Author Topic: Four deer hides fleshed  (Read 30848 times)

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Offline bjrogg

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Four deer hides fleshed
« on: December 26, 2018, 11:25:37 am »
I've got four deer hides fleshed. They still have hair on. I've got three brains and probably could get more. I'd like to at least do a couple brain tans and maybe some rawhide. I'm probably going to salt them again and leave them spread out leather side up and stacked on top of each other. Unless someone gives me better advice. I'm thinking my next step would be putting them in a lye solution? Then remove hair when it slips? Do I have to scrape epidermis off hair side then after it slips hair? Or is there a better method?
Bjrogg
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Offline Pat B

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Re: Four deer hides fleshed
« Reply #1 on: December 26, 2018, 11:31:26 am »
There is no need to salt the hides especially if you'll be working them soon. You will just have to remove the salt later and in winter there is little chance of them rotting. The salt just keeps the rot away in warmer seasons.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline bjrogg

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Re: Four deer hides fleshed
« Reply #2 on: December 26, 2018, 11:40:06 am »
Ok Pat, I was thinking I'd salt them because I might not get them all worked right away. I guess the next step would be a lye bath then? Should I do them one at a time? I've only made lye bath for muskrat hides to back my mini bow for mini bow challenge at Marshall. That time I used ashes from burning ash wood and water. Ash trees are all long dead now.
Bjrogg
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Offline Hawkdancer

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Re: Four deer hides fleshed
« Reply #3 on: December 26, 2018, 12:17:00 pm »
I use garden lime when wet slipping, but ashes from the grill will work, too.  If you're still grilling that is (=) >:D!  Might scrape the hair off all of them at the same time, wash with real Ivory soap, rinse well, then put into plastic bags and freeze the ones you aren't going to work right away.  Got to check my hides to see what needs to be done!
Hawkdancer
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Offline bjrogg

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Re: Four deer hides fleshed
« Reply #4 on: December 26, 2018, 12:50:55 pm »
Thanks Jerry.
I found Eds big buck to buckskin tan along. I might try dry scraping to remove hair and epidural layer. Hoping I can get a couple on frames soon. We'll see
Bjrogg
A hot cup of coffee and a beautiful sunrise

Offline Outbackbob48

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Re: Four deer hides fleshed
« Reply #5 on: December 26, 2018, 01:35:27 pm »
BJ, Here are some of my obsevations, First off I use KOH for my bucking solution, You can use wood ashes or lime or red devil lye. I do not like ashes  due to you need to remove charcoal (stains) and ashes are not the same strength ease use, I do not like lime as it seems really slippery and also white residue on everything, never tried red devil. You may have KOH ( potassium hydroxide) on the farm, I put 4oz in 10 gal. of water for 2 hides in a 30 gal plastic garbage can. Depending on temp 3 to4 days in (warm 70deg.)  and hair will slip or 8 to 9 if your container is in a cool place.

DO NOT just push the hair off an then grain. As a beginner it easy to become lost. :o Grain is the same color as hide and easy to miss, KOH and other buckings SWELL the grain layer so with experience you will be able to see where you have scraped and what you missed, this is why I say leave hair on and scrape. The hair lets you know where you have scraped, Also be very methodical about removing grain, over lap your strokes so as not to miss any grain.

 Now for some good news, If you miss some grain it is not the end of the world, grain left on doesn't let brains penetrate as well therefore creating a harder spot to soften. On the other hand grain left on gives your hide a nice camo tie and dye effect :o ::) after smoking.

 As for storage I have done a couple different ways. I used to flesh fresh hides salt and drain for 1 day roll up hide and put in a 5 gal.bucket wth lid that seals and store any where. My new system is to flesh, grain, rinse, acidify, membrain then hang on line and let go completely dry, store dry hides in dry area and keep pest out of them ( dogs, mice) 

 Maybe I should do like Ed and just become a dry scraper.  BJ there are lots of ways to do things but this what works for me and is just my .02 cents worth, Have fun and let us know how thinks are going.  I only have 2 more to grain out of 13 or so, then on to the fun stuff.  Good Luck Bob

Offline Pat B

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Re: Four deer hides fleshed
« Reply #6 on: December 26, 2018, 01:46:12 pm »
BJ, in your cold, dry winter climate you could tack the skins up and let them dry(rawhide) until you are ready to work them. I doubt you would have adverse affects to the skins.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline BowEd

