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cow hide

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Hawkdancer:
While we are talking about brain tanning, am I correct in thinking grease was only used for real heavy hides?  I have one deer hide waiting to be smoked, brains only; and a number of antelope still waiting for me to decide what to do with them, there might be an elk hide lurking in the freezer too👹😂!  I am not sure if I want to do the antelope hair on, I think they have been waiting too long.  They are salted pretty heavily.  What is the best way to set the hair for brain tanning the old way?
Hawkdancer

tipi stuff:
You can use grease(neetsfoot) on smaller hides too, but much less grease of course. The texture of the hide will be a bit different. My interest is in Plains culture, so I can't speak for other tribes or other cultures, but most all deer and antelope were done with the hair off. They make great shirt material. Deer, elk, etc, have hollow hair that will break off and shed if you use it for much more than than hanging on the wall. It won't take a lot of heavy use. The cow hides were used, with the hair on, for quivers, and sewing bags. With the hair off, they were used much like buffalo hide. As rawhide, they are much stiffer than buffalo, and do not break down as easily. The fibers in cattle are much tighter together.  CC

trail walker:
in a book i read about the Paiutes  there is a quote by an elder and she said that she did not use grease to tan hides because it stained. she could have been referring  to smaller hides like deer and antelope. I'll have to go read it again and get a direct quote.

bjrogg:
I'm afraid I don't have a lot of helpful advice for you trailwalker but I'm watching. Good Luck, I'd love to see a nice pair of chaps.
Bjrogg

trail walker:
i would to. :D lol.

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