Fish skin

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Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
Thank you very much for stopping so often to take progress pictures.
If there was no easy ice, I've been told over and over that Inuit used fish skin for light windows replacing a snow block in an Igloolik (snow house).
Otherwise pretty dark but for the light from the kudlik.
Question = How transparent is your finished fish leather?
 

John Fenna

Lifetime Member & Maker
Oct 7, 2006
23,109
2,847
66
Pembrokeshire
The little bit I made had been steeped in strong tea - my job was working in masses of baby oil ...a stinking, exhausting boring task that lasted a good working day and produced about 6"x3" of usable leather!
Very nice leather - but not something I will be making again in a hurry...
 

Macaroon

A bemused & bewildered
Jan 5, 2013
7,209
362
73
SE Wales
Extremely interesting reading; I, and I suspect many of us here, know nothing at all of this fascinating skill so thanks very much for this :)
 
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Mang

Settler
Thank you very much for stopping so often to take progress pictures.
If there was no easy ice, I've been told over and over that Inuit used fish skin for light windows replacing a snow block in an Igloolik (snow house).
Otherwise pretty dark but for the light from the kudlik.
Question = How transparent is your finished fish leather?
Glad you liked it, I decided to take copious pictures so that I have a future reference guide and if it's helps anyone else then all's good. You can see diamond shapes of brown coloured light if you hold it up but perhaps they scraped it a little thinner and I'd guess they didn't bark tan?
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
Ah. Thank you. Vast empty countryside of tundra and polar desert. No trees. No shrubs.
The only bark they get is from the dogs.

Might it also depend on the species of fish, I suppose?
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
I suppose there's no reason not to brain tan a fish skin as is done with seakskins.
I don't know any Inuit people so have nobody to ask.
My cousins live in Dawson City, YT. They might know.
 
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