hideworking

Hide working encompasses the processes involved in transforming animal hides and skins into usable leather. This traditional craft and industrial practice aims to preserve the hide, preventing decomposition, and to alter its physical properties to achieve desirable characteristics such as flexibility, durability, and aesthetic appeal. The primary stages of hideworking include preparing the hide, tanning, and finishing.

Preparation typically begins with curing the raw hide to preserve it. This can involve salting, drying, or chilling the hide. Next, the hide is "unhaired" and "limed" to remove the hair and epidermis and to swell the collagen fibers, making them more accessible for tanning agents. Following these steps, the hide undergoes "fleshing" to remove any remaining subcutaneous tissue.

Tanning is the crucial step that stabilizes the collagen structure, preventing putrefaction and imparting flexibility. Historically, various natural materials were used for tanning, such as vegetable tannins derived from tree bark and leaves, or through processes like brain tanning. Modern industrial tanning often utilizes chromium salts, which are highly effective but raise environmental concerns.

After tanning, the leather is further processed through "dyeing" to impart color and "fatliquoring" to lubricate the fibers, enhancing softness and preventing stiffness. The final stage is "finishing," which can involve various treatments like buffing, pressing, coating, or embossing to achieve the desired surface texture, appearance, and protective qualities. The specific methods and treatments employed in hideworking vary greatly depending on the type of animal skin, the intended use of the leather, and historical or regional traditions.