Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Primitive Skills => Topic started by: BowEd on May 06, 2016, 03:20:29 pm
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Well it's been pleasantly warm here lately and thought I'd take the opportunity to prep ready this buck hide for brain tanning.Drying in the sun here after fleshing.A fleshing blade made for myself[heat treated disk blade] attached to an elk antler was used.A different like kind elk antler tool to be used for dry scrape dehairing later.I can't remember doing a whitetail quite this big.Inside approximate measurements of frame is 6.5' tall by 5.5' wide and made of 2" by 6"s.Which to my estimation makes this hide close to 22 square feet.Of which after roping dry and smoking it'll be around 13 to 15 square feet brain tan hide.It'll shrink from roping dry by anywhere from 25 to 30 percent but be pretty thick.Here's a pic.
(https://i.imgur.com/vF3TxnG.jpg)
Seems like for me yearling deer are for bow rawhide backing/cow hides for rawhide quivers and equipment/and every sized deer inbetween are for brain tan.Clothes and bags and such.Here's the thread of the deer harvested....http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,54877.0.html
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Wow that is a nice big hide 8)
Keep us posted with your progress.
Zuma
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It'll be a bit to get done.Got a few other things to do too.Normally a hide takes around 8 hours of actual work to finish but this one may take a few hours more I'll see.Days are wasted waiting for things to dry properly to continue too.
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Beadman, nice stretch job, looks real square. bob
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You really got it together there Beadman really nice job on the stretcher.
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I working on a deer skin myself and comere you have done a better work:), I have a visible exit hole....yours have no visible holes - have you sew or done other trick?
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freke....The deer was shot in the fall with it's winter hair set in already.The hole is there.A dogwood arrow hole.Lower to the right.I sew all holes after I brain it and just before roping it.
I'm gonna try to show along here the whole process with tools etc. for those interested.It's not the only way to brain tan just my tried and true way I'm used to getting success.
A side note here.....I started brain tanning back in the 80's.Buckskinning a lot back then.Learned from a book or books and trial and error.Many many books out there.Done well over a 100 or so but still a person can't really take any short cuts doing this.It won't work.Like most passion driven type hobbies it takes persistence.You do get a feel and eye for it the more you do.Can't explain that really but no matter how much I show or pictures I show there will still be a hands on type doing learning curve to overcome for success.
At the moment I have it about 1/3 dehaired.Have to do this inside garage because of all of the critters running around here wanting to eat it.
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The process of brain tanning starts for me right from the get go.Skinning the deer.Evenly slit up belly/no knife slits while skinning.Shot in the fall or winter I roll it up flesh side to flesh side to avoid freezer burn.It waits there till I get time to work it to brain tan.You can salt and dry it but it will need to be rehydrated to get into frame to flesh.Also having a fleshing beam and fleshing knife around can be nice too.
You soon figure out if you seriously want in to do this that there is a need for different sized frames for different sized animals.I used to use a lot of parachute chord for lacing it in.Fairly cheap stuff and strong.Personally anything of nylon works well.It does'nt knot up on you in a pile and does'nt rot.20 to 30 foot lengths.Holes are cut around perimeter every 4 to 5 inches about a 1/2" long.This whitetail is big in my book and I'm using a frame intended for beef hides.
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Scrapers....A flesher and a couple of deharing scrapers.Around a foot long handle.These are elk antler but they can be made with a wooden a handle too.Works just as well.Blades are from very hard steel to hold an edge good.Sharpened with a stone.Only beveled or sharpened from one side.Blade width will make a difference too.A blade of about 3/4" to 1" wide works good.Wider one for fleshing.Attached with glue and rawhide.
Elks' second tine off main antler for blade attachment was made into a hide scraping or fleshing tool called the wahyenta[not sure of spelling].Elks' Siouw indian name is the wapati or waterhorse because it likes to submerge itself in deep water occasionally.
(https://i.imgur.com/x1zRZkj.jpg)
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Nice racking Ed, it has gotten almost to hot and humid here, I like doing them in the winter months.
Pappy
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I gotta agree Pappy.I like doing them in the spring or fall best up here.They're a lot of hand work.
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I did'nt show the fleshing but will comment here.After framing it I flesh from the top down.I lace it in from the top and around too keeping it centered best I can as I go.Get used to retightening your lacing a time or two because it'll stretch a little with the pressure applied while fleshing.Leaving a little meat on hide makes fleshing easier.Goal is to get all flesh/fat/and membrane off.After fleshing and drying I use an orbital palm sander with 80 grit to ensure I have all membrane off before flipping it around and dehairing.
Now to dehairing with some pics.You'll find paying attention to the weather will help.A high pressure system with low humidity will make things easier and do a better job.Rawhide absorbs humidity but can still be dry.Your hide will not stretch as much during the dehairing if humidity is low.
Goal is to remove hair along with the epidermis.The older the animal the thicker the epidermis as a general rule as so a winter hide's epidermis will be thicker than a summers' hide.Thicker epidermis will require more strokes to remove it.Wash boarding happens too.Going opposite direction will remove most of it along with the sanding later on after dehairing is done.
(https://i.imgur.com/FQfIbKs.jpg)
It'll come off in strips
(https://i.imgur.com/lRb9Z7V.jpg)
Here's a look at hair removed but some epidermis there yet.The light gray colored streaks.It's got to get removed otherwise your hide will not rope completely soft overall.Epidermis is sorta like a glue and is rock hard.One reason for a beginners failure.Along with improper brain penetration which I'll talk about when that step comes along later.To ensure epidermis is all gone here's a tip.Put a light or the sun on the other side of hide and look though the rawhide.You'll see it if it's there.
