Principles and Practice of Fur Dressing and Fur Dyeing.

by William E. Austin.

PREFACE

The great increase in the use of furs during the past few decades has caused the fur dressing and dyeing industry to rise from relative insignificance to considerable importance as a branch of applied chemistry. The past eight years, moreover, have witnessed the virtual transference of the leadership in the dressing and dyeing of furs from Europe to America, and in the quality and variety of products, the domestic industry is now in every way the equal of, and in many respects superior to the foreign. The great bulk of American furs which formerly were sent to Leipzig, Paris or London to be dressed and dyed, are now being dressed and dyed in this country.

In spite of these facts, very little is generally known about the nature and manner of the work const.i.tuting the dressing and dyeing of furs.

Even among members of other branches of the fur trade, there is very little accurate information on the subject. Real knowledge concerning fur dressing and dyeing is possessed only by those actually engaged in the industry. The interest and efforts of scientists and technologists have been enlisted to only a small extent in the technical development of the industry. The reason for this may be attributed to two related causes: first, the almost monastic seclusion in which fur dressers and dyers, particularly the latter, conducted their operations, and even to-day the heavy cloud of mystery is being dispelled but very slowly; and second, as a consequence of the first, the lack of any reliable literature on the subject. Of the few books which have been written on the industry of fur dressing and fur dyeing (all of them either German or French), most are hopelessly out of date, or contain no trustworthy data; or, if they do have real merit, they cannot be obtained. Numerous articles in the technical journals are of interest, but they contain very little information of value.

This work is intended for a two-fold purpose: first, that it may serve as a text-book for those who expect to make fur dressing and dyeing their vocation. The fundamental principles upon which the industry is based are discussed in the light of the most recent chemical and technical developments, and the most important operations are treated fully and systematically, and are ill.u.s.trated with practical examples.

Secondly, as a practical handbook for the worker in the fur dressing and dyeing plant. The latest factory processes and methods are described, and numerous working formulas given. The formulas are all such as have been successfully used on a large scale, and give satisfactory results when applied under the proper conditions.

In addition, it is believed that the book will prove of interest to chemists and other students of industrial chemistry, since it will be an introduction into a field of applied chemistry, about which very little is known to those outside of the industry.

Thanks are due to Dr. L. A. Hausman, of Cornell University, for material used in Chapter II; to Dr. E. Lesser of the American Dyewood Company, for information and a.s.sistance on the subject of Vegetable Dyes; to the Gaskill Chemical Corp., American Aniline Products, Inc., the Ca.s.sella Company, and the Franklin Import & Export Co., for information about their products in connection with the chapter on Oxidation Colors; to F.

Blattner, Fletcher Works, Inc., S. M. Jacoby Co., Proctor & Schwartz, Inc., Reliable Machine Works, Seneca Machine & Tool Co., Inc., and the Turner Tanning Machinery Co., for the use of the cuts of the various machines.

WILLIAM E. AUSTIN.

NEW YORK, May, 1922.

CHAPTER I

FURS AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS

Furs have in general two uses: as the goods which const.i.tute the basis of the furrier's art, and as the source of material for the hat manufacturer.

In the latter case, only the hair part of the fur is utilized in the hat trade for the production of felt, the skin being either made into leather, or used as the raw material for making high-grade glue and gelatine. It is the furrier, therefore, who uses the great bulk of furs, and requires them to be dressed and dyed.

In discussing the dressing and the dyeing of furs, there are, broadly speaking, two fundamental subjects to be considered: first, the raw materials employed, which are, of course, the skins or pelts as they come from the trapper. (Other substances used in fur dressing and dyeing are accessories, and will be studied in connection with the processes.) Second, all those operations, physical and chemical, manual and mechanical, to which the raw skins have to be subjected in order to obtain the finished fur, ready for use by the furrier.

