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[3] Both ground hair and guard hair are classified as fur. Because human hair acts as both, it can technically be called "fur". In reality, the keratin fibers that are described variously as hair, wool, or fur, depending on the animal type, are all referring to the same thing. [4] Taxidermy animals at the Kunming Natural History Museum of Zoology
The skin from buffalo, deer, elk or cattle from which most rawhide originates is prepared by removing all fur, meat and fat. The hide is then usually stretched over a frame before being dried. The resulting material is hard and translucent. It can be shaped by rewetting and forming before being allowed to thoroughly re-dry.
Since ancient times, hides have also been used as a writing medium, in the form of parchment. Fur clothing was used by other hominids, at least the Neanderthals. Rawhide is a simple hide product, that turns stiff. It was formerly used for binding pieces of wood together. Today it is mostly found in drum skins.
Fur may be gently cleaned with a soft-bristled brush or comb, which will help loosen particulates that have built up. A vacuum with a soft brush attachment will also work to remove dust and dirt. For particularly dirty furs, conservators may opt to wash the specimen's fur with water and a mild detergent or soap.
Tanning, or hide tanning, is the process of treating skins and hides of animals to produce leather. A tannery is the place where the skins are processed. Historically, vegetable based tanning used tannin , an acidic chemical compound derived from the bark of certain trees, in the production of leather.
The principal difference between raw hides and tanned hides is that raw hides dry out to form a hard inflexible material that can putrefy when re-wetted (wetted back), while tanned material dries out to a flexible form that does not become putrid when wetted back. A large number of different tanning methods and materials can be used; the choice ...
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The term "a fur" may connote a coat, wrap, or shawl. The manufacturing of fur clothing involves obtaining animal pelts where the hair is left on the animal's processed skin. In contrast, making leather involves removing the hair from the hide or pelt and using only the skin. Fur is also used to make felt.