(https://i.imgur.com/C1VopM4.jpg)
Good enough for today.This hide is almost like doing 2 does or 3 yearlings.You'll notice I've dehaired along the edges first.That's because while I have a very sharp edge on my scraper I did them without much pressure on hide to remove hair & epidermis.The hide is very thin there.I want to stay away from poking a hole through my rawhide.Center of hide is thicker and more pressure can be applied without that risk happening.
(https://i.imgur.com/IF4Wm4E.jpg)
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All blood stains etc. will disappear through the braining and smoking process.You'll get to know your animal as you go.Scars will be evident.Tip here...Dehair with the direction of scar.If epidermis is on yet don't worry it's a scar anyway and will not soften much.Another reason for epidermis removal is that smoke will not penetrate through it.Nor does it penetrate through a scar either.The scar line will be lighter colored almost white after smoking.
I'm sure your wondering well how about hair on tanning.The epidermis is on yet.Correct it is,but a hair on hide will not be as flannel soft as a hair off hide.It will be more like a robe.Brains are just applied to the flesh side then.Smoking a hair on hide is done just on the flesh side too.Smoking a hair off hide is done on both sides.
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I know there are many other brain tanners out there maybe following along here.If there are any comments needed you think feel free to comment.The more the merrier.I know I've done other ways like the wet scrape method on the fleshing beam for dehairing with success before too.Maybe I can learn something on this show-a-long here too.
There are all sorts of pitfall problems that come up with this process.I'm just trying to comment on the ones that have given me problems.Keep me from feeling like I'm just entertaining myself here typing.
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I'm following Ed. Good info on the epidermis removal. I hadn't realized how important that was to a soft hide. Gonna start paying closer attention.
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I'm following along with you as well Ed. Thanks for doing this, one of these days I will try my hand.
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OK fellas I'll continue here then and your welcome.Got on my high horse today and finished up the step of making dry scraped rawhide ready for braining.I'll need to get some brains from my local Hy Vee grocery store.I'll get 3 pounds of pig brains for the job.Don't really have any type formula of ration for this.A person can't overbrain it,but it can get underbrained.Want to make sure I've got enough.I inspected my work in good lighting and am satisfied with the work.Even though all traces of membrane and epidermis are gone it is'nt guaranteed to be brain tan on the first braining & roping.I'll show later how I make the odds in my favor that it does get brained properly enough to become what I call a dressed hide [white brain tan].To me it does'nt really get cured till it gets smoked properly.Here's some more pics.
Hide in frame here has been thoroughly sanded with 80 grit with palm sander on both sides.Used to do the sanding by hand.Lots easier now.
(https://i.imgur.com/5pWE1UN.jpg)
I cut it out of frame now with my pocket knife.It looks smaller but has just folded a little bit that's all.It's still close to 20 square feet yet.A couple of pics of both sides out of frame also.Total time on framing/fleshing/dehairing & sanding around 6 hours.2 days of waiting for it to dry properly to be dehaired.
Hair side
(https://i.imgur.com/ews68Ij.jpg)
Flesh side
(https://i.imgur.com/EOPX1k0.jpg)
I'll wait till conditions are right to brain it and rope it dry.It's raining now a bit and I've gotta get brains anyway.Ha Ha.My girl friend liked that line.....LOL.It's a big hide for me like I said and will take a good 4 hours of roping to dry.An hour longer than normal I figure.
Here's an old pic some 30 years ago when I was braining and roping in the basement of the old farm house.I had things great then.I could do them all winter long with a wood burner down there for heat.Most I ever did in one winter was 33 hides.Back then the brain tan hides sold for 10 dollars a square foot unsmoked.Sold them all to one person.He'll still buy all the hides I can get done today.So there is a demand & money for it always yet. Nowadays it's up to almost 15 dollars a square foot.I had a mutual friendly connection with the local rendering plant workers in them days for road killed hides.You can see multiple hides fleshed and dehaired hanging behind the one I'm working on.
(https://i.imgur.com/mf3zjsQ.jpg)
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Looks like one of my muzzle loader kills through the neck with my .54 cal.
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Cool old picture ED...I think I had a pair of diem jeans like those back in the 70's....:) ;)
DBar
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Do you put extra effort into sanding the neck down so it's not as thick?
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Danzn Bar....Thanks....Those are brain tan pants with antler rosettes for buttons.Made a few more pairs since them days.Don't rendezvous much at all any more though.
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Scott......Not too much but with my scraper being razor sharp I let eat that's for sure.Sanding does help but a person should use 60 grit for sure maybe to see any difference in thickness.The rawhide is pretty tough stuff really.
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Thank for posting this Ed. I've never brain tanned only made raw hide with water and wood ash, if done wet like I did would you have to scrape epidural or sand it? Just wondering how you remove it I believe it's still on with wet method am I right?
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Great thread! I don't have near the experience but learned how to brain tan many years ago from a good friend who was also into period buckskinning. The frame he taught me to use was just like yours, Beadman, but was 2 of them the same size put together with a 1 1/2" spacer between them. He then cut up inner tube bands and made a #9 wire hook attached to each band. The hide was stretched with those bands and a piece of 1"X2" wood that was slipped in between the 2 frames. You could add as many "stretchers" as needed in whatever location needed using this method. The nice thing was never needing to restretch the hide as you were working it because the rubber bands kept it stretched at all times.
