Draining, horsing, samming, and setting of hides and skins

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General description

After tanning, the leathers are drained, rinsed and either horsed up (piled onto a 'horse') to 'age' (allow further fixation of the tan and setting out of the fibres to occur), or unloaded in boxes and subsequently 'sammed' (squeezed between rollers) to reduce the moisture content, prior to further mechanical action, such as splitting and shaving.

The setting-out operation can be carried out to stretch out the leather. Machines exist which combine the samming and setting action.

After samming and the setting out, hides and skins can be sorted into different grades after which they are processed further or sold on the market

Source: Joint Research Centre, Best Available Techniques (BAT) Reference Document for the Tanning of Hides and Skins, 2013

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