Re: [BKARTS] Side-splitting

[Signa Houghteling <judy@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I don't have the time just now to go back to David Lanning's message, but I
understood that the goatskin they are now getting has a deeper grain than
the Swedish skins they got before.  I had noticed this in a recent project
dealing with lots of onlays.  One of the skins was impossible to pare very
very thin because of the deep grain.  What I got was "lace," with holes
along the grain valleys.  Maybe I missed other subjects in David's message,
but this related directly to my most recent experience.  I guess I will have
to flatten the skin before paring for this purpose.  That, or we will have
to ask the goatherds to fatten up those goats before skinning.

Signa

-----Original Message-----
From: Book_Arts-L [mailto:BOOK_ARTS-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Paul
T Werner
Sent: Thursday, April 27, 2006 7:59 AM
To: BOOK_ARTS-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Side-splitting


Let me see if I got this straight:

1) Goat and sheep skins tend to have a more clearly distinct
outer "skin" than calf.
2) In the process of making vellum, that outer skin is supposed to be
removed (splitting).
3) If it's not uniformly removed then the skin will take colors in
varying ways (irregular absorbency), leading to the impression that the
skin has "cracked."
4) This outer layer is not uniform, nor, for that matter, is the animal
skin uniform in thickness.
5) Mechanical removal of this "skin" is more likely to leave the
surface uneven to the extent that the remover decides on an overall
thickness (".xx mm"), rather than adjusting thickness to the problem of
removing the "skin" overall.

The solution seems pretty obvious, I would imagine. Don't
get "mechanical," as in:
a) Don't give a hoot if it *looks* unmechanical (to the extent that
there's no structural problem, e.g. with "peeling.")
b) "Unmechanize." Adjust the skin according to your own needs and
tastes. How hard can it be to take a bit of razor to a skin?

Just asking, y'unnerstand...

Paul T Werner, New York

             ***********************************************
                    Flag Book Bind-O-Rama and Exhibit
                   Entry Deadline, September 15, 2006

             For all your subscription questions, go to the
                      Book_Arts-L FAQ and Archive.

          See <http://www.philobiblon.com> for full information
             ***********************************************

             ***********************************************
                    Flag Book Bind-O-Rama and Exhibit
                   Entry Deadline, September 15, 2006
                                    
             For all your subscription questions, go to the
                      Book_Arts-L FAQ and Archive.
                                    
          See <http://www.philobiblon.com> for full information
             ***********************************************