Everything else he taught me is just as you are describing. I will be interested in your method of brain absorption since he had a distinct method of accomplishing that also.
I braintanned a bunch of deer hides that were used to make my wife's wedding dress those many years ago. And you are right on when you say it is time consuming and one needs to be patient to accomplish the desired end product. (Not including my almost completed hide that the dog completely ate!!)
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Yes bjrogg the method you did will leave the epidermis on yet if you just lightly scraped your hair off it.I've removed epidermis with a fleshing knife over a beam wet before too.It is a little strenuous to do and care should be taken not to rip the hide.It does leave a very nice smooth surface of leather after it's done.Absolutely all fat and meat and membrane should be removed flesh side before dehairing this way.You don't want any little obstacle to get between the fleshing knife and the beam.It'll rip the leather for certain.Your beam has to be pristine smooth too.The epidermis will come off in strips just like dry dehairing only wet.Fleshing knife should be dull too not sharp at all.You can feel it take it off just like removing early wood from osage.Only you'll be pushing on the beam instead of pulling on the stave.
Now after all epidermis is removed your hide will be pressed and wrung out completely of moisture from the process of epidermis removal.It'll be damp.Now is the time to prepare some brains for braining.Put them on warm.Work and wring it several times in brain solution [1.5 gallon water with at least a pound of brains]to get oils to penetrate the leather.Let it set overnight in bucket with brain slurry in frig if you can.Next day rope it dry.That's it.If not soft enough to suit you rebrain it and do it again.No harm no foul.
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jimmi....I hear what your saying about the stretching process you described,and if you had good success with that good.Restretching a time or two while fleshing never really bothered me much.When I'm done my hide is stretched to it's complete max it can handle solidly to dry.I really don't think rubber bands would do that.The shrinking leather will be stronger than the rubber bands if let to dry.You may not have meant that I don't know.Part of good brain penetration is to get the hide stretched to the max while drying.My method of brain penetration is pretty simple really.A brain slurry in a bucket with the hide being wrung out several times.I adopted the method the old Praire Wolf John Mcphearson does.It works most times.Nothing's ever guaranteed completely though that's for sure.
I used to have a pair of traveling frames I took with me to rendesvous and demonstrations.Ahhh the good old days.Making trades of all kinds etc.Don't travel much any more doing that.Used to demonstrate a hide being fleshed in the early morning.Left to dry by 3:00 then brained and roped dry by dark proving to doubters that a hide can be made to white brain tan in a day.
Made my girlfriend a dress last winter here too.A 3 hide dress.No beadwork yet.....lol.She's got three dogs in our house here too.No white brain tan laying around for sure.....lol.,but the smoked stuff they leave alone.
Those Buckskinning weddings are noisey are'nt they?Muzzleloaders shooting off in salute.I belonged to the Cherokee Ridge runners from Cherokee,Iowa.
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Great job so far Ed! I'm definitely keeping up with this one! Thanks!
Patrick
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I actually have had good luck with using the rubber bands keeping the hide stretched really tight for a thin hide, Beadman. Guess I am lazy when it comes to continuous stretching. ;)
The method of braining that my mentor taught me uses pig brains also. Put the brains in a blender then fill the blender with WARM tap water. Blend until it looks like a strawberry milk shake. Put the "shake" in a 5 gallon bucket, wash out the blender with more warm water added to the bucket then add more warm tap water until the bucket is about 2/3 full. Immerse the now prepared dry hide into the bucket. The hide will soak up the brain slurry like a chamois. When completely soaked, remove the hide and wring out as much fluid as possible. Tie the hide around a solid item ( I use a porch post or solid upright pipe of some sort ) in a big half hitch knot. Take a broom handle and wring out the hide completely. Go through the same process of resoaking and wringing at least 3 times. This seems to help break down the hide fibers and get the brain slurry completely saturated through the hide fibers. Then off to the rope for the pulling, stretching, drying process. I found that if I couldn't or didn't want to complete the roping in one session, I could put the still damp hide in a plastic bag and freeze it until the next time I could get back to the roping process. Pull the frozen hide out of the plastic bag before thawing and the hide has lost some more of the unwanted moisture during the freezing process.
Yep, it was a big wedding! Had my tipi set up. Lots of good food and drink. Even had a barn dance!
Thanks for letting me share what little I know about this process. It is very rewarding to have end uses for ALL of the animal.
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jimmi......Thanks for sharing.That's exactly the way I brain my hides too.Cool.We must have read the same book......lol.Your right the softening process does not need to be done all at once.Nor does the dehairing.The fleshing does though.The old Praire Wolf strikes again.I actually met him in New Ulm,Minnesota once at a rendesvous.He was cooking deer meat in a fresh deer hide on a tripod for a pot using hot rocks to heat the water.Nothing but the highest praise for him from me.He has a series of how-to books out there that complete the gambit of primitive skills.All tried and proven by him.He is the real deal here.I communicate with him every so often emaling.He's over in Kansas yet if I'm not mistaken.Others on this site I'm sure know of him too.
A note here and different view too....I've softened a few hides after braining with success this way too.After braining the hide is relaced back into the frame and then using a stick the hide is probed and stretched in all directions till dry.[Your rubber bands/quick attachment style would work well here].This way will work but needs to be pulled and scuffed over a rope afterwards.The leather will actually be thinner then too.All knife slits and hole repairs have to be very sound then too.As they should anyway even roping it alone.
