Smutting is a process used to remove the animal's hair from hides. This involves coating the hides and skins with a paste made from lime and a sharpening agent such as sodium sulfite. This process is used particularly when the hair should not be damaged or when dehairing needs to be completed particularly quickly. Depending on whether the hair is to be preserved, the smutting paste is applied to the grain or flesh side.
Additional source: http://www.lederpedia.de/lederbegriffe/anschwoeden, accessed: 01.07.2018.
