fleshing beam alternatives?
- Thread starter song
- Start date
Great that people here are doing tanning now!
I only use round fleshing beams. I have heard that a pvc pipe is very good, it is definitely smooth enough, just doesn't have as much "give" as wood, so I guess you need to take it a bit more easy to not rip the skins.
What skins are you tanning?
I only use round fleshing beams. I have heard that a pvc pipe is very good, it is definitely smooth enough, just doesn't have as much "give" as wood, so I guess you need to take it a bit more easy to not rip the skins.
What skins are you tanning?
On the WSS Hunter Gatherer course i did and reviewed ( in case you want to have a search and look at the photos of the fleshing poles ) we used a length Soil pipe ( which i think is 4" diameter ) with two poles cross lashed underneath to support it.
Although usable they did have a tendency to 'slip' , I would suggest drilling two holes and inserting two broom handles to create legs. I would also be tempted to try with a cylinder of a larger diameter although it may prove not to be as productive , worth an experiment i guess.
I think you need a narrowish cyclinder ( say 4"-8" ) and with full length of the skin so at least 4' long , to create a 'nap' and push as much subcutaneous material 'up' so you can take it off with your weapon of choice.
HTH
Although usable they did have a tendency to 'slip' , I would suggest drilling two holes and inserting two broom handles to create legs. I would also be tempted to try with a cylinder of a larger diameter although it may prove not to be as productive , worth an experiment i guess.
I think you need a narrowish cyclinder ( say 4"-8" ) and with full length of the skin so at least 4' long , to create a 'nap' and push as much subcutaneous material 'up' so you can take it off with your weapon of choice.
HTH
Tanning is a lot of work - but I think worth doing at least once. You then appreciate the value of hand tanned skins to the native people who depended upon them (like the value of cordage and netting for fish trapping). In my view, it's only when you do it yourself that you see how much work went into making these basic essentials.
There's some info here on brain tanning that I did a couple of years ago: http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31988&highlight=deersking+to+buckskin
I'd say that the main thing would be to have a very smooth beam. Mine had one or two tiny knobbles, which I would remove if I were doing it again. Plastic pipe is reputed to be a reasonable alternative to a wooden beam.
Geoff
There's some info here on brain tanning that I did a couple of years ago: http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31988&highlight=deersking+to+buckskin
I'd say that the main thing would be to have a very smooth beam. Mine had one or two tiny knobbles, which I would remove if I were doing it again. Plastic pipe is reputed to be a reasonable alternative to a wooden beam.
Geoff
forestwalker
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
One advantage of plastic pipe is that it is portable. Our first (well, after the ones we did at the course with Lynx Vilden) ws done on pipe that we carried out into the woods. Living in an apartment it was buckets on the balcony, and carrying the hide in buckets on the commuter train that was the only way to organize it. We used the upright beam technique, and the trick was keeping he hide from slipping off; a couple of strong glue clamps worked wonders.
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