Main Discussion Area > Primitive Skills
Four deer hides fleshed
Hawkdancer:
BJ,
You can actually use a stapler to make a tube for smoking the hide, not primitive but it works and leaves much smaller holes! Got that idea from Ken Wee, a Native American friend. He also said to have a long smoke tube to cool the smoke before it gets to the hide, 15-20 feet. A very slight draft will keep the smoke moving, but close the damper if adding more fuel. Punk is good! I am not expert at tanning, just passing on what Ken told me!
Hawkdancer
Outbackbob48:
Bj, an old sewing machine would be good. I hand sewed this last one and it took forever :( I have tried glueing them and also stapling, each had it's draw backs. Sewing worked the best and held up well when turning hide inside out to do other side, glue was frail for turning , staples work pretty good but take sometime to remove and if you miss one it will cut ya >:( making the bags is my least favorite part of the whole process, but turning it inside out and seeing the nice smokey colored soft leather makes it all seem worthwhile. I know what your saying about to many projects going on. Spring is real close and I'm still not even close to finishing up my winter stuff. Your man cave looked great with the ash, good save. Bob
That big empty space in wood shed needs replaced before next winter (=) . I wonder what's going to happen when I get old, only 70 now. (A). Yikes Bob
Pappy:
Looks good Bob, like your set up, I have a stove just like that, may give it a try, sure would make it easier when I need to add wood or punk, Mine
is a cut in half 55 gallon drum and you have to lift one side to add wood and have to be very careful not to dislodge the pipe. I also had sew mine and it is kind of a pain but as you sad well worth it. Sounds like you have been busy BJ, by the way anyone heard from Ed, haven't seen him around lately, hope all is good with him. :)
Pappy
bjrogg:
I've been wondering about Ed to Pappy. Sure hope he's doing well.
Bjrogg
SLIMBOB:
I've done these brain tan hides about every way possible. Wet scrape, dry scrape, lye to slip the hair, no lye, flesh on a beam, flesh on a frame, smoke each hide individual or many together in a smoke box, yadda yadda. Many ways will work, and the consistency of the finished product changes a bit with each method. Personally, flesh them on a frame, scrape them on a frame, no lye. Pappy nailed it. When done right the epidermis and hair shave off in little ribbons instead of loose hair flying everywhere. We built a big box, about 6 foot tall and 6 foot wide. Maybe double that deep and we started smoking dozens of hides at one time, without fear of any getting lit up. Yours look really good! nice work.
ps. Sadly ours here in Texas are rarely if ever that big. Barb wire scars galore.
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