A Comparison of the Shirley Analyser and Trash Separator for Dehairing Cashmere Samples

An investigation is reported in which a modified Shirley Analyser is shown to be effective in the dehairing of cashmere samples for the determination of yield. This study reports on the efficiency of dehairing cashmere fleeces by means of the Shirley Trash Separator and on the effects that are observed. Results obtained indicate that the Trash Separator was capable of dehairing test samples with a higher degree of precision (±0.23%) than the modified Shirley Analyser, but there was a tendency for the technique and the machine to provide higher yields (P<0.01). There was a significant difference in yields if samples were conditioned for 24 hours after dehairing, and differences in moisture regain were observed for the two fibre fractions (down and guard hair). The implications of these findings on dehairing are discussed. The effect of dehairing machines on fibre length was investigated, and the Trash Separator was found to reduce fibre length less and to have a 57.4% advantage over the Analyser (P<0.001)....