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hide tanning advice

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bjrogg:
Thanks trail walker, you guys did a good job stretching and scraping that cow hide. big job and more than I could probably handle by myself. I've never did more with cow hide than what you just did. Good to see some ambitious young fellers out there. I'm guessing if you want to tan that you could probably take a sander with some 60 grit paper to that hide after it dries before you even pickle it. I'm thinking it would help the pickle and tanning baths work better and really help your stretch and softening later. I'm not 100% sure on that though, I'm sure Ed could tell you. I think you probably could walk around if not jump on it like trampoline if it doesn't rip lacing out of hide after its tanned for softening. It will rip easier when its stiff and rawhide yet. If you can get a good tight stretch it really helps for softening. Softening the hide has to be done at just the right time and usually the whole hide isn't ready at same time. It needs to stretch and turn white. If hide is to wet it wont turn white, and if its to dry it wont stretch. Wish you best of luck and look forward to seeing what you end up with.
bjrogg
PS what's your old man think of your project? He give you any help or incouragement? You can tell him I said he's raising some fine boys. Hope your getting your choirs done.lol.

BowEd:
bjrogg...Jeepers....Yesereee you got it all done already.Should of seen that your muskrat were turned inside out on your stretchers....lol.You did it right that's for sure.Measuring PH etc.Deliming etc.too.You got your feet good and wet on knowledge with this project of chemical tanning that's for sure.Now you can reap the rewards.
trailwalker...To thin a hide like that is chore by hand.60 grit won't remove thickness fast enough really at a hard rawhide stage.I used to  take big hides like that to a cattle kill plant where I knew the fellas working there that had their own fleshing machine.It could be set to flesh and thin it all the same thickness while it was green yet though.Personally if the cow is sort of a sentimental possession and you want the hair on I'd send it to a tannery.Otherwise dehair it into projects you can use as rawhide and she can live on that way too with her usefullness.Anyway it's good to see others interested in these type things.
Years ago I had a taxidermy license.Just a state one for local fauna.Interstate and migratory animals and birds it takes a federal license.A lot more expensive.

bjrogg:
Thanks Ed, I'm glad I'm done with them. I still got my buck hide to do yet.
Man they gotta have a expensive license for everything nowadays.
Might sound crazy but I wonder if trail walker could use one of those sanders for wood floor? Probably be hard to keep even thickness.
Bjrogg

BowEd:
You should brain tan that buck and smoke it.You seem to have plenty of hair on hides now.

bjrogg:
That really is my plan Ed. I've always wanted to try it. I saved his brains, I'm thinking no better candidate than my first Primitive bow kill. I need to figure out how to get it worked into my schedule.
Bjrogg
PS know any good books with patterns for making thing from hides?

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