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hide tanning advice

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trail walker:
 So i walked out to check the critters yesterday and noticed one of our cows that was expecting a calf did not come in to eat. long story short i found her keeled over dead in a ditch :P. her calf survived and was hiding under a tree. The cow was a brown Swiss jersey cross ruffly 1800 pounds, her hide is a beautiful grey peach cooler and me and my dad want to brain tan the hide with the hair on.    as of right now we have the hide skinned off the cow and in a freezer(out side >:D) how would you guys proceed with a big hide like this? All my experience so far is with a small hide off a very small 2 point deer.
thanks,

trail walker

Hawkdancer:
Trail Walker,
You will need to double check this info.  I have a cow hide in the freezer, but haven't been able to get the gumption up high enough to work on it.  If I remember correctly, you will need to stretch it, flesh it, and then salt it to set the hair, then work the brains in (you did keep the brains? Every critter has enough brains to tan his/her own hide)  then you will have to "stump" it to work the brains well into the hide.  I would suggest a hide tanning party to get enough help. Going at it full time, you should be able to get it done in a few days - it is a lot of work.  I would suggest a very large frame of 4x4's to stretch the hide, and use a sledge hammer for the stumping.  Of course, you will have to thaw it out to start working on it :). And cook(boil) the brains outside away from the house.   When you get done,  I will be looking for some experienced brain tanner for my cow hide, I got bad shoulders :).   Hope the calf makes it, it is a bummer to lose both.  Had that happen on my watch years ago.  Like I said double check my info.
Hawkdancer (Jerry Mc Connell)

---GUTSHOT--->:
I'm no expert brain tanner at all matter a fact I'm working on dehairing all my deer hides right now for brain tanning. But what I do know is that salt does not set the hair it preserves the hide after fleshing if your going to dry store the hide. You need to pickle this hide to truly keep the hair on. I've spoke with Pappy about brain tanning and he told me you have to force the brains through the hide several times to get it tanned. My question is can the brains penatrate the hide with the hair on. Cow hair and hides are thick! Good luck I'm curious how it will turn out

BowEd:
The experience I have with larger hides is that like said they are a lot of work.I've only done 2 buffalo hides brain tanning.Mostly all deer.Your 1800 pound animal would be thicker yet than the 30 square foot buffalo I've done.Really thick stuff like that I turn into rawhide and use it like that.A 2"X8" frame of clean pine will secure it without much bowing while it dries,with at least a 6' by 7' inside dimension.It would break a 2" by 4" frame drying down.You can try to brain tan it but I'm afraid it will be pretty stiff yet.If I was to try I would l  grind the brains into the hide with a smooth stone on the flesh side.This process will take days to do to get proper penetration.Another huge obstacle is roping it dry.It'll weigh a lot.I'm not saying it is'nt possible but it'll be a heck of a lot of work.If your a novice at it.It will overwhelm a person.
In the past really thick hides like that were made into parafleches/boxes/and even war shields.
I had a farmer here that wanted to have one of his cattle hides tanned.I sent him to a tannery I knew of in this state that did it for him for 10.00 a square foot.Very reasonable nowadays.It's in his house now on the floor.He had to wait 6 months.He's happy.

Zuma:
I am all for saving a buck and doing hides myself.
Mostly small stuff with mixed results.
Like Beadman I may defer to a pro company on a hide like the cow.
Because it seems to have more meaning to you with the hair being
in tact etc. It would be a shame to do all the work and not have it
work out the way you want. But if you decide to tackle it---
You are in great company with the folks here that will give you
priceless help and advice.
Zuma

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