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Shoemakers' Black

A solution of green copperas (sulphate of iron) in about 12 times its weight in water. It is . It is used to black leather which has been tanned with bark or other astringent matter, and to the edges of the soles etc., with a feather or brush. and be with difficulty diffused again through the liquid. For those persons who do not like the use of blacking containing oil of vitriol, the first of the forms given below, either for paste or liquid, may be adopted .

The vitriol, however, greatly contributes to promote the shining properties of the blacking, and in small quantities is not so injurious is is not so injurious to the leather as has been falsely represented, as it wholly unites itself to the lime of the phosphate contained in the ivory-black is thus partly neutralized. This is the reason why lampblack should never be employed for blacking, as it has no earthy base to abbase to absorb or neutralize the acid, which would then prove very hurtful to the leather. Oil of vitriol is now employed in the manufacture of all the most celebrated shining blackings .

The addition of white of eggs, isinglass, gumarabic, and similar articles to blacking , always proves injurious, as they tend to stiffen the leather and to make it crack.