Brain tanning is cool in my book and tougher than a hickory knot.All it is,is softened rawhide really.
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I'll show the way to repair holes nice and flat with no plug insert where you won't even be able to hardly see the repair after smoking is done.I only have one hole in this hide.A zwickey arrow head did that from my winged elm self bow.
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I've seen deer hides just in books though where the complete length of legs and even the face of the deer has been used and possibly softened.Never actually handled any though.That to me is the ultimate.I feel though that the face would be rather stiff.
My tailoring skills are fair here and usually conform to the mountain man look most times so the extra appendages on a hide are not needed.Cooking over a campfire can burn those extras I've found too.
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Ed, I personally would love to see a demonstration of this at Mojam this year. 8)
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I won't get to shoot much then.....lol.We'll see once.I like to have an extra yearling hide around for those demonstrations.Don't have one at the moment.Tanned them all.I usually just come down to Mojam on a saturday and go home.I live 3 hours away from the event.That cuts my time quite a bit.
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Ed, if your willing to do a demo. I have a couple of yearling hides. I would offer one for you to work on.
Patrick
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Yes! Come and stay an extra day with us Ed!
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Oh my God.....Say I don't trust someone elses' skinning.....lol, and my hired help to take care of my animals is gone while I'm gone.Is that a gaurantee you'll both do a hide or two in the future?I'll see what the boss says here once.
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I'll guarantee the only holes in the hides that I skinned are from bullets! Lol
I currently have about 8 or 9 hides I'm my freezer not counting the 2 opossums, 1 otter, 2 skunks a small wild boar and a hand full of snakes. I think it's about time to learn how to tan them.
Patrick
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Bullet or arrow Holes aren't the problem, it's the knife work some do while they are skinning. I usually won't take a hide someone else skinned unless I see they doing it. ;) :) If I plan on tanning a hide I never use a knife after the first cuts and at the end to cut it loose. :) A hide tanned in a day is a very busy day for sure and the weather has to cooperate to boot. :)
Pappy
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If you wanted to do a demonstration, I would guarantee I would be watching, if you didn't, I totally get it. Sorry, I didn't mean to pressure you into anything. :-\
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Thought I was putting this show along thing on here so people could try to do it themselves.Free & easy.A demonstration like Pappy said is a weather related project,and I'm not excluding the invitation either.
I'm sure your skinning is good too Pat even though I did'nt see it done.
Way back 30 years ago when I caught the bug to tan hides the surrounding public would bring hides for me to do since I did them really cheap.I had to get an Iowa taxidermy license to accomodate all of the hides through the door.Not to mention the freezer space needed.I just wanted to tan my own hides.Not go into the business of it.Back then I was just tanning with aluminum sulfate/pickling salt/neats foot oil in the beginning and went to strictly brain tanning soon after,because I could keep dry rawhide around indefinitely to be worked later.
Once news gets around that you like to tan hides there will be yahoos showing up with illegally taken outlawed fur for you to tan.Letting you hold the illegally gotten fur or hide.Not a good idea.I'm sure I'm not the only one this has happened to.Send them way.I tell them I'm not your black market tanner here.....lol.
Now I know I mentioned money into the equation of brain tanning but that was just to try to inspire people to try it,but the real reason to tan is something I can't really explain.If it's in a person it is.Making something out of what most people like to think is nothing or too hard to do I guess.Along with the interest in the Indian way of life/fur handling/ buckskinning & bow & arrow projects of interest that relate to it.
I'll get to this big old buck in time here and show the way to make A1 first class brain tan out of it.Bend or bust and the easiest way I know.It takes a while to get the feel of things doing hides to get consistent success.Like I said maybe someone can comment a way to do it easier with the same quality.The more the merrrier.
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I just had to watch this thread. Thanks for posting it Beadman and to all the folks commenting.
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Thanks again for posting Beadman. I think I know what your saying about why you tan. I haven't tanned many hides and none brain style but I love to work with fur and hides. Most people would think it's hard, messy, stinky work certainly not glamorous. To me I love the end product and the steps it takes to get there, the smell of dried hides looking arround the fur shed when the streachers and nails are full gives a real seen of satisfaction. But most people are right. Lol
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Yes....I think it all started for me wanting to tan coon hides from coonhunting and deer hides for going to buckskinning rendesvous.From there all the other projects come to mind.Not a glamorous occupation but self satisfying for sure.
A retired fella was on the yard here just a couple of weeks back wanting me to tan one of his cattle hides[hair on].From a 1300 pound animal.Wanted it for his bedroom.Told him I used to but not any more.Too much work.I found him a tannery about 2.5 hours away that would.I drove up there with him and the owner was very receptive and gave us a tour of his operation.It was quite enlightening with all of the huge tumblers etc.The beef he does for 10 dollars/sq.foot.He even did elephant hides.Talk about thick.Not a super big operation so he would do specialty items one at a time.Even 1 otter.The name of his business is Specialty Leather from Boone,Iowa.He's got a web site.
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OK I last let off that the rawhide was ready for brains.
First I'll take the 3 pounds of brains[way more than enough but I want to be sure] and thaw them out in a big steel pot of water to get ready to put them in the blender with a little water to make a pink milkshake after hitting liquifey.
