July 5, 2011

Alum Tanning 

56 g of alum was dissolved in 950 mL of distilled water. The resulting solution had a pH of 4. In a separate beaker, 28 g of sodium chloride and 14g of sodium carbonate were dissolved in 340 mL of distilled water. The pH of this solution was 6. Both solutions were clear. The second solution was added to the first and both were stirred together. The solution began to foam and turned milky white.

200 mL of this solution was poured into a smaller beaker. Half of the third test strip was added to this solution to be alum solution tanned.

150 mL of the alum tanning solution was added to a beaker and unbleached wheat flour was added until the solution became a paste. This paste was applied to the other half of test strip 3.

Vegetable Tanning

The second test strip was removed from the vegetable tannin solution and soaked in distilled water to remove excess tannins from the hide.

Soaking

Two large pieces of goat hide were placed in distilled water to soak.