Abstract

This study attempts to clarify the effect of straining in the conservation of mink and blue fox skins on their length, contraction in dressing, and their general fur characteristics, 80 blue fox and 88 scan black mink skins were divided into four groups each and submitted to the following experimental treatments before fixing them onto stretching boards and drying: no straining, manual straining (muscle power), straining with a load of 200 N and a load of 400 N. The skins were measured for their initial fresh length, for dried length, and also for dressed length. The fur characteristics were evaluated in the dried raw skin state after 3 months storage before dressing. The length of the raw skins increased with increased straining load both in minks and blue foxes. Contraction of the skins in the dressing process was also the more pronounced the stronger the strain had been, but all of the skins returned to their initial fresh length. In blue foxes, the fur characteristics were significantly affected by straining. Colour purity, mass and quality class deteriorated when the straining load was raised. In minks, straining did not affect fur quality in the dried raw skin state, but nearly half of the skins strained with the strongest load appeared to be shapeless and pouch-like after dressing. The fact that pricing at auctions is determined by skin size has brought a temptation to ‘create’ more length in conservation. This leads, however, to an undesirable deterioration of skin quality, especially in blue foxes. A certain degree of straining before drying is needed to improve skin elasticity in dressing, but it should be even and kept within reasonable limits, or the fibre structure of the skins will be permanently damaged.