finally, before being placed in the pits containing the tanning liquor each hide was cut to the required shape and size, split into several layers (if required) and washed.<P>For a more detailed description of the stages of tanning outlined in captions eight to ten see Jenkins, J. G., <I>Traditional Country Craftsmen</I>, 1965, pp. 189-201.<P>53/569</SPAN></SPAN></P></DIV>
Objectnaam
Materiaal
Elektronisch document
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