Fat liquoring is a process which is very largely typical of chrome leather manufacture; it consists in drumming the goods with an oil emulsion, the grease of which is entirely taken up by the leather. It thus strongly resembles drum stuffing (Part I., Section IV.) in method, but the "fat liquor" is such that it mixes easily with water, and usually contains soap in order to assist in this sense, and may sometimes indeed consist of soap only. Mineral oil is also used frequently in fat liquors. The object of fat liquoring is to give softness, pliability, or waterproofness, and to feed the "empty" chrome tannage. It is also used as a preparation for more complete impregnation of grease, _e.g._ as in "stuffing" chrome harness, and in "dipping" chrome sole leather. Fat liquors are usually made by dissolving the soap in boiling water and gradually adding the oil with constant agitation. Perfect emulsification is essential, and this is assisted by the use of casein, albumen, gelatine, starch, egg yolk in addition to soap and oil. Soda and borax also assist, and degras and sod oil are also useful and are admissible where the leather is to receive a dull finish. The operation of fat liquoring is greatly assisted by heat, and temperatures of about 110° to 130° F. are usual. Chrome leather may be dyed before or after fat liquoring: if before, the fat liquor sometimes tends to alter the shade; if after, the dyeing tends to be uneven. Logwood extract and iron salts are largely used for blacks. It is common to mordant chrome leather with vegetable tanning before dyeing. Sumach and gambier are often used for this purpose, and the usual "fixing agents" (tartar emetic, titanium salts, etc.) may also be used. Of the mechanical finishing operations staking is the most characteristic. It is now done entirely by machines, and the primary purpose is to soften the leather, which otherwise dries out in a non-pliant and stiff condition. In the staking machine, the "blade" is fixed between two rollers, which are however on the other side of the leather. The leather is held by the operator, and the machine "head" pulls a fold of the leather over the blade. Seasoning and glazing are also common for many chrome leathers. REFERENCES. Procter, "Principles of Leather Manufacture," pp. 198-220. Bennett, "Manufacture of Leather," pp. 210, 312, 355, 375. Bennett, "Types of Two-bath Chrome Tannage," _Leather_, 1909, Aug. and Sept. SECTION III.--CHROME CALF