Glazing:
Certain leathers like kid and calf whose finishing mixtures are always prepared with protein binders, require glazing under glazing machine for high degree of gloss. The hardness and thermal resistance of finish film should be high enough for proper glazing. The leather after the application of season should be perfectly dried before glazing. The roles of glazing in leather finishing are given below:
- Glazing imparts gloss to the leather surface.
- To improve the degree of brightens.
- It flutters the grain by glazing pressure.
- Provides correct shape and size of leather surface.
- Helps to maintain the visibility of natural appearance of grain.
- To improve the final look of the leather surface.
- To give extra feel and look.
Plating:
Generally plating is done at high pressure with comparatively low temperature. If excessive heat at high temp id applied to the leather surface not only the leather becomes hart but also the gloss of leather also reduces to some extents sufficient pressure and temp should apply during plating. The role of plating in leather finishing is given below:
- To make the leather surface smooth.
- To reduce the looseness of leather by compressing the fiber.
- To improve the feel and look of the leather.
- To improve the gloss of the leather surface.
- Sometimes to help to reduce the moisture content of leather.
- To make the resistant ito heat and pressure.
- To flatten the grain.
