how to tan hides help?

[eddieb]

So I was wondering how would I go about tanning a hide but out in the bush no chemicals just what I can potentially find, I have heard about brain tanning, so could someone explain nice and simple the process steps of preserving a fury pelt and also how to remove the fur so I could make it in to a leather?

 

[Haggis]

Strictly speaking, "brain tanning" isn't tanning. Hides and pelts can be preserved though by a variety of methods. I always preferred soap, simple homemade lye soap, or store bought soap,,, it's not so icky as brains. Pelts or hides can be simply soaked in water until the hair slips, but an addition of a small amount of lye or a large amount of hardwood ashes to the water will hurry things along. Of course, if you're leaving the hair or fur on don't soak the hide or pelt. What you're doing is pushing the natural grease out of the hide/pelt and replacing it with something else, but even when you've done that, the work is not finished. It would be hard to give a step by step in this format, but there are lots of lengthy treatise(s) written on the subject, and free on-line.

There are literally hundreds of recipes for preserving animal skins, hair on or off, but the thing you'll want to remember is that IT IS A LOT OF WORK,,,! I've read that the main ingredient is a liberal application of elbow grease. Anyone can do it, but it's work, frustration, failure, and more work.

 

[eddieb]

Oh okay so soaking it will allow the hairs to come out, and what's the reason for the brains or soap is that the replacing grease part so stop it decaying ? And yeah i understand there's alot of scraping rubbish off and preparing I'll watch some videos on that.

 

[British Red]

If you use the search function there are dozens of tutorials on tanning on this site

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/search.php?searchid=8374768

 

[Haggis]

Yes, the ultimate goal is to stop decay. I used to do a lot of deer hides, hair off, and it's a quiet work,,, not many folk standing around wondering why this or that is being done. I've some pouches I made more than 30 years ago. They're as soft and white now as the day I made them, but strictly speaking, they're little more than softened rawhide; if they'd ever get wet, they'd dry hard as flint. Smoking finished the hides would water proof them, not so they would shed water, but so they would not dry hard and need re-stretched (the stretching while they dry makes them soft). It's fascinating pastime.

 

[eddieb]

Oh right yeah I understand and yeah i does sound like a fascinating past time I need to try it and when I get it right I'll practice sewing and make a pouch too shall be a project after my nettle and thorns fishing kit I'm mid making, maybe a pouch for my fishing kit aye!

 

[Jonbodthethird]

Right ok. It's a massively misconception that tanning a Hyde will preserve a Hyde. but Tanning is a one step of many procedures. And all that does is keep the Hyde supple and prevents it cracking but does not preserve the Hyde! It's the last used method in a series of procedures on making your on fur Hyde. I would suggest scraping and curing with salt breaking it for over a few hours and smoking. Smoking it penetrates the Hyde and preserves it not a tan. Then tan with a egg yolk or if you want to Aquarius cream, brain or a supple soap. I prefer the cream option it's less messy and dries better.


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[mrcharly]

I thought that 'tanning' with tannin-containing substances (such as oak) preserved the hide?

 

[Jonbodthethird]

Brain tan and other solutions just stops it from hardening and cracking not as a permanent solution to preserving the Hyde.


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[Jamie B]

there is as many ways to tan a hide as there is locations of people doing it...eskimo/inuit urine taning, japaneese whale oil tanning, bark tanning, sumac tanning, brain tanning, egg tanning, etc. google some of these and you will find a good way in your locale.~jlb