Post by Greg Krause on Apr 19, 2013 0:42:41 GMT -5
I always wanted to brain tan a hide. I had never done it before but my buddy has and with his guidance I learned a lot. It is really simple but takes a little elbow grease. I don't have pictures of every step but here are a few.
I fleshed the hide first and then flipped it over and removed the hair/grain.
After fleshing you may need to "buck" the hide which helps make the hair and grain come loose. Traditionally you soak it in a mixture of wood ash and water for a few days and then rinse it for a few days after scraping. My buddy has been soaking it in hot water and dish soap for an hour or so, which makes the process much quicker than with wood ash. Mine was fresh frozen so none of that was needed.
Then we soaked it in "brains". Instead of real brains we mixed up 1/2 bar ivory soap grated, 1/2 cup vegetable oil and 1 gallon of warm water in a bucket and really worked it into the hide for 30 minutes or so.
Then you ring the hide out really well. I had to put all my weight behind it to get it fairly dry. Here is what I set up.
I didn't use a frame and instead hand softened it by rubbing and stretching it on a cable mounted to the wall in the basement, over the banister on the stairs, over a kitchen chair, over my knees while sitting in the chair and by standing on it and stretching it above my head. The key is to keep breaking up the fibers and keep it moving as it dries. Doing it on a nice sunny day or in front of a fire really helps.
This is how we smoke the hides. Staple them together into a tube attached to a jean skirt that sits over the stove pipe. Just keep adding "punky" wood to the coals and keep the flames down
I was not happy with the softness, so i brained it again and softened on a frame. I now do nearly all my softening on a frame to start.
I fleshed the hide first and then flipped it over and removed the hair/grain.
After fleshing you may need to "buck" the hide which helps make the hair and grain come loose. Traditionally you soak it in a mixture of wood ash and water for a few days and then rinse it for a few days after scraping. My buddy has been soaking it in hot water and dish soap for an hour or so, which makes the process much quicker than with wood ash. Mine was fresh frozen so none of that was needed.
Then we soaked it in "brains". Instead of real brains we mixed up 1/2 bar ivory soap grated, 1/2 cup vegetable oil and 1 gallon of warm water in a bucket and really worked it into the hide for 30 minutes or so.
Then you ring the hide out really well. I had to put all my weight behind it to get it fairly dry. Here is what I set up.
I didn't use a frame and instead hand softened it by rubbing and stretching it on a cable mounted to the wall in the basement, over the banister on the stairs, over a kitchen chair, over my knees while sitting in the chair and by standing on it and stretching it above my head. The key is to keep breaking up the fibers and keep it moving as it dries. Doing it on a nice sunny day or in front of a fire really helps.
This is how we smoke the hides. Staple them together into a tube attached to a jean skirt that sits over the stove pipe. Just keep adding "punky" wood to the coals and keep the flames down
I was not happy with the softness, so i brained it again and softened on a frame. I now do nearly all my softening on a frame to start.
