Who know the History about Leather?

Question

Who know the History about Leather? give me some introduction?

Answer 1

Check out the History Channel's website. I don't know what it is but I saw a show on leather on there the other day!

Answer 2

Leather goes back a long, long time.

I worked in shoes for 17 years, and we do know that the Indians made moccasins from leather.

In Europe, some of the earliest footware was made from large rat skins, The rat was skinned in such a way that one could just slip ones foot into it and use a tie to keep it on.

The Knights used the hide from a calf's leg, stripping it from the meat and bone, not slitting the hide.. It was stretched while it cured and then one could "struggle" and slip it over ones foot and cover the entire calf of the leg.

Full hide curing was done by stretching it out attached to trees or other ways, then letting insects consume the meat or fat away from the hide. Then it dried in the Sun. It became very stiff, of course, so in order to form it into a useful garments or shoes, the leather had to be soaked and made pliable. Still does, but brine is used.

In the days of the Industrial Revolution, when machiney was invented, there were times in Bulgaria that workers wore leather shoes and had straps to hold them on their feet. These were called Sabot shoes, or Sabot straps, (a wide strap across the instep). When workers became angry at their employers, they sometimes threw their Sabot shoes into the machinery to stop production. This is where we got the term "Sabotage".

Some leather goes all the way back to the Egyptians, Chinese, Arabs and their Harems.

Today hides are cured by stacking them on top of one another with layers of salt between them. Every few days the hides must be shaken and the old salt replaced with new salt.

Up through the '40s-'50s to my knowledge, the only workers who turned the hides were Black people. A nasty, nasty job, and no one else would do it. Curing hides are like rotten meat.

The process of making and finishing leather takes something over 100 different procedures.

I've been away from it for a while.


This from a study when I had to make a presentation on shoes
for a local TV show, 1952-53.

Answer 3

Leather is a material created through the tanning of hides, pelts and skins of animals, primarily cows. Leather is a very important clothing material, and its other uses are legion. Together with wood, leather formed the basis of much ancient technology. Leather with the fur still attached is simply called fur.

more information at the site below

Answer 4

Primitive people who lived during the Ice Age some 500,000 years ago, were likely the first to use the skins of animals to protect their bodies from the elements. Just as leather today is a byproduct, our ancient ancestors hunted animals primarily for food, but once they had eaten the meat, they would clean the skin by scraping off the flesh and then sling it over their shoulders as a crude form of a coat. They also made footwear to protect their bare feet from rocks and thorns by taking smaller pieces of animal skin made to fit loosely over the foot and tied at the ankle with thin strips of skin or even vines.

The main problem that primitive man encountered was that after a relatively short time the skins decayed and rotted away. With his limited knowledge and experience, primitive man had no idea how to preserve these hides. As centuries passed it was noticed that several things could slow down the decay of leather. If the skins were stretched out and allowed to dry in the sun, it made them stiff and hard but they lasted much longer. Various oily substances were then rubbed into the skins to soften them. As time passed, it was eventually discovered that the bark of certain trees contained "tannin" or tannic acid which could be used to convert raw skins into what we recognize today as leather. It is quite hard to substantiate chronologically at exactly what time this tanning method materialized, but the famous "Iceman" dating from at least 5,000 BC discovered in the Italian Alps several years ago, was clothed in very durable leather.

Somewhat later, techniques used by the American Indian are very similar to those used in this early period. These Indians took the ashes from their campfires, put water on them and soaked the skins in this solution. In a few weeks the hair and bits of flesh came off, leaving only the raw hide. This tanning method, which used a solution of hemlock and oak bark, took about three months to complete after which the leather was worked by hand to make the hide soft and pliable.

Answer 5

you really dont need to go to specific web site to find out the history of leather just type it in the Search Engine it will help you alot

Answer 6

leather or hide comes from various animals ie.cattle ,deer,water buffalo ect it is removed and sent to a tanner (where the skins are processed and treated ) a chromed skin is cut to thickness and then graded .The best skins (less tick marks) is called English grade and is used mainly in the production of shoes.

Answer 7

I would suggest a good point of departure on your research would be investigating 'naugahyde'.

Answer 8

lookie here

http://www.leathertown.com/info_hist_leather.htm

gl

Answer 9

I do

Answer 10

Leather is a material created through the tanning of hides, pelts and skins of animals, primarily cows. Leather is a very important clothing material, and its other uses are legion. Together with wood, leather formed the basis of much ancient technology. Leather with the fur still attached is simply called fur.

Forms of leather :
There are a number of processes whereby the skin of a dead animal can be formed into a supple, strong material commonly called leather.

