Buff Leather, or OIL-DRESSED LEATHER,

Buff Leather, or OIL-DRESSED LEATHER, is usually made out of salted and dried South American light ox and cow hides. After being limed in the usual way, they are unhair'd and rounded, so that only the best part of the hide is made into buff leather. The grain and flesh being then scraped or cut off, the true cuticle, which is of a flexible fibrous nature, alone remains. The hide is next sprinkled over with cod-oil, and placed in the stocks, where it is worked for about 15 minutes. Having been taken out and partially dried, it is again submitted to a similar process of oiling and stocking; and during the first day these operations may be repeated six times, decreasing daily for about a week, when one oiling and stocking in a day is sufficient. The gelatin of the hide combines with the oil, heat being evolved in the process. The hides are then placed in a stove, and subjected to an operation called 'heating off,' after which they are scoured and rendered free from oiliness by being soaked in a strong lye of carbonate of potash. They are next worked well in the stocks, hot water being poured copiously upon them until the water runs off pure. Having been dried, they are subjected to a process called grounding—i.e. they are rubbed with a round knife, and also with pumice-stone and sand, until a smooth surface is produced. The leather, which is very pliant, and not liable to crack or rot, is now ready for the market, and is generally used for soldiers' belts and other army purposes. Buckskin and chamois or wash-leather are dressed in a similar way.