Next to the inherent qualities of the fur skin, the future value of a fur in a manufactured garment depends largely on the dressing and dyeing it receives. It is in these operations that the beauty of the fur can be brought out to its fullest degree, and if possible, enhanced, or the attractive features can be marred or destroyed, and the fur rendered quite worthless. Therefore, it is quite essential for the fur dresser and the fur dyer in addition to the technical knowledge and experience which are the fundamental requisites of the industry, also to have more than a superficial familiarity with the various kinds of furs. In fact, an accurate knowledge of the nature and chief characteristics of furs in general, and of the individual cla.s.ses, in particular, is almost indispensable to obtain the best results. The habits and habitats of the various fur-bearing animals are factors which largely determine the const.i.tution of the fur, and the nature of the skin. There are as many different kinds of fur hair, with as many different kinds of skin bearing the hair, as there are cla.s.ses of furs. The methods of dressing, and often, if the furs are to be dyed, the manner of dyeing, are determined by the nature of these component parts of furs. Various chemicals affect furs in widely different ways. The divergence with regard to the physical and chemical properties of the cla.s.ses of furs is such as to make almost imperative a detailed knowledge of the typical members of the many groups of commercial furs.

To be sure, there are many engaged in the dressing and dyeing of furs, who never made a formal study of this phase of the industry, but acquired their knowledge empirically, and are apparently quite successful. It must not be denied, that practise and experience, as in every field of enterprise, are essential to obtaining the best results. But the time and cost of acquiring this precious experience can be considerably reduced by systematically studying the important characteristics and properties of furs. These will be treated briefly, but in sufficient detail to form a basis for discussing the operations of dressing and dyeing.

Fur-bearing animals are mammals whose skins are used in the manufacture of fur garments and other fur wearing apparel. The skin, when it is removed from the animal is called a pelt, or sometimes, in the case of large animals, a hide. The pelt, after having been dressed and dyed, is called a fur, the skin part being referred to as the leather, and the hair as the pelage. However, this terminology is not strictly adhered to in practise, and the various terms are often employed interchangeably.

The various fur-bearing animals differ considerably in the characteristics of the furs they yield. With few exceptions, notably beaver and Alaska red fox, the depth of shade increases as the habitat of the animal species is nearer the equatorial regions. There seems to be a direct relationship between the intensity of color of the pelt, and the distance from, or proximity to the polar, or the torrid regions. Thus, white mammals, such as polar bear, ermine, white or Siberian hare, are found only in the northern lands. An exception is the sheep, which, due to its domestic nature, can be found in almost all parts of the civilized world. Tropical animals on transportation to colder climates, have been known to become lighter-haired when adapted to their new environment. The skins of animals living in dense woods or forests, are generally of a deeper color than in animals living in more open territory. As a general rule, fur-bearing animals have darker hair on the back than on the sides and belly. The badger, hamster, ratel and panda are exceptions having the darker hair on the belly and sides, and the lighter hair on the back. With regard to the intensity of color, the skunk has the blackest fur, although some domestic cats are also quite black. Other animals whose fur is nearly black, are the black bear, and the black fox, which is a variety of the silver fox, but the color is often of a brownish shade. The colors which predominate among animals of the fur-bearing variety, are white, black, brown, and grey. Less common are yellow shades, and those known as blue.

The quality of the fur on all mammals improves with cold, and animals living at greater alt.i.tudes, with correspondingly lower temperatures, have thicker and finer hair than those living nearer sea-level. A cold winter generally produces fur of high quality and fine color, a mild winter may cause the hair to be inferior. In all climates, animals found in dense woods, have fur which is deeper, silkier, thicker, and glossier than that of animals living in the open. Animals inhabiting inland lakes and rivers, have finer and softer hair than those living near the coast or land exposed to sea winds. In general, the hair of animals of the cold regions is short, fine, soft, and downy, while the hair of animals of warmer lands, is longer, stiffer, and harder.

Both the quality and color of the fur vary with the age of the animal.

