Tetracholroethene is used in treating pelts these days. The days of using mercury are gone and an old mercury treated hat may pose a health risk.
The exact methods of using mercury in the carroting process were closley kept secrets by the hatters. The original hatters in Connecticut were from Germany, Belgium, and France. They didn't share the methods.
This I know as I have extensively researched the historic hat industries as part of the environmental assessment and remediation of this historic industrial factories.
Winchester is owned by Stratton hats and produces felt hoods. Most felt hoods are from Eastern Europe these days. The environmental regualtions are less strict in Eastern Europe then North America. Trust me, I am an environmental regulator.
The exact methods of using mercury in the carroting process were closley kept secrets by the hatters. The original hatters in Connecticut were from Germany, Belgium, and France. They didn't share the methods.
This I know as I have extensively researched the historic hat industries as part of the environmental assessment and remediation of this historic industrial factories.
Winchester is owned by Stratton hats and produces felt hoods. Most felt hoods are from Eastern Europe these days. The environmental regualtions are less strict in Eastern Europe then North America. Trust me, I am an environmental regulator.