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More hidework

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BowEd:
I've never needed to convince myself of anything else other than it's a resource.A replenishable one at that over the last 50+ years.
Things get easier the more you do them.Taking less time.

bjrogg:
I’m sure they do Ed. I know I have picked up lots of ideas from watching you post. I’m sure I would pick up a bunch more from watching you do the whole process in person. I can tell you have been using this renewable resource for many years.

Bjrogg

BowEd:
Noone took the time to show me besides looking at a book.I figured things out pretty much on my own.I've seen different versions of getting the job done though later.
At 1 rendezvous at New Ulm,Minnesota I saw the prarie wolf.....John Mcphearson do a hide.He heated his brains up with hot rocks in a deer hide hung from a tri pod,just to show how primitively it could be done.
The breakdown of time totals to around 8 hours into each hide.With the whole process not needing to be done all at once.You can pick and choose when time is available to do the steps leaving days inbetween them if you like.
Frame and fleshing takes around 1 hour.Sanding 15 minutes.
Dehairing takes around 3 hours.Sanding 15 minutes.
Braining and stretching around 1 hour.
Roping dry around 3 hours depending on size of hide.

BowEd:
Getting hotter again every day.4th of July today.Happy Independance Day!!!!!I'm not one to buy any fireworks.No kids around.Many pops and booms going on around me though in the distance.
I'll try to finish up this hide today dehairing.Slight chance of rain with it getting more humid.Rain looks like it'll go by to the north of us though.If not there's always another day....ha ha.This one's hair roots are being stubborn also.
If I'm lucky it looks like I'll have around 45 square feet of rawhide to brain tan and smoke from the 4 deer.
I might smoke 2 of the smaller ones together in a tube.Then smoke each larger one seperately.
Got around 15 to 20 pounds of pig brains in the freezer to use.

BowEd:
I have a bad habit about not mentioning every problem solving remedy about this type tanning.

Weather....It's best to dehair during low humidity times.50% or less is ideal.Above 70% and on some older deer with thicker epidermis the epidermis can become rubbery or kinda gummy and not come off in a clean swipe from the scraper.It can chatter then also.Letting it set in the sun during high humidity will help also.
It can be dehaired during high humidity periods though.Just with a bit more tedium.Rescraping a different direction and then sanding usually solves the epidermis removal problem.

Scars.....After fleshing and sanding and before dehairing take note of all scars that are visible from the flesh side.Knowing then while dehairing where they are to avoid punching or tearing a hole.Those type scars will be completely through the hide.The flanks and belly are where most occur.Foul shots from seasons past etc.Always dehair with the line of the scar.Never crosswise.Scars do not smoke clean through and will show up white after smoking.Sometimes it can be easier to cut a hole with the scar and sew it up after braining but before roping.The sewn hole will be darn near invisible after smoking.
I use a no. 10 sharps needle and nymo beading thread to first sew the hole just before roping it dry.During the roping process if your sewing is good the leather will conform to the stretching and appear fixed and flat.Then after roping dry I resew it completely shut with real sinew before smoking.
Barbed wire marks down the spine line are usually not seen from the flesh side.Because they are not all the way through the hide.They usually don't bother at all.
All in all it really is'nt that hard of work.You can go at your own speed to finish it up.

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