Author Topic: Dry hide scraping  (Read 3608 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline JW_Halverson

  • Member
  • Posts: 11,823
Dry hide scraping
« on: December 15, 2017, 01:01:21 pm »
Do you scrape down from the neck to tail. Or up from tail to  neck?
Guns have triggers. Bicycles have wheels. Trees and bows have wooden limbs.

Offline Outbackbob48

  • Member
  • Posts: 2,752
Re: Dry hide scraping
« Reply #1 on: December 15, 2017, 04:26:35 pm »
JW, I am a wet scraper but have done a few dry also. Either way I always go neck to tail or follow the way the hair grows. Maybe Ed and Pappy (dry scrapers ) will chime in , Bob

Offline JW_Halverson

  • Member
  • Posts: 11,823
Re: Dry hide scraping
« Reply #2 on: December 15, 2017, 08:33:52 pm »
It's done.  It wasn't pretty, but it is done now.

I remembered too late what I learned too late on the last hide I scrapped....namely, you cannot put enough lacings on a hide and stretch from too many directions at once. 

A friend wants to learn brain tanning, so I saved this year's doe hide and the head for her. Using the old saying that every animal has enough brains to tan it's own hide.  We will see, I guess.
Guns have triggers. Bicycles have wheels. Trees and bows have wooden limbs.

Offline Hawkdancer

  • Member
  • Posts: 5,027
Re: Dry hide scraping
« Reply #3 on: December 15, 2017, 11:52:23 pm »
Sounds reasonable!  Mostly neck to tail, except when you got to do it different!  In fact, even wet scrape works better that way.  Either way there is a lot of hair to get rid of!  With the hair off, the easy part is done!  Time for a zen brain tanning party!  Every critter does have enough rains to tan his own hide, unless you use another Critters brains!  Btw, where in the Black Hills are you?
Hawkdancer
Life is far too serious to be taken that way!
Jerry

Offline BowEd

  • Member
  • Posts: 9,390
  • BowEd
Re: Dry hide scraping
« Reply #4 on: December 16, 2017, 09:17:29 am »
JW....The hair removal itself is'nt hard at all,and as a general rule with the grain is best.Main thing too is that your hide is good and dry.Fleshing it first of course.It's the epidermis that the hair roots are in that needs to be removed too for good brain oil penetration to happen and a nice soft product afterward.Like a flannel shirt really.From all the people I've taught brain tanning it's the biggest factor for stiff hides.A very sharp scraper does the job well.Helps very much in the thinner areas too.If too thin in the flanks etc. using 80 grit sand paper will do the job there too.You'll get a feel for the whole process as time goes on.Check this out....
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,56929.0.html
There are many new school type ways to get these steps done.This is old school.I guess if you want really older school you can use flint & bone scrapers too but the end result will still be the same.
« Last Edit: December 17, 2017, 09:25:55 am by BowEd »
BowEd
You got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything.
Ed

Offline JW_Halverson

  • Member
  • Posts: 11,823
Re: Dry hide scraping
« Reply #5 on: December 18, 2017, 03:38:03 pm »
Btw, where in the Black Hills are you?
Hawkdancer

I am in Rapid City. Except for the week of May 14-20th, 2018. Then I will be in a tent in the woods west of the Crazy Horse Monument being humiliated by one "stupid" turkey after another. You coming?  I feed folks pretty well and there is always birds to be worked up!

JW....The hair removal itself is'nt hard at all,and as a general rule with the grain is best.Main thing too is that your hide is good and dry.Fleshing it first of course.It's the epidermis that the hair roots are in that needs to be removed too for good brain oil penetration to happen and a nice soft product afterward.Like a flannel shirt really.From all the people I've taught brain tanning it's the biggest factor for stiff hides.A very sharp scraper does the job well.Helps very much in the thinner areas too.If too thin in the flanks etc. using 80 grit sand paper will do the job there too.You'll get a feel for the whole process as time goes on.Check this out....
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,56929.0.html
There are many new school type ways to get these steps done.This is old school.I guess if you want really older school you can use flint & bone scrapers too but the end result will still be the same.

We had her good and dry.  I didn't get enough thongs stretching it every which way, so there were a few areas without good tension, but we got it done.  We'll cut it off the frame next and I will use the random orbital sander to lightly go over all of it just to make sure grain on both sides is interrupted where the braintan solution can get in there nice and deep.  I popped on hole/tear in it, but it is very close to the edge and I will just use that tear as the guide for cutting it out.

I am always amazed at how dang fluffy good braintan becomes compared to the rawhide that it comes from.
Guns have triggers. Bicycles have wheels. Trees and bows have wooden limbs.

Offline BowEd

  • Member
  • Posts: 9,390
  • BowEd
Re: Dry hide scraping
« Reply #6 on: December 18, 2017, 06:55:25 pm »
I am always amazed at how dang fluffy good braintan becomes compared to the rawhide that it comes from.
Yes I never get tired of it's texture and feel.
BowEd
You got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything.
Ed

Offline Hawkdancer

  • Member
  • Posts: 5,027
Re: Dry hide scraping
« Reply #7 on: December 18, 2017, 10:36:37 pm »
That might be doable!  19&20 May are the snow dates for our Buckhorn Skinners  "Squirrel Shoot" Championships, but usually we get it done in April.  Spring season opens on 14th?  How much are non-resident tags?  We could be on the road a lot next year, I'd like to make it to Marshall, as well, and we are supposed to go to a " Camp Jam" in the Laguna Mtns. Of California in Jne
Life is far too serious to be taken that way!
Jerry

Offline JW_Halverson

  • Member
  • Posts: 11,823
Re: Dry hide scraping
« Reply #8 on: December 19, 2017, 05:17:40 pm »
Spring turkey season is at least 6 weeks long. I always set the camp dates for the last week of season to take advantage of the best chance for warmer weather and for the hens to be off setting eggs so that the poor gobblers are more likely to be enticed. 

Nonresident tags have been $100 in the past, but I think they may take a small increase this year. I am waiting for the regulations to be released for the coming year.
Guns have triggers. Bicycles have wheels. Trees and bows have wooden limbs.