Artificial leather may be made by rolling and mixing saw-dust of any kind, or other fibrous substance, with gutta-percha, as chopped tow, flax, juto, cotton waste, etc., etc. Take maple saw-dust, two parts, gutta-percha one part. This compound thus prepared, will resemble oak-tanned leather. For the gutta-percha cemented shoe, this leather is considered as being far superior to any leather in use, being more durable, and leaving no waste, as all scraps can be again mixed and rolled as at first. The more it is mixed and rolled the better it becomes. Mahogany saw-dust, or other red-wood saw-dust, mixed and prepared as before, will produce an article resembling red sole leather, or hemlock tanned.
For repairing shoes, these compounds, or artificial leather, is superior to common leather, as it can be moulded and heated and applied at once, without the preparation required in common leather. It is, therefore, simply to heat and apply, as the gutta-percha is thoroughly mixed and ready for use; or it may be moulded into heels, in a solid form, and then applied.
COMPOUNDS FOR HEELS OF SHOES OR BOOTS.
Take two parts gutta-percha, one part sand, ground flint or granite, mix them well by passing between heated rollers. It is now ready to be moulded into heels, and will produce an article of wonderful durability. The compounds may be varied to suit the fancy of the manufacturer. The proportions may be varied by mixing a portion of saw-dust, or other fibrous substance. Heels thus made are exceedingly cheap, and will out-wear the firmest leather.
It will now be observed, that we have processes for the manufacturing of a purely vegetable leather, far superior to any other, at one-third the price—which will not decompose in any latitude, and is not affected by atmospheric changes—is perfectly sweet, and may be worn at any time, through heat or cold, wet or dry—through acids or oily combinations, with entire safety.
VARIOUS FIBROUS COMPOUNDS FOR IN-SOLES, STIFFENINGS OR COUNTERS, FOR ALL DESCRIPTIONS OF CEMENTED BOOTS AND SHOES.
May be made by the same process as the artificial leather, and rolled to any required thickness. These compounds make the best counters for all kinds of cemented boots and shoes, as they are water proof, and easily fitted and moulded to the shoe, after being properly warmed in the “Heater.” Old sail cloth, or cotton fabrics of every description, that may have become useless for any other purpose, make good in-soles, by rolling thereon a thin sheet of gutta-percha, and may be combined to any required thickness. Gutta-percha may be applied to all kinds of pasteboard, straw-board, coarse paper or cloth, thus forming a cheap and convenient water-proofing. This may be done by simply spreading the warm gutta-percha upon its surfaces. After the cement has been submitted to a drying process of a few hours, it should then be subjected to a heat of about 180° for the space of five minutes. This process completely expels the solvent, at the same time causes the cement to penetrate the substance upon which it is spread. This material for linings and coverings of boxes, or boxes made of heavy coarse paper thus prepared for packing boots and shoes, all kinds of fine goods, medicines, vegetable compounds, highly finished tools, etc., may be thus shipped on long voyages, and subjected to damp, mildew, and decomposition, with the utmost safety. Edges of boxes may be cemented together with gutta-percha by a warm iron, precisely like the soldering process.
Common paper boxes may be made water-proof by the process just described.
The cloth or paper thus prepared, forms an excellent water-proof lining for trunks, valises, or chests.
Stout cloth thus prepared may be made into tubes for conveying water to all parts of the house, or from the spring to the house. Water thus conducted remains as pure and sweet as when taken from the spring, and the tube is literally indestructible by all ordinary agencies.