Leather drying general
Leather drying is a step in the tanning process. It is repeated a maximum of two times. The goal is to avoid dents and wrinkles in the leather and to achieve the smoothest possible surface for optimal processing.
Nail
Nailing or stretching describes a specific type of leather drying.
This involves stretching the wet hide very tightly with nails or staples to ensure the hide dries as smooth and wrinkle-free as possible. This allows the water to evaporate on both sides of the leather. This process can be accelerated by additional air circulation or drying in a drying tunnel. At temperatures between 50°C and 60°C, the leather can dry in under ten hours.
Additional sources (accessed 18.02.201):
- lederpedia(dot)de/leatherproduction/drying/drying
- leder-info(dot)de/index.php/Trocknen#Nailing_or_Tensioning
