Where can I buy Brain Tan Leather please? I need a piece to get a circle about 17inch diameter, up to about 1/16 inch thick, am I likely to be able to source a piece?
Cheers
Paul
Cheers
Paul
Where can I buy Brain Tan Leather?
- Thread starter paulnb57
- Start date
I've seen it for sale on etsy a few times, but you have no way of knowing the quality until you buy it and brain tan is not cheap!
You can buy modern tanned deerskin and elk skin from Tandy that is reasonably priced. Tandy in Northhampton are good to deal with and the most professional suppliers in the UK in my experience.
You can buy modern tanned deerskin and elk skin from Tandy that is reasonably priced. Tandy in Northhampton are good to deal with and the most professional suppliers in the UK in my experience.
I ordered a few brain tanned deerskins from the USA a long time back. There was such a delay I had to cancel in the end. I've thought since that maybe chamois leather could maybe substitute? Maybe a quick smoke of the chamois would do the trick and keep it soft?
Brain tanned leather is, at the same time, both one of the most labor-intensive yet easily done skills. It requires no huge monetary layout or knowledge of secrets. Just a ton of elbow grease and the know-how.
There are individual preferences, as well as techniques, but the basics really don't change;
Scrape hide clean. Hair on or off as per need.
Work brain slurry into hide. Make it penetrate.
Stretch, pull, cuss, pull some more, stretch. Scratch head, take a bathroom break. Resume stretching, pulling, cussing over and over until the hide is dry. It is critical to work until its dry. If not, when it does dry it will be hard rawhide, unsuitable for clothing applications. The hide is now tanned.......but you're not done.
If the hide gets wet it will become stiff rawhide when dry again.
Next step;
Smoking the hide. Smoking does not tan the hide. It renders the hide unable to become rawhide (but it doesn't break the fibers down- that's what the stretching does). If a smoked piece of brain tan becomes wet and dries, shaking it out or wearing it (if an article of clothing) will soon return it to its velvety state.
So, the process is twofold.
My BEST advice I can give is to have a couple hides already scraped and soaking in brain slurry. Invite a half dozen friends over and have them pull all day. Beer and pizza help motivate.
And your hands will get super soft.
There are individual preferences, as well as techniques, but the basics really don't change;
Scrape hide clean. Hair on or off as per need.
Work brain slurry into hide. Make it penetrate.
Stretch, pull, cuss, pull some more, stretch. Scratch head, take a bathroom break. Resume stretching, pulling, cussing over and over until the hide is dry. It is critical to work until its dry. If not, when it does dry it will be hard rawhide, unsuitable for clothing applications. The hide is now tanned.......but you're not done.
If the hide gets wet it will become stiff rawhide when dry again.
Next step;
Smoking the hide. Smoking does not tan the hide. It renders the hide unable to become rawhide (but it doesn't break the fibers down- that's what the stretching does). If a smoked piece of brain tan becomes wet and dries, shaking it out or wearing it (if an article of clothing) will soon return it to its velvety state.
So, the process is twofold.
My BEST advice I can give is to have a couple hides already scraped and soaking in brain slurry. Invite a half dozen friends over and have them pull all day. Beer and pizza help motivate.
And your hands will get super soft.
This request was something that was a good idea at the time! A little more knowlege has forced a rethink, thanks for the replies everyone.
Paul
Paul