* Vegetable-tanned leather is tanned using tannin (hence the name "tanning") and other ingredients found in vegetable matter, tree bark, and other such sources. It is supple and brown in color, with the exact shade depending on the mix of chemicals and the color of the flesh. Vegetable-tanned leather is not stable in water; it tends to discolor, and if left to soak and then dry it will shrink and become less supple and harder. In hot water, it will shrink drastically and plasticize, becoming rigid and eventually becoming brittle.
* Alum-tanned leather is tanned using aluminum salts mixed with a variety of binders and protein sources, such as flour, egg yolk, etc. Purists argue that alum-tanned leather is technically "tawed" and not tanned, as the resulting material will rot in water. Very light shades of leather are possible using this process, but the resulting material is not as supple as vegetable-tanned leather.
* Rawhide is made by scraping the skin thin, soaking it in lime, and then stretching it while it dries. Like alum-tanning, rawhide is not technically "leather", but is usually lumped in with the other forms. Rawhide is stiffer and more brittle than other forms of leather, and is primarily found in uses such as drum heads where it does not need to flex significantly; it is also cut up into cords for use in lacing or stitching, or for making dog toys.
* Boiled leather is a hide product (vegetable-tanned leather) that has been hardened by being immersed in hot water, or in boiled wax or similar substances. Historically, it was used as armour due to its hardness and light weight, but it has also been used for book binding.
* Chrome-tanned leather, invented in 1858, is tanned using chromium sulfate and other salts of chromium. It is more supple and pliable than vegetable-tanned leather, and does not discolor or lose shape as drastically in water as vegetable-tanned. More esoteric colors are possible using chrome tanning.
* Brain-tanned leathers are exceptionaly absorbent of water. They are made by a labor-intensive process which uses emulsified oils (often those of animal brains) and which has not been industralized. They are known for their exceptional softness and their ability to be washed.

Leather—usually vegetable-tanned leather—can be oiled to improve its water resistance. This supplements the natural oils remaining in the leather itself, which can be washed out through repeated exposure to water. Frequent oiling of leather, with mink oil, neatsfoot oil or a similar material, keeps it supple and improves its lifespan dramatically.

Leather types :
In general, leather is sold in three forms:

* Full-Grain leather, made from the finest raw material, are clean natural hides which have not been sanded to remove imperfections. Only the hair has been removed. The grain remains in its natural state which will allow the best fiber strength, resulting in greater durability. The natural grain also has natural breathability, resulting in greater comfort. The natural Full-Grain surface will wear better than other leather. Rather than wearing out, it will develop a natural "Patina" and grow more beautiful over time. The finest furniture, and footwear, are made from Full Grain leather.

* Corrected-Grain Leather (also called "top-grain leather"). Corrected Leather is fuzzy on one side and smooth on the other. The smooth side is the side where the hair and natural grain used to be. The hides, which are made from inferior quality raw materials, have all of the natural grain sanded off, and an artificial grain applied. Top grain leather generally must be heavily painted to cover up the sanding and stamping process.

* Suede is an interior split of the hide. It is "fuzzy" on both sides. Suede is less durable than top-grain. Suede is cheaper because many pieces of suede can be split from a single thickness of hide, whereas only one piece of top-grain can be made. However, as the look of full-grain is in demand, manufacturers use a variety of techniques to make suede appear to be full-grain. For example, in one process, glue is mixed with one side of the suede, which is then pressed through rollers; these flatten and even out one side of the material, giving it the smooth appearance of full-grain. Latigo is one of the trade names for this product.

Other less-common leathers include:

* Patent leather is leather that has been given a high gloss finish. The original process was developed in Newark, New Jersey by inventor Seth Boyden in 1818. Modern patent leather usually has a plastic coating.

* Shagreen is a rough and grainy type of untanned leather, formerly made from a horse's back, or that of a wild ***, and typically dyed green. Shagreen is now commonly made of the skins of sharks and rays.

* Buckskin or brained leather is a tawing process that uses animal brains or other fatty materials to alter the leather. The resulting supple suede-like hide is usually smoked heavily to prevent it from rotting.

* Bicast leather is man-made product that contains some amount of leather. It is commonly marketed as real leather to unknowing consumers.

There are two other descriptions of leather commonly used in speciality products, such as briefcases, wallets, and luggage.

* Belting leather is a full grain leather that was originally used in driving pulley belts and other machinery. It is often found on the surface of briefcases, portfolios, and wallets, and can be identified by its thick, firm feel and smooth finish. Belting leather is the only kind of leather used in luxury products that can retain its shape without the need for a separate frame; it is generally a heavy weight of full-grain, vegetable-tanned leather.

* Napa leather, or Nappa leather, is extremely soft and supple, and is commonly found in higher quality wallets, toiletry kits, and other personal leather goods.

Leather is sold in a variety of thicknesses. In some parts of the world top-grain thicknesses are described using weight units of ounces. Although the statement is in ounces only, it is an abbreviation of ounces per square foot. The thickness value can be obtained by the conversion:

* 1 oz/ft² = 1/64 inch (0.4 mm)

Hence leather described as 7 to 8 oz is 7/64 to 8/64 inches (2.8 to 3.2 mm) thick. The weight is usually given as a range because the inherent variability of the material makes ensuring a precise thickness very difficult. Other leather manufacturers state the thickness directly in millimetres.


Today, most leather is made of cow hides, but many exceptions exist. Lamb and deer skin are used for soft leather in more expensive apparels. Kangaroo leather is used to make items which need to be strong but flexible, such as motorcycle gloves. Kangaroo leather is favored by motorcyclists specifically because of its lighter weight and higher abrasion resistance as compared to cowhide. Leather made from more exotic skins has at different times in history been considered very beautiful. For this reason certain snakes and crocodiles have been hunted to near extinction.

In the 1970s, farming of ostriches for their feathers became popular. As a side product, ostrich leather became available and is currently used by all the big fashion houses like Hermès, Prada, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton. Ostrich leather has a characteristic "goose bump" look because of the large follicles from which the feathers grew.

In Thailand, sting ray leather is used in wallets and belts in the same way as regular cow leather. Sting ray leather is as tough and durable as hard plastic. The leather is often dyed black and covered with tiny round bumps in the natural pattern of the back ridge of an animal. These bumps are then usually dyed white to highlight the decoration.