Ashes/water ratio for brain tanning

[PrimitiveJay]

Hi! I've been reading the forum for a long time and I learned a lot of thing!

Right now, I'm working on my first brain tanned deer skin following the instructions from the book of Matt Richards. However, after removing the flesh, I have a problem making the ashes solution. I followed  the instruction to add 1 gallon of water to 2 gallons of hardwood ashes but the mixture was really thick, it didn't have the milkshake consistancy that it is suppose to have.

So I kept slowly adding water, mixing, and waiting 10-15-20 minutes between each time waiting for a layer of water to form separated from the ashes to do the egg test. The thing is the layer of water never formed.

So I hypothesized that the ratio of ashes to water was wrong and maybe they had to be reversed. So I kept slowly adding water, waiting between each time until I got a ratio of 2 parts of water to 1 part of ashes, and, at this point, after waiting 15 minutes, a layer of water finally formed. The layer was like 1 inch, so I scooped the water to a smaller recipient so I could do the egg test, but the egg didn't float at all indicating that it was too acid. So I added some ashes but this time the layer of water barely formed.

I don't know, maybe the initial ratio of 2 parts of ashes to 1 part of  water were right, but waiting 15-20 minutes between each time I added water was not enough for the layer of water to form. The thing is that in the book it is said to wait 10 minutes, So I don't understand what I did wrong. Should I wait more? How much time should I let the solution without touching it so the water will separate from the ashes?

Thanks for reading and your advices!

[Pappy]

Wished I could help but always dry scrap mine to get the hair off. Pappy

[PrimitiveJay]

Thank you Pappy, at this point, I just let the skin to soak in the solution that I made for a few days, I know that some people soak it in plain water and it works. Next time I'll try to let the solution sit overnight and see if a layer of water form or not.

[Pappy]

Just FYI, Shawn and I just finished wet scrapping a deer hide, we use 2 or 3 shovel scoops of hard wood ash in about 5 gallons of water, stirred it daily and checked for the hair slipping, it took about 4 days and the hair came off clean, a little longer around the neck area, then rinsed in clean water, no real formula just some ashes and water, turned out clean , now ready to dry as rawhide or put in the brains to tan. Pretty simple, it is my first wet scrape and although a bit messy worked really well and probably easier than the dry scrapping I usually do.
 Pappy

[Hawkdancer]

I have also used garden lime, about 2 large coffee cans to 10 gallons or more of water, to get a milky looking solution.  Let is sit until the hair slips then rinse well and wash hide with Ivory soap, especially if you use ashes!
Hawkdancer

[Pat B]

I think I read if an egg floats in it it is ready to go.

[PrimitiveJay]

Just FYI, Shawn and I just finished wet scrapping a deer hide, we use 2 or 3 shovel scoops of hard wood ash in about 5 gallons of water, stirred it daily and checked for the hair slipping, it took about 4 days and the hair came off clean, a little longer around the neck area, then rinsed in clean water, no real formula just some ashes and water, turned out clean , now ready to dry as rawhide or put in the brains to tan. Pretty simple, it is my first wet scrape and although a bit messy worked really well and probably easier than the dry scrapping I usually do.
 Pappy

Glad to read that your first time worked well! In my case, I left the hide soaking for way too long, it was freezing outside so I put the bucket in the garage where it was a bit hotter so that the water would not freeze and I was waiting for a warmer day to rinse it properly and to remove the hair and the membrane. But the skin got a greyish color from the ashes. I don't know if it will prevent the brain and the smoke to do their job properly, but I just dried the skin and I'm waiting for the weather to be warmer to do the next steps.

I think I read if an egg floats in it it is ready to go.

In the book Matt Richards say that if the egg float sideways then it is too strong, it should float si that an area the circumference of a quarter to a half dollar is exposed. If it is allowed in the forum, I could put a picture of the pages where it is explained (with images), english is not my first langage so he probably explained better than me. I read the book a while ago so I could be wrong, but if I remember correctly if the solution is too strong it could damage the hide, and if it is not strong enough it will not be as effective as it could.

[Pappy]

Not sure if it was the way we did it or just the hide but it took a lot of work to get it brained and stretched, it turned out soft after a lot of pulling and roping but never really got that fluff feel like most of mine do, it was more of a slick finish on the hair side, a little different leather. I think maybe we left it in to long, going to try it again and just leave it long enough where the hair will pull and then wet scrape the hair and see how that dose. 
 Pappy

[Piddler]

I've done what few I've done as described in the book you mentioned. Turned out fairly good in my opinion but i would need to compare them to somebody else's like pappy's done a different method.
These questions makes me wonder whatever happened to Bow Ed. Knowledgeable fella when it came to hides.
Piddler 

[Pappy]

Not sure what happened to Ed, I think he got mad over something, ya he knew his stuff on brain tanning for sure.
 Pappy

[PrimitiveJay]

Thank you for your feedback guys! Spring is showing early this year in southern Quebec, so I'll be able to do the next step soon. I also have another deer hide in the freezer so I'll be able try some things differently and see if I get different results. I'll keep you informed!

[Pappy]

Do that Jay, I am working on probably my last one for the year, the weather has been prefect the last few days to pull/stretch and dry out hides. I get really busy a little later in the spring so am blessed with usually good weather in Feb. and early March so that is when I do most of my tanning. I don't do as many as I use to , maybe 8 or 10 into rawhide and try to tan 3 or 4. Of course the raw hide is good for lots of projects and will keep I guess forever or until I get in the mood to tan it. 
 Pappy

[WhistlingBadger]

Last time I dehaired an elk hide, I just spread about an inch thick layer of ashes on it, poured on enough water to get it nice and wet, rolled the thing up hair-in, and let it sit for a day or two.  Hair came right off!

Got similar results with an antelope hide without using ashes; I just let it sit on the floor of the garage about a day longer than I really should have.  Hair came right off that one too, and it ended up making great rawhide, but it wasn't all that pleasant.