How do I Get Rid of Fat in Leather Tanning?
- 1). Soak the leather hide in a vat of water for a week. You may need to let the hide soak for longer if it is particularly dirty or large.
- 2). Remove the hide from the vat and rinse off whatever matter can be removed this way. Empty the vat out and put the hide back into it.
- 3). Pour the tanning lime solution over the hide and make sure all of the remaining fat comes in contact with the solution. The lime will help break down the fat to be easily removed.
- 4). Spread the hide out with the fat facing up and scrape it away from the skin. Use a plastic scudding tool to remove the fat by dragging it against the hide and pulling the fat off.
- 5). Soak the hide in a vat of acid once you have removed the fat in order to remove the traces of the fat and lime solution. You can proceed with whatever tanning methods you want from this point.
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