Albes leather production - Limming -
The first step in the liming drum is the soaking of the hide. Using water, the raw material is cleaned of any natural hide dirt. The main objective in soaking the hide is to restore it to its natural condition as on the living animal with a water content of approximately 65% After this, the liming takes place in the same drum. Here, substances that are not important for the leather-production process, such as natural oils and proteins, are washed out of the hide. By adding lime and sodium sulphide, the ph-value during the dispensing process is raised. By doing so, hair is chemically removed from the surface of the hide. Soaking and liming are carried out in one process, which typically lasts from 24 to 36 hours. The limed and dehaired hide is now called pelt.