A Visit To The Hermann Oak Tannery

[Johanna]

During the Federation Show sponsored by the Gateway Leather Guild this year, we had the opportunity to visit the Hermann Oak Tannery on the banks of the Mississippi. Shep Hermann, our gracious host, asked us not to take pictures inside the building(s). It was a Saturday, so the plant wasn't in full production mode. They operate 24/7. Really, it was just as well because we could hear Shep Hermann, 4th generation tanner, explain the machines, processes and history of the company and the building and the art of tanning in general. It helps that Shep is about 7 feet tall, too. He is a chemist, world traveller and businessman, and is rightfully proud of what they do. He understands the rationale of each step of the process, and can make leather to any customers specifications. I noticed clipboards hanging with lot preferences and specifications at many workstations, each step initialed down the line throughout the process. And the process is not easy or fast. It used to be that a vegetable tanned hide took over a year to produce, now they have the knowledge and the equipment to do it in a little under 4 months. He explained how you will always find old tanneries by sources of water, because they use a lot of it. Hermann Oak complies with all the pollution laws and even pre-treats their discharge before it goes into the municipal system. In the old days, they used a raceway from the river, and even had a train run through the building.

The hides come in folded and salted, and are sorted and graded. Hermann Oak only uses US steer with no brands. (Byproduct of the meat industry, and less than 1% of available hides, I think he said,) It impressed me how many quality controls steps go into making their leather. No wonder many people consider their leather the finest available in the world. We saw the massive drums they use to make different kinds of leather, and we saw the tanning pits. They are about 6-8 feet deep and have been used for 130 years. Shep said if we fell in and swallowed the solution it wouldn't hurt us, but he suggested only doing that in May because we would emerge a lovely a tan color. The tannery is not smelly or icky (but there are some wet spots on the floor). The dedication and care was evident everywhere. They do sell directly to the public, but the minimum is ten hides, which is do-able for a working shop that uses premium leather.

Here is a

of the operation. I promise to appreciate even more the work that goes into making top quality carving leather, latigo, harness leather after the stacks of blemish-free hides I saw at the tannery. Thank you Shep and Lee for your excellent tour and your hospitality.

Johanna

[abn]

Thanks for sharing this video, Jo. Very interesting... I learned a lot in only 10 minutes! I'll bet the in-person tour was even better.

[CitizenKate]

You know, you could have just done this... ;-)

Kate

[CitizenKate]

That was a very fascinating tour. I especially enjoyed seeing all the original steam-powered 19th century machinery that they still had in operation, with all the original lumber, even. (I'm sure all the steampunk enthusiasts would have been thrilled to see all of that.) The tanning liquor probably still contains water that originally filled the pits when the tannery first went online. The liquor is surprisingly non-toxic. We were told you could take a swim in it and you'd be fine. (I'm more than happy to take their word for it, though.)

I won't say it wasn't smelly. In some places there were some smells you would typically expect to encounter on a cattle ranch, but not as pungent as what you would encounter in a feedlot. The liquor had what I would describe as a yeasty smell. But it wasn't as smelly as I anticipated. On the second floor, where the finishing is done, the smell was heavenly, as it was filled with the smells of those lovely oils that give the leather the smell we know it by. When everyone stepped out on the floor where all the finished hides were stacked up, there was a collective gasp. To our eyes, that was tantamount to a gold mine.

Shep Hermann is a very personable and down-to-earth host, and not the typical exec who is out of touch with the technology. I really enjoyed his presentation, and have a much greater appreciation for all that goes into that material we treasure so highly. I hope we-all can continue to find more ways to make it worth their while to continue producing it.

Kate

[Johanna]

when the tannery first went online

Was "online" a word in the 19th century?

Kate's right- the steam powered machinery worked when they set it up, and still does the best job now. There is no air conditioned computer room where someone programs the giant pipes and arms, there are guys with wrenches, I suppose.

When you walk upstairs to the packing room it smells like leathery butter. The hides are beautiful, and Shep had every right to beam with pride. Hermann Oak makes quality leather. It costs a tich more, but if you need or want very good leather, try it out and see what you think. Kevin of Springfield Leather will cut you a piece for under $5 a sq. foot if you just want to see the difference. I'm not a carver, but I've seen a lot of leather. I know you carvers & stampers can pound out any flaws in the leather creatively. With HO you don't have to, and it's not dry and weak like some of the cheaper leather I've seen at that certain major chain store. It won't dry rot on you ever if you take care of it properly.

Johanna

Hermann Oak Tannery, St Louis, MO

disclaimer: I am not trying to suck up to HO, and the opinions expressed above are my own, not "the board's" or an advertising plug. I may own leatherworker.net, but I don't know as much as some of you, and you can feel free to disagree. I'm not an expert, or even "in the business" anymore, so I don't have dog in any fight. I just share my leather adventures, just like you all do, and expect you to make up your mind. And no matter how big this board grows, or how many people I have to answer to, I'm going to continue to call things as I see them. You folks wouldn't have me any other way.

[howardb]

I will suck up in the hopes of getting some of that incredible leather... "I love you Shep! You are the most awesome dude in the whole wide world!! " Don't worry, it's only a man-crush. I'm not playing for the other team or anything. Unless it would help get me some Hermann Oak leather...

[howardb]

PS: ONLINE refers to machinery coming back into operation. Specifically, the big leather belts going back ON the LINE shaft that ran overhead. (Put the machine back ON the LINE shaft). So yes, it absolutely applies to the 19th century and Hermann Oak specifically as we got to see the hangers where the LINE shaft used to run.

Just a tidbit from your local engineering geek...