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RE-Dressing coon and mink hide?

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Zuma:
LOL good to know I am not the only sissy, errr sensitive man ;D
Thanks for the help and info. Kumbaya!! >:D
Zuma

Hawkdancer:
Kyle,
Got to agree with the cooking brains!  That's why I cook them outside on a somewhat breezy day, and stay upwind! -C- >:D!  When the wife isn't home!  Sounds like rendering tallow falls in the same category
Zuma,
Redressing will work fine, just keep staking and stretching as Kyle said, if you use brains, smoke the hides with hardwood smoke to set the oils.
Hawkdancer

Zuma:
Good for you Dancer, at least you have tried them, :) )P(
When I originally dressed the hides I soaked the entire skin.
Should I do that on redress or just the flesh side?
Zuma

BowEd:
Zuma...A properly fleshed hide is needed first to make things easier.One trick I learned while roping deer hides dry after being properly brained for ease of the process was to put the hide in a plastic bag sealed while I was'nt roping.A break so to speak.The thinner areas that dry will absorb moisture from the thicker areas wet yet inside there.Usually not more than an hour though.While roping I'm stretching it to it's max.Realizing where it needs to be stretched at what time comes with experience but it is'nt that hard.With just a few breaks like that with an hour of roping inbetween each time you'll have a nice dry soft hide.
A hair on hide I would only apply the brains to the flesh side or in your case the eggs or lecithin your using.Add water if needed.Massage it in properly.Make sure it is stretchy before trying to stretch it dry.It needs to stay stretched every direction till it is dry.I use the old traditional rope to a tree method on larger hides but like your coon and mink hides you can do them by hand.Many times I'll do a combination of both methods.
What you'll have is a dressed hide then.It'll turn hard if gotten wet and drys.It's actually not water proof till it is smoked properly.
I end up with top notch,soft,and beautiful leather.After doing so many there is'nt one step in the whole process about brain tanning that I could complain about getting the results that I get.

Zuma:
Thanks Ed you make it sound so easy :) )P(
Zuma

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