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misadventures in egg tanning...suggestions welcome

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paulc:
So I tried my hand at egg tanning this first week of the new year...it does not seem to have gone well:-)  I am pretty sure I did everything wrong that possibly could be done and yet the deer is holding onto its hair still.  I scrapped with a draw knife like Pappy says he does; I removed many, many dime to quater sized divets in both the hog and deer hide I was working with.  I slathered with eggs; left them sit all night; decided using cold eggs on cold hides was wrong so I bought two more dozen eggs and tried again with warmed up eggs.  The weather here was warm and foggy so there was very little absorption as near as I could tell so I changed course, got out the salt and slathered the hides with salt.  Left them sit overnight...third night so far in process I think?  Next day got my 3rd 2 dozen eggs, warmed them up slathered on hides and then stretched hides and nailed to old plywood.  I then forgot about hides all week while at work.  Today attempted to break hides and smoke them...after 2 plus hours dragging the hides over a fence slat my hands are now so tired and sore I may not be able to tie my shoes in the morning.  I tried using the "fence slat" method like Ryan did on the muskrat but made very little progress.  Got frustrated and threw the stiff hides over a smoky fire...made them stiffer although they smelled nicer.  I would let one sit over the fire while I worked the other over the fence slat...pretty much got nowhere.  Then the deer hide started ripping, the pig hide got stiffer.  So I called it a day...Is it not realistic to think I can break a hide with an hour or two working it?

Could I rehydrate the pig hide, soak it again in eggs and maybe then get it soft?  If you have any insight I am willing to listen.  I will make leather some day!!!  Paulc

HoBow:
Paul- sorry, but I laughed through your story ;) I can't offer any insight as I've never egg tanned, but I've tanned many hides and sometimes they just do not want to soften!  I've spent hours on some hides and gave up with raw hands so sore I couldn't write ;D ...and still didn't get it broke in. Once it happens though, the hard work is worth it looking at your first piece of leather. Good luck!

deersled:
are you doing hair on or off? Never done a pig, but I've heard many say they are nearly impossible to do. I have done some buckskins (hair off) and no I don't think you can break a stiff hide to be very soft in an hr. or 2.

paulc:
I tried to do both which is part of what I screwed up.  I had a real pretty hog hide that was black and white haired, the white had brown and red highlights in it...and I shaved it all off to try and make just straight leather.  Stupid stupid stupid!!  And the deer hide I tried to shave but the hair was so nice and thick and soft I had a hard time shaving it...but I tried long enough that I put a nasty bald spot right down the middle of the back... :-[.  Experience is sometimes a costly teacher! 

I am thinking since the deer hide is beginning to tear maybe I should just let it go?  The hog hide did not tear but it is really tough.  Maybe I just work it a little bit at a time over the next 6 months or so... ???  thanks,

Pappy:
Sorry I had to laugh to,sounds like a night mare. First I scrape the hair with the racked up,so they are tight,I use the draw knife to flesh and another scrapping tool to take the hair off, I have never egg tanned,but when I use brains I make up a slosh,med. thick liquid and soak the hide in it till is gets soft,then pull it out and ring it,then back in the liquid again.Were you using the whole egg,we have only used the white of the egg. After 5 or 6 times in the liquid and ringing it and stretching it in between it will soften up and you couldn't rip it if you tried,the first few time you have to be gentle,it is just wet raw hide at that point and will tear fairly easy.  :)
   Pappy

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