(https://i.imgur.com/GP5k0V1.jpg)
I then boil the brains for 10 minutes.I lay the rawhide out on a plastic sheet.Take the hot solution and apply it to the rawhide with a paint brush.This does'nt hurt the hard rawhide any.Do not try to immerse the rawhide in sculling hot solution.It will emulsify it as I have found out in the past.
(https://i.imgur.com/HB1IoXt.jpg)
I'll cover each side completely.
(https://i.imgur.com/vHsKiYM.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/orSMPtn.jpg)
Now I let the solution cool enough that I can stick my hand in there for at least 10 seconds.The hide will be somewhat loose.enough so that it can be immersed into the solution into plastic bucket.
(https://i.imgur.com/n1tQyVg.jpg)
The hide is pulled and massaged around inside bucket till it is very loose.Then it is wrapped around the rope I'll will use to rope it later and with two sticks wrung out as much as possible.It is then put back into bucket to soak up brain solution again.A big hide like this I will wrung out close to a dozen times.Yearlings will get brained most times with a couple of wringings.
The hide is stretched in all directions after wringing also.I think you can get the routine here.It's to get the brain oils to penetrate every fiber in this hide.I then will leave the hide in bucket overnight in frig.I will then try to rope it dry the next day if weather is favorable.
(https://i.imgur.com/1idBzL2.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/II9kjfv.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/iG1Cq6O.jpg)
Now at any time here if weather is'nt favorable it can be refrigerated or even froze if something comes up.Won't hurt a thing.
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Done
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I will try to get it roped dry soon.Show a few pics off that too.
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While wringing the bucket is put underneath to catch the drippings.I will sew the hole up with some thin nylon beading thread I have with a very fine needle before roping it also.
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I've wrung this hide now 7 times with sticks on the rope and feel as though it is brained.A few of the times I reheated the brain solution to warm it before reimmersing the hide hoping that will help with the penetration of oils.With the final wringing done it is just a matter of getting rid of moisture from hide as it is stretched every direction across the rope till dry.
To help get the moisture out of hide I lay out some towels on the floor that'll cover the hide/lay the hide on the towels/cover hide with towels again/fold and roll up towels/and leave it rolled up at least an hour or so in a plastic bag.
The weather here is not warm enough and too cloudy for drying properly so I might leave it in the frig awhile longer.Maybe the sun will come out later.Otherwise it does not hurt to leave it in frig a day or two for the weather to get right.I like it around 70 degrees sunny with a slight breeze.
The brain solution I put in the frig also to keep from spoiling in case the hide is'nt brained enough to rebrain it.I will find that out as I rope it dry.
(https://i.imgur.com/mjJnlST.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/F1KTV1t.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/aN0qSyI.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/dyY8Rjs.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/uwfhJce.jpg)
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Here are a couple of books I went by back then.Larry Belitz's Brain Tan the Sioux Way was helpful but not as much as John Mchearsons' book Buckskin.It was more detailed and that's when I started having consistent success.Since then I see a few other books out there about it.Some are pretty good but Johns' method works for me.Don't fix something that is'nt broken I say.
(https://i.imgur.com/kb8OniC.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/QayvdLL.jpg)
John has a book for practically every primitive procedure out there.
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Thanks Beadman for all the info I really found this interesting. Did I read correctly that you bought pig brains in a store?
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You bet.For this hide I did.Pig brains from Hy Vee.
Used to be they were only .89 a pound.Now they are close to 2.50.Could be I overbrain my hides a bit but that does'nt hurt a bit.Normal deer brains amount to about 3/4 pound a deer.Cattle a bit more maybe a little over a pound.Really any type brains at all will work.1000 mice brains too.....lol.
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I've only found one place around where I live that will order brains for me but they said I had to buy a whole case. I can just about buy a finished hide for that.
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I might have to check with the local small town slaughter house, I've been meaning to ask him about sinew too. Not sure what kind of rules they might have regarding "MAD COW" I'm sure they can't use brain or spinal cord for consumption in beef.
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mullet.....I see your kinda left with brains from what you harvest maybe or like from these slaughter houses possibly.
bjrogg....Yes.That is a thought there.I'm supposing testing is done to the butchered animal prior to butchering.At least for cattle brains anyway.Not sure there's anything known bad about pig brains yet......lol.
I've read of success by those using eggs etc.Never tried it or seen the results though on larger animals rawhide.
The sun did come out for a bit.So I remembered to sew up the only hole in this hide prior to the stretching and roping.I use a no. 10 sharps needle meant for beadwork on no. 10 seed beads and the thin nylon thread I use to bead with.It is about like a regular hand sewing needle but has a chisel point on it.The hole is sewn from the flesh side with a whip stitch.It will conform to the stretching that's done while roping.After roping and the hide is dry I will cut this stitching out and replace it with real sinew before smoking.Which will result in a flat almost hidden type hole fix.
Flesh side
(https://i.imgur.com/JUmDYhE.jpg)
Hair side
(https://i.imgur.com/9IolZhW.jpg)
It clouded over again later and started raining some so the hide went into the plastic bag and into the frig till tomorrow.Forecast is better.
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Ed, right now I've got some brains left that Pappy gave me last year but I'm wanting to rebrain two out of three hides I'm working on and starting to get low on what I have. I've been squeezing over a bucket to make it last.
