making leather - some questions

[Tetsuoh]

Okay so I have found a ton of stuff on tanning our own hides from hunting which I want to get into to have my own supply for working.

But I have a few questions, if you guys don't mind.

1. Normal leather has that sheen that most deer hide I've seen does not.
Is it possible to keep the epidermis to preserve that when working your own hides, and if so, how?

2. I want a nice large but really soft hide when I go to make a coat for myself at one point.
What hunted hides would you suggest to work to get such a leather?

 

[Toddy]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

Sheen on leather ? I suspect if might be a by product of the chrome tanning process, but I'm no expert.
Bound to be someone along who knows an awful lot more than I do.

Over here deerskins are used for coats, rare though. Cow and sheep are much more common. I have seen some incredibly soft and handleable skins produced by organic tanning in mimosa bark. Pigskins are different again, good ones are usually split for gloves, bags and linings. Not sure what kind of beasts you would find where you hunt.
I'm presuming you mean to take the hair/fur/wool off ?

Again, bound to be someone along who does know.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[EssexMonk]

Even off a moose or elk one hide isnt big enough, I made a dress for my wife, it took three hides from mature mule deer. the "Outside" of the hide the side you remove the hair from is the side you would make "shiny" someone else will have to tell you how to do that

 

[Tetsuoh]

We can get numerous animals here, but a basic list:

Squirrels
Rabbits
Raccoons
Coyote
Feral Pig
White Tailed Deer
Black Bear

Essex - I understand that one hide won't be enough. I'm a bigger guy, so I'm betting my coat will need at least 5-6 decent deer hides.
I also know the hair side is what gives that coating, but what I don't know how to do is preserve that side while working a hide.

What I'm looking for is a leather that has that coating - I've been told that it happens by preserving the epidermis when removing the hair. I'm just hoping that this is possible using naturals.