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Re: Four deer hides fleshed
« Reply #7 on: December 26, 2018, 09:52:34 pm »
BJ...Either way you do it dry scrape or wet scrape getting your tools/containers and or frames pre ready is wise.
I skin and freeze leaving a bit of flesh on them.Got a big freezer here.It also helps then to be avoiding any knife slits then too.I get to them then when weather is better.It's easier to flesh in the frame and on a beam with a little flesh left on them.
I salt hides after fleshing then let flint dry that I'm going chemically tan.Bugs can and will eat on the hair side if left long enough out in warm weather though.Rawhide with no hair and sprayed a little with a bug spray even as cheap as OFF or something keeps the bugs off them here.Does'nt hurt any of the tanning process at all either.
I make my dry scrapers out of bastart mill files.Beveled only on one side at around a 45 degree angle.Sharpened razor sharp with a stone.They'll last through a whole dehairing of at least 1 normal deer before any need of touching the edge up any.Any hardened metal will work.I still use a broke off chunk of a cracked disk blade that I preshaped and then heated red hot and dunked in 10W oil as a flesher scraper.It's so sharp it'll take ribbons off wet rawhide off for thinning a hide if I want to.
Do enough of them BJ and you'll get a feel for what you like.As long as your satisfied that's the main thing.Everyone hits little bumps in the road along the way.It's a learning curve to go through.
BowEd
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Ed

Offline BowEd

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Re: Four deer hides fleshed
« Reply #8 on: December 27, 2018, 04:30:32 am »
BJ....4 hides is enough for a nice shirt and a bag or two.Depending on size of hides of course.Depends what you want to make with them.Large long hides will make a pants too.The limits are endless for things to make.Have fun!!
BowEd
You got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything.
Ed

Offline bjrogg

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Re: Four deer hides fleshed
« Reply #9 on: December 27, 2018, 04:36:09 am »
Thanks everyone. I'm thinking my next step is going to be making some frames and tools. I think I'll try to get some laced in frame and drying. They should keep now that their fleshed especially in this weather. I'm thinking I might be able to do inside a building using dry scrape method and be able to clean up my mess without getting in to much trouble. I was originally thinking I would give them lye bath, remove hair and then clean them and put them on frame. Then I could scrape inside without the hair mess. I can't wait for better weather. I will be to busy with farming then. For hair off raw hide do I have to scrape off epidural layer. I'm thinking not.
Thanks again everyone.
Bjrogg
Ed I got two more yet and a small rawhide already scraped both sides from ksnow. I figured four would probably be enough entertainment for now. I am looking forward to playing around with the finished product. Maybe the wife and I will be styling.
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Offline BowEd

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Re: Four deer hides fleshed
« Reply #10 on: December 27, 2018, 04:45:04 am »
Yes you're correct...the epidermis need not be taken off for rawhide.The rawhide will be thinner though without it.If lymed for hair removal delyming and rinsing is neccessary though.
A fan and around 80 degrees F will be needed to dry them properly to dry scrape hair off.Neck area will be last to get dry enough.Might take up to 2 days to dry good enough too.
Dry scraping will accumulate a lot of hair.When doing it outside I like to do it on days with no wind....Ha Ha.
I have yet to find a purpose for all of that loose hair.....Ha Ha.
Not all people are the same but Robin loves the smell of smoked hides.Gaurantee you the misquitos will not bite....Ha Ha.
Many methods of brain tanning are out there.All with the same end product.You can do combinations too inner twining 2 different methods if you like.
I like to have a good stretch on the rawhide before braining for good penetration.
3 pig brains or pounds should do at least 3 hides.That'll get you started.You can acquire more brains while doing those for the rest of
the hides.A normal deer brain is around 3/4 pound.
« Last Edit: December 27, 2018, 05:05:28 am by BowEd »
BowEd
You got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything.
Ed

Offline bjrogg

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Re: Four deer hides fleshed
« Reply #11 on: December 27, 2018, 05:04:57 am »
Thanks Ed. Ive been wanting to make my wife a Pocahontas's type outfit. Maybe if she knows the mosquitoes won't bite she'll wear it.lol. She hates mosquitoes. We're both kinda short and wide so we probably require different size hides than you for pants.lol.
Bjrogg
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Offline BowEd

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Re: Four deer hides fleshed
« Reply #12 on: December 27, 2018, 05:08:11 am »
Yes a long inseam is a PITA....Ha Ha.Kinda wish you lived closer.We'd get er done!!!!If you got heat in a shed you're golden!!!
BowEd
You got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything.
Ed

Offline bjrogg

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Re: Four deer hides fleshed
« Reply #13 on: December 27, 2018, 05:11:24 am »
I wish we lived closer to Ed.
Bjrogg
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Offline bjrogg

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Re: Four deer hides fleshed
« Reply #14 on: December 27, 2018, 11:26:12 am »
One frame built and one hide laced. This frame is 6.5x5.5 to outside of two by fours. This was a pretty good sized buck my brother shot with 12 gauge. It's got a couple holes I'll try to fix up later like Ed suggested in his tan along.
Anyone see anything I'm doing wrong? I used plastic baler twine to lace. I probably could have trimmed legs a bit. Lots of work ahead yet. You guys that do 30 a year really have my respect. Heck anyone that does three a year has my respect.
Bjrogg
A hot cup of coffee and a beautiful sunrise