Need a beginners' guide to tanning

[Toadflax]

Mr Silverback very kindly let me have a Muntjac hide this weekend and I want to learn how tan it using the easiest method I can find. I've put the hide into the freezer for now.

Google and Search (on this forum) haven't got me a really good guide yet, so either there isn't one, or I haven't searched properly! Once prepared, I think I'd like to make some little drawstring pouches so I'd probably need to de-hair it

For personal reasons (i.e. I don't think the family would ever speak to me again) I don't want to do brain tanning, but I believe that you can use alternatives (e.g. egg yolk).

So if anyone can point me in the way of any other postings, web sites or books that would suit a complete novice, I'd be very grateful.



Geoff

 

[Toadflax]

No replies yet, so I'm going to start my own.

First stage is scraping - seems you can do wet or dry scraping. My instinct tells me that for a beginner wet scraping is probably easiest and, having scraped many square yards of wallpaper in my time, I reckon that a blunt wallpaper scraper or filler /putty type knife would probably be a good tool to use. Also, as I want to get going on the hide fairly soon (it's in the freezer at the moment), I'm not sure how well I'd get the hide dried out in our damp winter.

I think the next stage is dehairing - and this will need some soaking. I love the feel and colour of the hair, but I'm not sure how practical it is going to be to use the final buckskin if the hair is still in place, so I think I'm probably going to have to remove it.

Anyway, time for a bit more research, I'll post up some more thoughts as I find out more information.


Geoff

 

[Buckshot]

I have a really good DVD at home that's wort a look at
Where abouts in Oxon are you?
You can borrow it if you like - as long as I get it back.

PM me your details and we'll see if we can sort something out

Mark

 

[Bernie Garland]

hi below is a link for a tanning kit
hope it helps bernie

http://cgi.ebay.com/Basic-Deer-Hide...ryZ22702QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Toadflax]

Thanks for the various offers of help advice, so far. I just found this paper from New Mexico State University that gives what seems to be a reasonably good description of the process.

http://www.state.tn.us/twra/pdfs/tanninghides.pdf


Geoff

 

[British Red]

Sorry Geoff, my suggestion was going to be "Go Rio and pack the SPF20"

 

[Toadflax]

Sorry Geoff, my suggestion was going to be "Go Rio and pack the SPF20"

Ha Ha!

Ha Ha!

Ha Ha!

If I were you, I'd stick to photography and soap making!!!!!


Geoff

 

[Toadflax]

Buckshot kindly loaned me a very informative DVD, so I now need to start gathering the tools and equipment.

I had been given a few small deer antlers for Christmas and was wondering if it would be possible to make a fleshing knife from one of these, seems to be in keeping with trying to use natural materials. Failing that, I've found a few US suppliers (but shipping costs start to make this less economic), though I wonder whether I could just get away with a piece of sheet metal or even a blunted draw knife.


Geoff

 

[Hartung]

All you allways wanted to know about tanning ...The Hide Out!: http://64.62.177.152/

 

[xylaria]

I found this website a goldmine of information.

My only advice is that there is more than one way to skin a cat, muntjack or squirrels, the right way of tanning is what ever way you find most suits you. Braintan has lot of differant natural methods.

I found mussel shells the best tool for removing the membrane, but muntjacks and rabbits are a bit differant.

 

[Toadflax]

I found this website a goldmine of information.

Thanks - lots of good stuff there. I've also just got the Deerskins to Buckskins book from Amazon (just under a tenner) so I'm just waiting for the longer evenings before starting. They list the accompanying DVD which is EXCELLENT (I've watched a copy - 2.5 hours of film that really bring the process to life), but you would need a multi-region DVD player and lots of money for postage from the USA.


Geoff