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I use deer brains, save them from every deer that comes through TwinOaks and have a freezer full. I usually use 1, sometimes 2 per hide. I was told every critter had enough brains to tan it's on hide and so far that has worked out about right for me. I always wondered why my granny told me "son you don't have enough brains to tan your hide" after starting this I figured out what she meant. ;) ;D ;D
That hide is looking good, I don't do the exactly the way you do but the same principal, I make a donut roll over a pole to do the ringing and instead of rope I use a cable but does the same job. Like bow building their is a lot of way to skin a Cat. :) I also leave the hair ring around the edge until it is finished, I stich it up through that when I do the smoking, helps keep the smoke in and going to trim it off anyway so no needle holes.. ;)
Pappy
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I have allways heard that too pappy. I did save brain from deer I got this year. We have an old refrigerator in shop and when I processed my deer I was short on time so I 1st just cut I pieces small enough to wrap some freezer paper around and place in fridge. The head just barely fit in the freezer. When I took head out I was going to let it thaw then skin and cut top of skull but then I decided to try just cutting it frozen. This worked very good the frozen hide stayed right where it was and didn't move back and forth with the saw and brain was still nice and frozen picked it out put in plastic bag and put it back in freeze. :) That's funny what your granny told you pappy I remember being told that too. I never even though about where it came from till now. ;D Those old timers had some pretty good wit most of the expressions we use today have meaning that have been lost in our modern day world :(
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Yes many different ways all to the same result in brain tanning.Thanks for the comments.I like to say there must be 30 different ways to tan a hide.I did'nt mention the brains in itself enough to do it's own hide but it's true.Good to be mentioning that.Maybe your granny tanned some.....?I've taken those brains out of cattle heads and deer heads too.[hatchet/hack saw/you name it for tools.Anything that works....lol].Kind of a pain and the bone chips should be sifted out too but they work great.The butcher does'nt get all the bone chips out of the pork brains either....lol.The old folks would say to use your head for more than a hat rack too....lol.
My neighbor is butchering cattle and trying to sell beef.[Still too expensive for me since I've got deer meat anyway].I should ask what he's doing with the brains.The hides too.
It's such a throw away society nowadays it's ridiculous.
Well it's sunny and looking like the best day of the year out.I'll see how this hide turns out.Try to get Robin to take some pics of the roping procedure.
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Looking good Ed!
Patrick
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Real good
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Thanks fellas appreciate the encouragement.It was very pleasant here today so I took the hide out of the frig that was inside a plastic bag out to rope a while.I used to use a hay mow hemp rope 1.25" thick.Wore that through a few times so I now just use a nylon tow rope maybe an inch thick.Used lariats before too that worked fine.Anyway on this big hide I would rope & stretch 15 to 20 minutes.Put it back in the bag 15 to 20 minutes etc. through out the day.If it was out of the bag I was roping and stretching it.It is nearly dry I would say but will leave it overnight in the bag in the frig and rope on it some tomorrow morning a while to finish it up.It's coming along nicely overall.On these yearling hides I used to just rope it clean through in one session but am over 60 now so will take it a little easy with this beasty.
The idea in roping is to get the center portion of the hide/the neck/and the hip areas which are thickest stretched to the max.Grabbing larger handfuls of hide from the edges to stretch a shorter portion of hide in the center accomplishes this for me.The thinner edges are'nt much to stretch.
Next will be smoking it.I like to sew the hide with my singer the edges lengthwise to a tube from neck to hind legs.Sew a skirt onto the bottom or the rear of the hide.Set up a tripod and suspend it over a cut off 30 gallon barrel where my smudge fire will be inside.I use hickory bark for this.It'll force the smoke right through the leather which is what I want.I will take pics of that too.For now here's pics of the roping.
A person really has to rip into it.
(https://i.imgur.com/pEULyKi.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/6wUvgoG.jpg)
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Looking good. :)
Pappy
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Thanks Pappy.I'll have to wait a while for the temp to get up there later in the day to rope it completely dry.Kinda cool here this morning.I don't think that'll dry it much yet.Hopefully show the final outcome of it this evening.The hardest part to me is done anyway.
Back in the 80's there were no seminars or work shops to show a person how to do this brain tanning except from a book so a person had to rely on their persistence to get it done.A number of disappointing attempts in the beginning.
Makes a person appreciate the effort Indians went through to get it done,but I'm sure they knew better from repitition the more efficient ways to get success.
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Yes one can see why they looked to their elders. No you tube, e-net, or even books. If they didn't pass it down it was lost until some one else rediscovered it. Thanks for posting and being our elder. I'm pretty sure they would have made use of even their failed attempts.
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Yes just because the leather does'nt turn out soft as flannel does'nt mean it's useless.
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Well the leather got dry by noon here.Maybe 20 more minutes of roping was what it took.Once the leather starts springing back when you stretch it,it is dry for sure then.So for 7.50 worth of brains and about 9 hours or so of work there is close to 14 square foot of nice robust brain tan worth on the open market around $250.00 as is.If used to make into something 4 to 5 times that.Ironic that from all the deer I shot with a muzzleloader/the road kills tanned too from the rendering plant that this is the biggest and thickest whitetail deer hide I've done to date.Shot with a winged elm self bow and a dogwood arrow.Feel as though I got my isometric excersize for the week that's for sure.....lol.Good place to show it on this forum.
(https://i.imgur.com/pGM9Zaf.jpg)
The hole came out great too.Hair side shown.
