How can I do it in my spare time? I sort of know what the process entails. Can any one send me in the right direction. Thanks

If you want a nice soft hide you should really send it off to a tannery. You can tan it at home but unless you really break down the fibers after it is tanned it will dry stiff as a board. If you do it yourself you will end up with a lot of labor into it and not as good of a product. Just my opinion. If you really want to give it a try order a tanning kit from a taxidermy supply company. Lutan F is a good home tan and will produce a bit softer skin than some other types.

I'm a bit of a weirdo.....I like traditional shit. Look up wet brain tanning on the net, some interesting info. Most indigenous peoples have used brain tanning for um 10,000 years or so. We've all seen and smelled it, when you see nice moose hide moccasins that smell of smoke-that's it. Properly done the brains help to break down the hide and make it soft. I've got a huge amount of brain tanned hides in the basement....some day I'll have something made.

the chef

Chef,

I really like the idea of brain tanning. I got one hanging right now. Is one brain enough?
I cant really spare any more of mine.

Brains are hard to come by!!!
especially for cooks.

I think one might be enough for one deer hide.

Have fun

I am going to have a go. I will post pics of the process and all the good or bad will follow. Thanks Chef and thankyou Grafton as well. I better get out my special knife. Made in Seki Japan, by a 27th generation swordsmith. Not an Ideal knife Configuration.....but I can honestly slipt a hair with it. I use it everyday so I am definetly comfortable with it, And my clumbsy A$$ will most definetly cut through if I do not devot 110% attetion to what I am doing. Thanks again

quote:

Originally posted by calgarychef1:
I'm a bit of a weirdo.....I like traditional shit. Look up wet brain tanning on the net, some interesting info. Most indigenous peoples have used brain tanning for um 10,000 years or so.

Oh come on....You mean to tell me you dont have the most recent technology. I mean who could kill a deer with a stick and a string without a polymer release and special graphite arrows with Expando 6000 Carbide Broadheads? From what I hear you need a .50BMG to kill a deer and a 700NE to kill a feral hog. Come on Chef, get with the times.

You don't really need to shave the hair off. Just soak the hide in clean fresh water for a few days-the warmer out the less days. The hair will slip right out, a drawknife works really well for this. Also use a piece of pvc pipe about 3 inches in diameter to work on-much better than a piece of wood. I've got one on the go right now but having trouble getting the time to smoke it. I might bring it to the butcher shop and see if they will hang it up with their sausages.

good luck it's a hell of a lot of work