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The Adventures of Stinky Rawhide: Deerskin Soup, Part 1

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JackCrafty:
Anybody have a good way to remove the odor from rawhide that has been de-haired the "natural way"?  I'm going to be processing several skins this season and I don't want to use the salt&dry method this year.  I was thinking of retting the skins until the hair falls out, and then drying them for later use...but I'm worried about the odor.

I've heard that soaking in gasoline works...but then they would smell like...well, gasoline. :-\

Thanks.

Pat B:
A bit of chlorox in the water to kill any bacteria might work. If you soak the skins in water and wood ash to slip the hair then stretch and dry the skin you shouldn't have much smell.

JackCrafty:
Thanks Pat....hmmmm....clorox is a good idea.  Bacteria is supposed to loosen the hair.....so I guess I could soak the skins in water with a little bleach after the hair is off.  I haven't tried the wood ash method.  I'll need to make some fire..... ;D

Pat B:
When wet the wood ash produces lye. You can buy Red Devil lye and get the same results, I believe.There may be other solutions( ;D pun intended) for removing the hair without stinking up the jurnt.  ;)    Pat

orcbow:
You can smoke the rawhide to remove smell. (Though it can be hard to get it lit  ::)) No actually, put it in a smoke house or make a smoke tent.

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