(https://i.imgur.com/zlw7lYp.jpg)
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That is a sweet looking hide Beadman . I wonder how many calories that took. Gets your heart rate up there to
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Super nice results Ed, thanks for taking the time to share this with us. Can't wait to see the color you get from the hickory bark.
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Do your edges end up a little dry and stuff?
I always struggle to get it flannel soft all the way out to the edge. Usually have about an inch all the way around that is stiff and rough to feel.
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Yes Scott at times a narrow band can get stiff on the outer edges.More some places than others.It's just the way it is.Most times I sew on that to get it into a tube for smoking.
bjrogg...A couple bowls of cherrios into this hide for sure....lol.
Finished smoking it later in the day yesterday.About an hour on each side.Making a small bed of hardwood coals to start with...say an 8" circle.Then I just use shagbark hickory bark on it to smoke it.I sit with it the whole time with a squirt water bottle to be safe.Fire and leather don't mix.Usually I don't have any flare ups but I make sure.A person does'nt want too big a bed of coals for my way here to start with.It'll get too hot.A good rule of thumb is if I can't leave my hand inside it it's too hot.Many ways to smoke hides this is just mine and seems to take the least amount of time.Sewn tightly not much smoke ever escapes.It mostly drives right through the leather.Here's some pics.
The set up
(https://i.imgur.com/aRODI0g.jpg)
A glimpse of the smoke it makes.Pretty intense.
(https://i.imgur.com/hfWoc8U.jpg)
One side done & color I like.
(https://i.imgur.com/3LqLOG3.jpg)
Picture of hole repaired.
(https://i.imgur.com/HC9fWXr.jpg)
Doing it where it is calm and no wind will do the best job.Too windy might cause flare ups and really the smoking can get streaky then too.I try to get as nice and even a smoke job on both sides the best I can.
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Looking at the hide after smoking will totally reveal every scar on it.This deer had been shot a couple of times with a three way broadhead.But lived.Since I figured he was at least a 5 to 6 year old animal he had been in many fights and the scars along his neck and shoulders reveal that.His neck is over 18" wide.The final tally of square footage is right at 14 square foot finished.About right what I figured it would be.
(https://i.imgur.com/qdLSW0U.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/y5QyhEm.jpg)
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I wanted to mention that if a person does'nt fix the holes before smoking a small wad of toilet paper stuffed into it will smoke it nice and evenly right up to the edges of the hole.Otherwise leaving the smoke come out of that hole will produce a very dark area around the hole from the smoke when finished.
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How long did you smoke this one Ed? Equal time both sides?
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Yes just shy of an hour each side.I let it smoke for a half hour then check the color of it and go from there.Hotter the smoke the darker the smoke job generally.I try to find a happy medium.
The cut off 30 gallon barrel's edge on the ground gives you the option of poking a hole along the edge for draft to coals but normally that is not needed.I keep it sealed up tight usually.
Getting the hide suspended with no folds etc. so smoke gets to every square inch can be challenging but doable.More poles can be laid into the tripod to help this.I made some leather strings with alligator clips on each end to hold the hide more openly.Needle and thread works good for me too.That's why this set up in the wind creates streaks on your hide.
This smoking is what I call curing the hide.Before[white brain tan] it's susceptible to bugs/dogs/water and whatever else likes to eat meat....lol.Smoking actually does'nt waterproof it.Water does not repel off it.Water will still actually run right through it but when it's dry again just a little scuffing or light roping will make it soft again.Animals will leave it alone.Misquitos will stay off it when wearing it.
I'm lucky Robin does'nt mind the smell of a smoked hide in the house.It pretty much smells the whole place up like hickory....lol.
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Beautifull results Ed! I can tell you have had a lot of practice. You made it look easy and doable for a novice. You gave us plenty of information to get the job done. Thanks for carrying us along with you. And congrats on taking the nice buck this old hide was attached to.
Patrick
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Thank you for the post, this is something I have been leaning toward trying. I have one question about smoking the hide. can you get a good smoke in the hide, inside a smoke house, allowing the smoke on both sides at the same time? my smokehouse is big enough to hang the hide up in. Ed
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Yes it will adhere to the leather which will waterproof enough to come soft after being wet and dried.People hang them up in their teepees like a smoke house to get smoked too and have had success.Takes longer of course most times,but multiple hides can be done to make up for time.
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Thanks Patrick.It's been 6 months since I shot the old boy.Those yearlings you got make wonderful projects.Once in a while I wear something made in the public just to antagonize peoples noses.....lol.
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Thank you for the Post! Lots of great info here. I've only made rawhide planning on referring back to this one when the time comes. Whole lot of work doing all those pictures and putting this together. Great job and well explained 8)
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Thanks you all.Guess the knowledge is good for something anyway.Maybe someone can make use of it sometime.Was'nt sure but more than likely it's posted somewhere else too.
One little thing a person should do is where tape over top their knuckles roping these hides or just let them callouse over.It'll take the skin off the backside of your knuckles.
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A deer like this makes for a good pants with it's length and thickness.Lots of times in the past I always struggled getting a deer hide big or long enough for pants pipe length with a 35" inseam.Always having to put an addition onto the lower half.Now to get another deer hide the exact length and thickness again is a challenge.
Why I never used elk was a matter of wrong location living/time/and money but I think do make the best durable leather for pants.A bit hot in the summer but nicer in the cooler and colder months.I've never actually done an elk but did do couple of hair on 2 year old buffalo robes.
That's partially why I never did mind shooting these 2 year old does though.They make great clothes overall and taste really good.
