The first and fourth fingers of a glove are completed by gussets, or strips, sewed only on the inner side; but the second and third fingers require gussets on both sides to complete the fingers. In addition to these, small, diamond-shaped pieces are sewed in at the roots of the fingers. Special care is necessary in sewing in the thumb pieces, as poorly made gloves usually give way at this point.
Natural lined gloves are now common enough, although it is not many years since they were regarded as impracticable. These are made from pelts of various animals with the hair left on the skin to form the lining.
Automobile and Furniture Leather
For automobile and furniture leather only choice hides should be used. The kind of hides generally employed for this class of leather are French and Swiss, as these run full and plump on the bellies, are free from cuts on the flesh and are of clear grain. The hides are trimmed before placing them in the soaking pits, all useless parts, such as nose, shanks, etc., being cut away.
After remaining in soak for a day or two, the hides are hauled out, fleshed, and returned to the soaks for thorough softening. When thoroughly soaked, they are toggled and reeled into the first lime. The first lime must be a weak, mellow lime, or a harsh grain will show after the leather is tanned. The hides are reeled over into stronger limes every day for seven days, when they are ready for unhairing. After coming from the limes, the hides should go into a pit of soft water heated to about ninety degrees Fahrenheit and left over night before starting in to unhair. After unhairing, they are thrown into a vat of clean water and thoroughly worked out on the grain to remove short hairs and scud and are then ready for bating. One that has a little bacterial action is preferred to an acid bate. After bating, the hides are given a good scudding on the grain and are then ready for the tanning liquors.
The liquors are made of hemlock and oak and are used very weak on the start. The hides are suspended for a day in a liquor not over six degrees specific gravity reading in strength, and the following day shifted over into a stronger liquor. The stock is given stronger liquors every day until tanned enough for splitting.
The stock is struck out smoothly and brought to the machine for splitting. The buffing is first taken away and sold for hat bands, pocket-books, etc. The grains are finished and the splits are returned to the tanning liquors to be thoroughly tanned. As soon as the splits are tanned, they are washed up, drained, and then drummed in the drum in a sumac liquor. They are now scoured, and, after being well set out, are given a good oiling with cod oil.
They are now tacked out on the frames and dried out. They are next taken from the frames and boarded by hand over the table. The splits are taken to the japan shop and are tacked out again and are ready for the first coat of daub. Two coats are applied. After each coat, the splits are well rubbed down, when they receive the slicker coat. The color coats are now applied, and after drying out, the leather is grained up and finished.