Let’s put that vinyl record back on the turntable, and let that needle drop! We’re back for another term of Hit Replay, your quick source for trending items, fads, hobbies, and practices that looks oh so similar to something that hit the world before. If you are feeling déjà vu, if you can say “Hey! We did that back in the 70’s!” or if you can picture Queen Victoria sporting it, we’ll probably cover it here on Hit Replay! So let’s start another term of repeated trends and hits from the past!
In this issue, we’re going back thousands of years for a practical and versatile art form that’s been gaining momentum and increasing interest in the past few years. We go deep into the magic that is behind modern leather jackets, bi-fold wallets, artisan crafted leather belts and steampunk inspired leather vests. In this issue we’ll talk about the deep history of the craft that is leather-working and try to scratch the surface of its inner workings!
Arguably one of the oldest materials in human history, animal skin was first used by our hunter-gatherer ancestors in various applications, often in making shelters or various articles of clothing. This unprocessed and untreated animal hide was very susceptible to the environment, often becoming stiff in colder temperatures and prone to rotting in the heat. The need for better durability and flexibility led to the early rudimentary process of tanning, using vegetable tannins. Tannins, which are naturally produced on the bark of plants and trees, would bind themselves to the collagen proteins found in the hide which resulted in water and bacterial resistance, and added flexibility to the material. The process involved the constant stretching of the hide on tanning racks, and the repeated soaking of the hide in vats containing tannin mixtures.
The earliest mentions and records of a more complex tanning process can be found in ancient Assyrian, Egyptian and Greek texts (c. 2500 B.C.). A tanner would typically work in a tannery located far out in the outskirts of a city or town due to the foul odours caused by the materials used in the tanning process. The animal skin would often arrive at the tanneries dried stiff and covered in dirt. A tanner would go through a lengthy cleaning process which involved soaking the skin in water to soften, and scouring the skin to remove any remaining flesh or fat. The animal skin was then cleared of all hair fibres by soaking in animal urine or a coating of an alkaline-lime mixture, which is a process called liming that helps to break down keratin proteins. Once completely de-haired, the animal skin then goes through a softening process called bating. An ancient tanner would bate the material by pounding and kneading fermented animal dung into the skin, or in some cases soaking the skin in animal brains. The enzymes would continue to break down proteins in the leather, allowing it to be more pliable. The finished product was a supple, flexible material which could be cut, sewn, and worked into various items!
In modern times, the entire tanning and preparation process remains largely unchanged except that it is completed with the use of various synthetic alternatives, and with the aid of machinery. However, there are do-it-yourself enthusiasts, who still practice variations of the older methods!
In the next issue of Hit Replay, we’ll dive into the next stage of leather craft! We’ll take the processed and tanned animal hide and go through the various applications it has seen throughout the ages until we arrive to the 21st century!
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