Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Primitive Skills => Topic started by: seantOH on November 09, 2009, 05:49:22 pm
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Ok I need a little help. I want some deer leather to use as grips on a couple of bows I have made. A local taxidermist gave me some scraps of deer hide that have been commercially tanned. These scraps are left over from deer he mounted for other folks last year. They are wet and I have them frozen. How do I remove the hair without damaging the tanned leather? Thanks for the help!!
seantOH
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Electric razor? ???
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Hi Pat,
Are you serious? I never even thought of that but I would try it. I have probably 25 scraps so I can play with different options. I was going to soak a piece in a solution of wood ashes and water like you would if it was a fresh hide but I don't if that would ruin the tan.
seantOH
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Wood ashes is just a alkaline solution. You could bring the Ph up higher with lime or caustic soda (sodium hydroxide). I'd be interested to see how well that worked because it works well on green hides.
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Sean, I was joking about the razor. You probably are not going to get good results trying to remove the hair from already tanned leather. That is a process early on before the skin is tanned.
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Jeff,
Thanks for the response! I actually have a degree in chemistry-- but I don't use it anymore. :) I do have some liquid NaHO2 (sodium hydroxide) I can use to adjust the pH. What pH should I shoot for? I will try it on a piece. Thanks!!
sean
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Pat,
I thought you were joking but was not sure. ;) I have read quite a bit about the tanning process and have always seen the high pH used to remove hair from a green pelt so I am not hopefull either. I am hoping somebody else has some first hand experience. Thanks!!
sean
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When a hide is tanned hair on the hair is set with alum to keep it from falling out. I afraid it you try to shave the hide the 4 o'clock shadow will irritate your shooting hand! ;D
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We have been dry scraping,it is not to easy and really messy but works. :)
Pappy
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When I dehair hides, I bring the Ph up to 12-13. Hydrated lime has a Ph of 12.4, so it is easy to work with. 50 percent caustic has a Ph of 14, so it is a little more nasty. Like Pat said, Alum tends to lock the hair in (it is an astringent) but let us know how it works out.
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I will thanks!!
seantOH
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Here is what I have found out:
1) Shaving the tanned hide is not a good way to remove the hair. :)
2) It does seem like the hair is starting to slip after24 hours in a hydrated lime solution.
I basically added 2 Tbs of hydrated lime to 5 quarts of water and stirred and then let the lime settle to the bottom of the bucket. I then siphoned off the clear solution on top and put a rock on the hide scraps in the bucket. I put the bucket in the fridge. I plan to leave them in the solution until I can remove the hair easily.
How do I tell if I have damaged/ "untanned" the hide after I have removed the hair? Thanks!
sean
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hi, new here, but...
women (and i'm sure some men) sometimes use a hair removal cream that disolves the hair. a product here in oz that we have is "Nair" i suppose it's probably an abriaviation for ' No Hair', but many companies make it and it is readily available in chemists/supermarkets. it might take a large dose to do tanned leather but i would think it would work. spread it on thick, rubbibng right down into the base of the hairs, leave for 5-10min and scrape off and rinse well. it would be worth giving a go.
it would pay to shave the majority of hair off first with elec clippers to reduce time, mess and the ammount of hair removal gel needed.
i have some scraps of leather. i might try it. if it works i'll report back. just have to make sure a certain someone doesn't catch me using her hair removal gel ;)
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If You are speaking of a doing this to a Deer Hide...think again! A Deers Hair is Coarse and Hollow....and a Pain it the Arse to cut with Clippers....plus it will ruin a good Pair of Walls Clippers....I know.... :-[....Unless You have access to a Commercial Pair of Clipping Shears....I would advise that You either Dry Scrape or Soak the Hair off in a Lye Solution and then Wet Scrape what doesn't slip.....JMO
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i have cow hide. will see how it goes. can't hurt to try. the cow hide certainly hasn't hurt my clippers in the past. never tried deer hide.
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Cut it short with scissors. Then use a razor to remove the rest. If ya want it thinner sand it.the chemical tan will turn to rawhide when it dries though so keep stretching the pieces while they dry.
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kill a deer and make the stuff yourslef. ;D
im gunna get started on mine this weekend.
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Well here is the update! The hydrated lime solution did cause the hair to slip after about 2.5 days. I used a hide scraper to pull the hair out. I bought some dark brown Rit dye and stained it. Finally I cut out a piece for my new bow and stitched it on. Looks good but the leather does not stay soft and pliable like the other commercially tanned hides (fox, coyote, raccoon, etc.) that I have. My guess is that the tanning chemicals or process that is used to tan a cape for a shoulder mount is different than the one used for the other furs. Thanks for the advice!
sean
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The Chemicals used to Tan a Hide for Taxidermy are nothing like the Chemicals for a soft Pliable Leather...they just keep the Cape from Drying and Shrinking....they are not made to be soft....
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You could probably work that leather with neetsfoot oil and soften it up a bit.