The manufacture of chamois leather from the flesh splits of sheepskins comprises the largest and most typical branch of the oil tannages. The sheep pelts are split in the limed state, and the fleshes are given another sharp liming which may last up to a fortnight. They are next "frized," _i.e._ scraped over the beam with a sharp two-handled knife, to remove roughness and loose fat. The goods are next thoroughly washed in running water and drenched. A paddle drench is often preferred, and if not used the handling should be frequent. Paddling drenching reduces the time required from about 16 hours to about 6 hours. An hour or more in a hydraulic press removes superfluous liquor and some more grease. The fleshes are separated, cooled and then stocked for 30 minutes to equalize the moisture in them. After removing from the stocks they are sprinkled on both sides with cod oil and thrown back into the stocks for a few hours. They are then dried cold for a day or two. The stocks used are similar to those once popular for softening dried hides during soaking, and consist of two heavy hammers which fall alternately upon the goods which are contained in a curved box below. The result is a mechanical kneading action. The fleshes are again sprinkled with cod oil, restocked for a few hours and dried again, this time at 100° F. They are then repeatedly sprinkled, stocked and dried, the last operation being conducted always at an increasing temperature until finally the final "heater" is even up to 160° F. As the operation proceeds it is advantageous to hang the splits also nearer one another, and in the final "heater" they are quite close. The next stage is to pack the goods quickly into suitable boxes and allow them to "heat," _i.e._ to oxidize further. This is a rather critical stage in the process, and to prevent overheating ("burns") it is often necessary to open out and repack into another box, with possibly some little intermediate cooling. They are turned over thus repeatedly until the oxidation is complete, and then spread out to cool. The fleshes are now a dark brown colour, and are next treated to remove excess of oxidized oil products. The goods are dipped through water at 110° F. and then subjected to hydraulic pressure. The grease and water which exude are allowed to separate by settling, and the thick yellow oil so obtained, known as "degras," forms a valuable material for leather dressing, as it more readily emulsifies with water than many oils, and impart this quality to other greases mixed with it. A further quantity of a similar oil is obtained by paddling the goods with a weak soda solution. The liquor obtained is treated with sulphuric acid to neutralize the alkali, and the grease recovered is known as "sod oil." The fleshes are now well washed with hot water (140° F.), fat liquored with cod oil and soft soap, machine sammed, either by a wringer or a centrifuge, and then dried out.