The young usually have a thicker coat of fur than adults, but the hair is too soft, and the skin generally too tender to be fit for use. In certain cases, particularly the baby lambs, very young skins are especially prized, and eagerly sought, but extraordinary care has to be exercised in working with them. Fur is at its best when the animal is between one and two years old. After this age, the fur becomes coa.r.s.e and scraggy. The animal attains its fullest growth of hair usually in the height of winter, and the fur is best between then and very early spring. Before mid-winter the hair is short and thin, and in the spring it begins to shed, and will continue to fall out even in the dressed fur. The color of the hair also becomes lighter with age, and the new growth which generally comes in the fall is darker than the old coat.

Different members of the same species, will, other factors such as age and season being equal, vary as to color and quality. There may even be several different color phases of the same species of animal, such as the cross fox and the silver fox, both of which are of the same genus as the red fox; black muskrats are of the same cla.s.s as the brown variety, etc.

The individual pelt likewise presents many variations in color and nature of the hair. In some parts, the hair is thicker and softer than others, and the color varies in intensity and shade throughout the different sections of the skin.

Furs do not have differences confined to the hair part only; the leather also presents considerable variation among the different fur-bearing animals, especially in regard to the weight and thickness. The durability of furs, relatively considered under similar conditions of wear, also varies widely. In the following table the relative durability of dressed furs, and in certain instances also dyed furs, otter being taken as standard, is given, as well as the weight in ounces per square foot of skin of these furs.

_Name of Fur_ _Durability_ _Wt. in oz.

_Otter = 100_ per sq. ft._ Astrachan 10 3 Bear, brown or black 94 7 Beaver, natural 90 4 Beaver, plucked 85 3-7/8 Chinchilla 15 1-1/2 Civet cat 40 2-3/4 Coney 20 3 Ermine 25 1-1/4 Fox, natural 40 3 Fox, dyed black 25 3 Genet 35 2-3/4 Goat 15 4-1/8 Hare 05 2-1/4 Krimmer 60 3 Kolinsky 25 3 Leopard 75 4 Lynx 25 2-3/4 Marten, Baum natural 65 2-3/4 Marten, Baum blended 45 2-3/4 Marten, Stone natural 45 2-7/8 Marten, Stone dyed 35 2-7/8 Mink, natural 70 3-1/4 Mink, dyed 35 3-1/4 Mink, j.a.p 20 3 Mole 07 1-3/4 Muskrat 45 3-1/4 Nutria, plucked 25 3-1/4 Opossum, natural 37 3 Opossum, dyed 20 3 Opossum, Australian 40 3-1/2 Otter, land 100 4-1/2 Otter, sea 100 4-1/2 Persian lamb 65 3-1/4 Pony, Russian 35 3-1/2 Rabbit 05 2-1/4 Racc.o.o.n, natural 65 2-1/4 Racc.o.o.n, dyed 50 2-1/2 Sable 60 2-1/2 Sable, blended 45 2-1/2 Seal, fur 80 3-1/2 Seal, fur dyed 70 3-1/8 Skunk, tipped 50 2-7/8 Squirrel, grey 2025 1-3/4 Wolf, natural 50 6-1/2 Wolverine 100 7

In estimating the value of a fur, many factors have to be considered.

There is no one standard by which the skins are judged, each kind of fur having its own criterion. However, the general points by which raw furs are graded are, color, size, origin, quality and quant.i.ty of hair, condition of leather, date or season of trapping, methods of handling, etc. Beaver, for example, is graded as large, medium, small and cubs.

Red foxes, first, into Alaska, Labrador, and Nova Scotia, and then these divisions are cla.s.sed as large, medium and small. Skunks are graded according to the amount of white on the skin, the less white, the more valuable the fur.

The qualities which make a fur desired depend first of all on the nature of the fur itself. Pretty color, l.u.s.ter, thickness, softness, length, uniformity and regular fall of the hair are the chief points to be considered. While the leather part of the fur is of secondary importance in the evaluation of a fur, it must possess strength, lightness of weight, and when properly dressed, should be supple and have a certain firmness or 'feel.' The abundance or scarcity of a fur-bearing animal also determines the value of the fur. Furs which are always comparatively rare, such as silver fox, Russian sable, chinchilla, etc., are always highly prized.

