I understand the merits of Basswood but...

[Obsessed with Edges]

I've asked myself that^ question too, trying to trace the linkage between silicates and animal hides.

As I understand it from searching the web & reading, silica ('silicon dioxide') is part of the basis for forming collagen in the 'connective tissue' of the skin and other fibrous tissues of the body (muscles, tendons, ligaments); the body needs it and absorbs it for that purpose, if not for others. If you do a web search on 'collagen silica', there's lots to be read on the topic, most having to do with the skin in particular. It's apparently picked up in the diet through plant-based foods (it's in the plant's cell walls, apparently). And the plants, I assume, pick it up from the soil itself. I'd guess, though I have no way of knowing, maybe that's why horses and other grazing animals might have an abundance of it in their hides, if that's really the case.

Being that so many domestic cattle may not be entirely grass/plant-fed anymore (if they get any at all), I sort of wonder if that's had an impact on the silicate content in their hides, as compared to horses and other grazers, for example.

 

[stitchawl]

Silicates are found in ALL plant matter, some plants having more than others. I've never seen any charts with figures per plant, but grass or corn? I doubt there is too much difference. Certainly not enough to make a difference in a bare leather strop. After all, we're talking just a few strokes of the blade. As I've often said; use a good, properly processed cowhide strop and you might want to take 10-15 strokes per side. Use a good quality, properly processed horsehide strop and you might only need 8-13 strokes per side... Ain't no magic involved.


Stitchawl

 

[HeavyHanded]

To get any sort of empirical understanding of silicate content in animal hide you'd have to burn a sample to ash and separate it.

We know there are substantial quantities of silica oxides taken up by plants. Concentrations of oxides in the ash of different trees can be substantial, I'd assume the same is true of many grasses.

From what I have read the human digestive system can pass particles as large as 50 microns, maybe larger.

However, most bioavailable silica is in the form of salts, not oxides. I am not clear on how far into the animal circulatory system any oxides are liable to migrate. They aren't going to be very reactive chemically, if they aren't flushed immediately, what is the mechanism that regulates their concentration?

I am also not clear on how much silica is introduced during the tanning process - there are a number of ways to tan a hide and some deliberately introduce silica oxides in the tanning solution.

End of day, I've wondered about this and found very little in the literature about it. Someday will just have to burn a sample down to ash and toss it in a glass of water.