White Powder Added To Leather?

[DavidL]

I've been looking around at some videos on youtube to get an understanding of how gloves and shoes are constructed. The few articles on glove making doesnt talk about the white powder added to leather. What I seen in a few videos is the workers of either stretchy glove leather or shoe leather use a white powder that they store in a salt and pepper type shaker.

Im curious as to what the powder is and how it effects the leather once it is added. My guess is that it is to help remove wrinkles.

Any ideas?

[DavidL]

[plowboy73]

Looks like good old talcum powder. Shoe makers use it a lot. Not sure why the glove maker is using it though

[DavidL]

Thanks. Do you know why they use it?

[Colt W Knight]

Just guessing it's so you can turn it inside out easier...

[DavidL]

Could be. I think its to get rid of wrinkled or folds. The second video shows the worker rubbing it into the folds. I suspect the same goes for toe boxes on shoes.

[electrathon]

Talcum powder is used during shoe construction as a lubricant to aid in the removal of the shoe last.

[DavidL]

thanks. That makes sense.

[Dwight]

Talc is used for a lot of things, . . . easy way to see it used, . . . put some Johnson's baby powder on your hands, . . . rub em together.

Slick, . . . smooth, . . . that's what talc does (among other things). Also used in paint.

May God bless,

Dwight