Main Discussion Area > Primitive Skills
Big fella into buckskin/Smoking/Lots of pics./Items made
Chief RID:
I just had to watch this thread. Thanks for posting it Beadman and to all the folks commenting.
bjrogg:
Thanks again for posting Beadman. I think I know what your saying about why you tan. I haven't tanned many hides and none brain style but I love to work with fur and hides. Most people would think it's hard, messy, stinky work certainly not glamorous. To me I love the end product and the steps it takes to get there, the smell of dried hides looking arround the fur shed when the streachers and nails are full gives a real seen of satisfaction. But most people are right. Lol
BowEd:
Yes....I think it all started for me wanting to tan coon hides from coonhunting and deer hides for going to buckskinning rendesvous.From there all the other projects come to mind.Not a glamorous occupation but self satisfying for sure.
A retired fella was on the yard here just a couple of weeks back wanting me to tan one of his cattle hides[hair on].From a 1300 pound animal.Wanted it for his bedroom.Told him I used to but not any more.Too much work.I found him a tannery about 2.5 hours away that would.I drove up there with him and the owner was very receptive and gave us a tour of his operation.It was quite enlightening with all of the huge tumblers etc.The beef he does for 10 dollars/sq.foot.He even did elephant hides.Talk about thick.Not a super big operation so he would do specialty items one at a time.Even 1 otter.The name of his business is Specialty Leather from Boone,Iowa.He's got a web site.
BowEd:
OK I last let off that the rawhide was ready for brains.
First I'll take the 3 pounds of brains[way more than enough but I want to be sure] and thaw them out in a big steel pot of water to get ready to put them in the blender with a little water to make a pink milkshake after hitting liquifey.
I then boil the brains for 10 minutes.I lay the rawhide out on a plastic sheet.Take the hot solution and apply it to the rawhide with a paint brush.This does'nt hurt the hard rawhide any.Do not try to immerse the rawhide in sculling hot solution.It will emulsify it as I have found out in the past.
I'll cover each side completely.
Now I let the solution cool enough that I can stick my hand in there for at least 10 seconds.The hide will be somewhat loose.enough so that it can be immersed into the solution into plastic bucket.
The hide is pulled and massaged around inside bucket till it is very loose.Then it is wrapped around the rope I'll will use to rope it later and with two sticks wrung out as much as possible.It is then put back into bucket to soak up brain solution again.A big hide like this I will wrung out close to a dozen times.Yearlings will get brained most times with a couple of wringings.
The hide is stretched in all directions after wringing also.I think you can get the routine here.It's to get the brain oils to penetrate every fiber in this hide.I then will leave the hide in bucket overnight in frig.I will then try to rope it dry the next day if weather is favorable.
Now at any time here if weather is'nt favorable it can be refrigerated or even froze if something comes up.Won't hurt a thing.
BowEd:
Done
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