What knife/edge do you use when tanning a hide?

  • Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (29th July - 10th August) available until April 6th, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.

cwillson

Forager
Jul 14, 2007
136
2
Cotswolds
Hey BCUK peeps,

Begun tanning a few hides from the weekends wild camping and air rifle session today - 3 squirrels and a rabbit.

This is only my second bash, the first being a mole that the neighbours cat despatched a while back.

My hands are feeling it now, having used a fairly blunt old paring knife (so as to avoid tearing the skin) to scrape the flesh before salting and stretching the hides. Bloody hard work, so it got me to wondering what implement others use for the task. Also, I've seen a video online of someone using a quite large round pole to rest the pelt on while scraping. Does this help?

Anyway, I have a new found respect for the women in days of yore who would have spent a good portion of their days preparing the hides and making clothes - they must have been tough buggers! Lol



Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk
 

OurAmericanCousin

Tenderfoot
Feb 7, 2015
99
0
SoCalUSA
Is this for brain tanning?

Regardless, with smaller animals such as these, it is possible to skin them while leaving little to no viscera, fat, tissue, etc. Tube skinning is the easiest for me (comes off like a sweater; inside out). Any remaining tissue can usually be pulled and worked off with the fingers. A great way to minimize excess tissue on any animal hide of any size is to insert the nozzle of an air compressor in the bullet hole (if applicable) and blow a few quick shots to separate the hide from the carcass. All that remains is to cut the hide at the usual spots and it almost falls off.

The round pole, I assume, is being used as a breaking beam. If so, an old spokeshave works well. Hold the top of the hide with your belly against the beam and push the tool down the hide to scrape. Rotate the hide until complete.

I use a technique wherein a wahintke is used to scrape the hide. Think of a small, very small, sharp garden hoe. I use the brain tanning method. The hide doesn't get salted.

Rabbits, squirrels, etc. can be started and finished around the evening fire by simply stretching and rolling between the hands. Often, no brain is even necessary. Very quick and easy.

Rabbit and squirrel slips. A perfectly good hide will, one day, begin to lose its hair. The skin will still be fine, just bald........like me.
 

Hibrion

Maker
Jan 11, 2012
1,230
7
Ireland
I don't know about smaller hides, but I use an old butcher knife for fleshing deer hides. Just make sure it is blunt enough for the job and wrap a cloth around one end. It's about the only time a knife shouldn't be sharp. If you have an old draw knife, they are perfect.

I recently heard of someone using a power hose to flesh a hide, which I thought was an interesting concept. Also, as said, the tidier you are with the skinning, the easier fleshing will be.
 

NicfromBristol

Full Member
Apr 24, 2013
53
0
Bristol
I've been using a bit of 6 inch plastic pipe for the beam- this is to flesh/grain on.
I have an old blade which I've added bits of tubing as handles.
I recommend 'Deerskins into Buckskins: How to Tan with Brain, Soap or Eggs' by Matt Richards- clear and informative.
 

cwillson

Forager
Jul 14, 2007
136
2
Cotswolds
Amazing. Top advice as always, thanks. :)

Definitely gonna rethink the initial process and tools for next time.

Not brain tanning this time, just salt and then planning on smoking them to preserve, although perhaps there's another slightly easier method as I don't have a ready made smoker?

Soap or eggs? That sounds interesting. Any first hand experience?

Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk
 

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE