Part 288

Dissolve with frequent shaking in 12 parts of alcohol (95 per cent), add 1.8 parts of powdered red sanders wood, let stand for 3 days and filter. The object of this varnish is to restore the original color to worn Russia leather boots, previously cleaned with benzine.

«Russet Leather Dressing.»—The following formulas are said to yield efficient preparations that are at once detersive and polishing, thus rendering the use of an extra cleaning liquid unnecessary.

I.—Soft soap 2 parts Linseed oil 3 parts Annatto solution (in oil) 8 parts Beeswax 3 parts Turpentine 8 parts Water 8 parts

Dissolve the soap in the water, and add the annatto; melt the wax in the oil and turpentine, and gradually stir in the soap solution, stirring until cold. {450}

II.—Palm oil 16 parts Common soap 48 parts Oleic acid 32 parts Glycerine 10 parts Tannic acid 1 part

Melt the soap and palm oil together at a gentle heat, and add the oleic acid; dissolve the tannic acid in the glycerine, add to the hot soap and oil mixture, and stir until perfectly cold.

«Shoe Leather Dressing.»—Over a water bath melt 50 parts, by weight, of oil of turpentine; 100 parts, by weight, of olive oil; 100 parts, by weight, of train oil; 40 parts, by weight, of carnauba wax; 15 parts, by weight, of asphaltum; and 2 parts, by weight, of oil of bitter almonds.

«DYEING LEATHER.»

In dyeing leather, aniline or coal-tar colors are generally used. These dyes, owing to their extremely rapid action on organic substances, such as leather, do not readily adapt themselves to the staining process, because a full brushful of dye liquor would give a much deeper coloration than a half-exhausted brush would give. Consequently, to alter and to color leather by the staining process results in a patchy coloration of the skin. In the dyeing operation a zinc shallow trough, 4 to 6 inches deep, is used, into which the dye liquor is put, and to produce the best results the contents of the trough are kept at a uniform temperature by means of a heating apparatus beneath the trough, such as a gas jet or two, which readily allows of a heat being regulated. The skins to be dyed are spread out flat in the dye trough, one at a time, each skin remaining in the dye liquor the time prescribed by the recipe. The best coloration of the skin is produced by using 3 dye troughs of the same dye liquor, each of different strength, the skin being put in the weakest liquor first, then passed into the second, and from there into the third dye liquor, where it is allowed to remain until its full depth of color is obtained. Very great skill is required in the employment of aniline dyes, as if the heat be too great, or the skins remain too long in the final bath, “bronzing” of the color occurs. The only remedy for this (and that not always effectual) is to sponge the skin with plenty of cold, clean water, directly it is taken out of the final dye bath. The dyed skins are dried and finished as before.

«Leather Brown.»—

Extract of fustic 5 ounces Extract of hypernic 1 ounce Extract of logwood 1⁠/⁠2 ounce Water 2 gallons

Boil all these ingredients for 15 minutes, and then dilute with water to make 10 gallons of dye liquor. Use the dye liquor at a temperature of 110° F.

Mordant.—Dissolve 3 ounces of white tartar and 4 ounces of alum in 10 gallons of water.

«Fast Brown.»—Prepare a dye liquor by dissolving 1 1⁠/⁠2 ounces fast brown in 1 gallon of water, and make a 10-gallon bulk of this. Use at a temperature of 110° F., and employ the same mordanting liquor as in last recipe.

«Bismarck Brown.»—

Extract of fustic 4 ounces Extract of hypernic 1 ounce Extract of logwood 1⁠/⁠2 ounce Water 2 gallons

Preparation.—Boil all together for 15 minutes.

Method of Dyeing.—First mordant the skins with a mordanting fluid made by dissolving 3 ounces tartar and 1⁠/⁠2 ounce borax in 10 gallons of water. Then put the skins into the above foundation bath at a temperature of 100° F. Take them out, and then put in 1 ounce of Bismarck brown, dissolved in boiling water. Put the skins in again until colored deep enough, then lift out, drip and dry.

«HARNESS PREPARATIONS:»

«Blacking for Harness.»—I.—In a water bath dissolve 90 parts of yellow wax in 900 parts of oil of turpentine; aside from this mix well together, all the ingredients being finely powdered, 10 parts of Prussian blue, 5 parts of indigo, 50 parts of bone black, and work this into a portion of the above-mentioned waxy solution. Now throw this into the original solution, which still remains in the water bath, and stir it vigorously until the mass becomes homogeneous, after which pour it into any convenient earthenware receptacle.

II.—Best glue, 4 ounces; good vinegar, 1 1⁠/⁠2 pints; best gum arabic, 2 ounces; good black ink, 1⁠/⁠2 pint; best isinglass, 2 drachms. Dissolve the gum in the ink, and melt the isinglass in another vessel in as much hot water as will cover it. Having first steeped the glue in the vinegar until soft, dissolve it completely by the aid of heat, stirring to prevent burning. The heat should not exceed 180° F. Add the gum and ink, and allow the mixture to rise again to the same temperature. Lastly mix the solution in isinglass, and remove from fire. When {451} used, a small portion must be heated until fluid, and then applied with a sponge and allowed to dry on.

«Dressings for Harness.»—

I.—Ox blood, fresh and well purified 100 parts Glycerine, technical 20 parts Turpentine oil 30 parts Pine oil 50 parts Ox gall 20 parts Formalin 1 1⁠/⁠2 parts

The raw materials are stirred together cold in the order named. Pour the mixture through thin linen. It imparts a wonderful mild, permanent gloss.

II.—A French harness dressing of good quality consists of oil of turpentine, 900 parts; yellow wax, 90 parts; Berlin blue, 10 parts; indigo, 5 parts; and bone black, 50 parts. Dissolve the yellow wax in the oil of turpentine with the aid of moderate heat in a water bath, mix the remaining substances, which should previously be well pulverized, and work them with a small portion of the wax solution. Finally, add the rest of the wax solution, and mix the whole well in the water bath. When a homogeneous liquid has resulted, pour it into earthen receptacles.

«Harness Oils.»—

I.—Neatsfoot oil 10 ounces Oil of turpentine 2 ounces Petrolatum 4 ounces Lampblack 1⁠/⁠2 ounce

Mix the lampblack with the turpentine and the neatsfoot oil, melt the petrolatum and mix by shaking together.