In this connection, circ.u.mstances which tend to decrease the number of available pelts of any particular animal, such as pestilences, gradual extermination due to excessive trapping, prevention of trapping, by protective laws, also affect the value of a fur. A third factor which has an influence on the value of furs, is the prevailing style or fashion.

Many kinds of furs which are both beautiful and rare, such as Russian sable or chinchilla, are practically unaffected by the whims of fashion.

But a fur of ordinary value may at times become so popular, that the demand for it will cause its price to be greatly increased. Similarly, a fur which has enjoyed a considerable vogue, may pa.s.s out of demand for a time and consequently depreciate in value.

A detailed description of the various furs used in commerce is not within the scope of this work, because such an account rightly belongs in a book on zoology. However, it is desirable that the reader who is interested in the dressing and dyeing of furs should have at least a pa.s.sing acquaintance with the chief furs used in commerce, together with such of their individual characteristics as are of importance. The figures given are for the average dressed skin.[1]

[1] Descriptions after W. S. Parker, Deputy Chairman, Fur Section of London Chamber of Commerce, in Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th Ed.

~Astrachan~, see Lambs.

~Badger.~--2 1 ft. This is one of the few animals whose fur is darker on the belly than on the back. The American sorts have coa.r.s.e, thick under-hair of a pale fawn or stone color, with a growth of longer black and white hairs 34 inches long. The j.a.panese varieties are usually dyed for imitation skunk. The American kind is also dyed occasionally but is mostly used natural. Badger hair is very extensively used for 'pointing.'

~Bear, Black.~--6 3 ft. Has fine, dark brown under-hair, with bright, flowing black top-hair 4 inches long. The fur of cubs is nearly as long, although the skins are much smaller, and the hair is finer, softer, and lighter-pelted. The best skins are from Canada.

~Bear, Brown.~--6 3 ft. Similar to the Black Bear, but more limited in number. The color ranges from a light yellow to a rich dark brown. The best and most valuable sorts come from the Hudson Bay territory, inferior skins coming from Europe and Asia.

~Bear, White.~--10 5 ft. This is the largest of the bears. The hair is short and close except on the flanks, while the color ranges from white to yellow. The best skins come from Greenland, the whitest being the most valuable.

~Beaver.~--3 2 ft. This is the largest of the rodents, and is very widely used; formerly to a great extent in the hat trade. The under-hair is close and of a bluish-brown hue, and nearly an inch deep. The over-hair is coa.r.s.e, bright black or reddish-brown in color, and is usually plucked out, as the under-hair is the attractive part of the fur. The darkest skins are the most valuable. Formerly beaver was used to dye in imitation of seal, but more suitable furs are now used.

~Broadtail~, see Lambs.

~Caracul~, see Lambs.

~Cat, Civet.~--9 4-1/2 inches, with short, thick and dark under-hair, and silky, black top-hair with irregular white markings. It is similar to the skunk, but is lighter, softer, less full, and has no disagreeable odor.

~Cat, House.~--18 9 inches. Is mostly black and dark brown, the best skins coming from Holland. The hair is weak, coming out with the friction of wear. In the trade, the black variety is known as genet.

~Chinchilla.~--12 7 inches. This is one of the rarest and most beautiful furs. It comes from Bolivia and Peru, where, due to the uncontrolled trapping of the animal, it is becoming scarce, and this compelled the governments to enact laws prohibiting the taking of chinchilla for a certain period. The fur is of a delicate blue-grey, with black shadings, the fur being 11-1/4 inches deep. Unfortunately, the skin is quite perishable.

~Chinchilla, La Plata.~--9 4 inches. Incorrectly called "b.a.s.t.a.r.d chinchilla" in the trade. It is a similar species to the Bolivian chinchilla, but due to the lower alt.i.tude and warmer climate of its habitat, is smaller, with shorter and less pretty hair, the color of the under-hair being darker, and of the top-hair less pure. It is quite as undurable as true chinchilla.

~Chinchillone.~--13 8 inches. Is also from South America. The fur is longer, weaker, poorer and yellower than real chinchilla, but the skins are often dyed in shades closely resembling the natural chinchilla.