Although it cannot be expected that the English butchers will readily change their prejudice against modern abattoirs, they are slowly but gradually improving the flaying process in view of the high prices paid for perfect hides. The most progressive of the proprietors of the English hide markets are offering money prizes to slaughtermen for the best flayed hides. Strictly speaking, this encouragement should come from the butcher, who receives the benefit of increased prices for hides removed without a scratch. The Tainturier system, however, gives better results, no matter how well the hides are removed with the knife. The method is not patented, and it is open to anyone to adopt it merely for the cost of the apparatus, yet, despite this gain, no butcher outside France and Belgium has yet adopted the method, although the trade is losing hundreds of pounds every week through bad flaying.
Several other systems of improved flaying have been devised, and some of them patented, but very few have been adopted on a practical scale. One of the most useful consists of fixing a safeguard about a quarter of an inch from the edge of the knife; this prevents the possibility of cutting holes into the hide, although it does not, of course, prevent scoring, which is a serious defect in hides made into sole leather. A safe method is to use a sharp knife of hard wood, such as hickory, which has been successfully tried in one of the large American meat-packing establishments. The hides from these abattoirs are generally well-flayed, properly cured, and closely trimmed, with the result that they command higher prices than any other class of salted hides. The quotations for "packer" hides are followed with keen interest by tanners in all parts of the world.
Fig. 1
MECHANICAL FLAYING
(dépouille mécanique)]
Another useful method of preventing damage to the hides by cuts with a knife is that invented by Mr. E. Pim, a Liverpool hide factor. The apparatus used is known as the tail extractor. It is of simple construction, consisting of four pieces of iron riveted together loosely in the shape of a diamond with a clamp attached to secure the tail. The hide is then forcibly removed from the tail and the buttocks by pulling it downward (Fig. [2]). The importance of this operation can be gauged from the fact that by the use of the butcher's knife both of these parts of the hide are often cut very badly.
Fig. 2