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How to get the hair off a moose skin

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Wolf Watcher:
I know it has no doubt been on the site before, but I could not find it.  I have a winter coated moose hide that is in three pieces.  They have been in the salt all winter and now I want to make some rawhide for drum faces.  I have no clue as to how to make the hair slip.  I made a frame for stretching and soaked the smallest piece in the creek for a couple of days.  Any help will be appreciated.  Thanks!  Joe

Pat B:
Joe, you soak it in a lye solution until the hair slips. You can use hardwood ash and water for the lye solution or buy Red Devil lye.
 You can also dry scrape it to remove the hair. I don't know which is easier or better fro drum heads though.

Wolf Watcher:
Pat:  Thanks for the help!  Maybe I can pick up some Red Devil Lye in town.  About how long does it need to soak?  Crazy weather here, power out all day and now fog right to the ground.  Joe

Pat B:
Joe, I've never done it so I don't want to give you the wrong info. Hopefully someone else will chime in.

Outbackbob48:
Joe, never did a moose but takes 4to5 days with deer, Alot depends on the temp of your water, Warm water and I would say 4 or 5 days ice cold creek water ?  Make sure and stir it up often and just keep checking, Joe , I don't know if your trying to remove grain for drum heads or just the hair. Lye will swell up your grain layer and make it soft, so carefully remove hair or will damage grain. If grains doesn't matter scrape hair and grain off, make sure and put back in stream to rinse all your lye out and return to netural. Hair will slip in just plain water but takes awhile especially cold water. Hope this helps . Bob ( I thought I  heard drums last nite Ayyiiieee) :o ;D

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