July 22, 2011

Baiting
The large test strips were baited for the 4th day at 37 C. After 2 hours two of the large test strips were removed from the baiting solution and one was left in the solution to continue baiting. The removed test strips were placed in distilled water to soak.

Vegetable tanning-
Staghorn Sumac

Fragrant Sumac

Sumac solutions of different concentrations were made from each of the two sumac species solutions as follows:

15%: 30 mL of sumac tannin solution was combined with 170 mL of water.
20%: 40 mL of sumac tannin solution was combined with 160 mL of water.
25%: 50 mL of sumac tannin solution was combined with 150 mL of water.
30%: 60 mL of sumac tannin solution was combined with 140 mL of water.
50%: 100 mL of sumac tannin solution was combined with 100 mL of water.
100%: 200 mL of sumac tannin solution was combined with 0 mL of water.
The baited hide pieces were cut into 10 pieces approximately 2''x3". One piece was added to each different solution. These pieces will help to determine the proper concentration for tanning with these sumac species.

Vegetable Tanning- Oak bark
The remaining test strips in the oak bark solutions were left in the solution to continue tanning.

The test strip that had been tanned in the 100% oak bark solution was oiled with olive oil and left to dry.