Lots of projects out of a persons' effort here.My old man used to say to me too when I was young you'll get what you put into it son and that holds true here too.
The list of things to make is endless and too numerous to actually show including moccasins,bags,quivers etc.Here's a few anyway.
Pants
(https://i.imgur.com/G8cXKpv.jpg)
polished antler buttons
(https://i.imgur.com/zofGQ9v.jpg)
beadwork on lower cuff of pants
(https://i.imgur.com/PnVlzYd.jpg)
Shirt front
(https://i.imgur.com/YYEVxN8.jpg)
Shirt back with quill wrapped fringe
(https://i.imgur.com/igLdrfv.jpg)
Coat/7 hides actually into this coat
(https://i.imgur.com/mvlCon6.jpg)
brain tanned buffalo mounty style cap with rosette on front/no. 10 seed beads.Harness leather viser whip stitch beaded on edge.
(https://i.imgur.com/7u0WNRJ.jpg)
Full outfit on
(https://i.imgur.com/7k1L2yu.jpg)
Dress for Robin
(https://i.imgur.com/TtIQHB0.jpg)
You might get a kick out of this.A while back a friend came by that had a brain tanned dress that she stored in a very musty basement too long.There was green mold onto this.She asked me how to get rid of it.I really did'nt want to scrape it all off.So I thought mold is a live oraganizm.Smoke kills things.I'll see if that works.Here's the solution I come up with.
(https://i.imgur.com/t3U9uxw.jpg)
It worked.
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That's cool Ed! Way to be innovative with the dress. I've had a project of a pair of moccasin boots that I've messed with for a while. Kinda of a rainy day/back burner project. I found it takes a lot more leather and time than one imagines.
Patrick
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Working with leather is fun to me.You gotta hand it to them before electricity etc. sewing with sinew by hand.Long process.I've never read how they did sew with sinew back then completely.I think a sharp bone point making a hole through the leather then one end of sinew is left with a stiif tip and put through the hole.The rest of the sinew is kept moist to pull tight and shrink and seal things up good.One stitch at a time.Maybe a needle out of bone too.I think a type of vegetable or grass thread was used at times too.
I made a pillow once out of brain tan with real sinew that way on the seams.Stuffed it with buffalo hair.The seams are amazingly tough with sinew.
Just imagine all of the seams on a tipi,the clothes,and different accoutraments.No wonder many turned out to be craftistic artists with all of that practice sewing.Boggles my mind the amount of time and work.
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Ed, now that you mentioned it it kinda boggles my mind as well.
Patrick
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I wonder how many replys this would of got if the title was,"big fella into leather" 😜😂
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I don't know bub.Maybe so.The skills of braintanning are or were almost lost really by the natives the way I understand it.Nowadays I think what's being done is done mostly by white people.Some for themselves and some to sell the skill from buying a book.
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I understand too most people that are archers don't really need a great amount of leather not like buckskinning and it is'nt the most glamorous type of hobby either and a bit more hard work than bow making to a certain degree.Like I've always said though birds of a feather will stick together but it is still a primitive skill no doubt.
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Solution to the moldy dress ..... pure genius!
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I was just kiddin ya Ed😉 nothing like good buckskin
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I don't blame a lot of people for buying chrome tan leather for a project with the way time restraints are on people nowadays and the price of brain tan is so expensive too compared to chrome tan.About 5 to 6 times more.
I shyed away from the use of harsh chemicals to remove hair and soften leather like lye/sulphuric acid/chromium chrysals or whatever.
Used to use aluminum sulfate/pickling salt to tan many hides which is safe and pretty cheap too and not as labor intensive either.
For overall toughness though brain tan sits above them.It's really just softened rawhide.No chemicals to compromise the natural connecting fibers.Beading and quill work apply easily.
The way I see it with the cost of tags and processing of deer[if not done yourself] why not at least break even while deer hunting and enjoy a trophy of your deer every time.
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Yeah i got a hide in the freezer, just need to come up with the time
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Great post Beadman. Thanks
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Thanks for the post and pictures. I am working on my first braintan hide. Your pictures were helpful.
Thanks again,
Brian
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Good deal Brian.....I remember too the first hide.After it turned out kinda stiff I realized the amount of stretching that was needed.These pictures help a lot but your hands on effort will show you the best. Hope yours turns out satisfactory.I maybe should of capped typed what was really important typing but I'll say getting the epidermis off,getting it brained good stretching before roping,and using the plastic bag while roping are about the most important things to get right.
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Beadman,
Thanks for this tutorial! Very well done and easy to follow along. This needs to be a sticky for sure. Once again thanks for your effort and your knowledge.
I know I will be trying some this fall for sure.
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Wow thank you very much somethings I think even I could follow along and do right. Once again very well done and thank you!
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Well done :) What a great resource.
Thank you,
Zuma
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Your welcome fellas.Have fun with it.
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A few years late on reply, but a great thread to reference to. Awesome job man.
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huntertrapper.....It's just one of a few different ways to get the job done.Do it enough times successfully and a person gets to know what they are doing for success.Some people just like processing fur and leather more than others that's all it seems.If a person has enough different uses and ideas it pays to make them all yourself.
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That's a really great show along the tanning process, thanks a lot for sharing your experience.
And I loved that old pic of yours in the quilt jeans!
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Thanks Jodocus.....Over time making so many garment items I came to appreciate the skills these seamstress's have.Knowledge that's useful too.