Well I just got in from spending 6 hours straight at the fleshing beam. I'm almost finished my first brain tan deer hide. My back is killing me, I can see why tanning used to be womans/squaws work. No man is tough enough to do it!!!! I can't believe how many hours it's taken. It's going to be interesting to see how well it turns out. Has anyone else tried brain tanning?
I thought I'd let y'all know that the deer hide turned out great!!! I couldn't be more pleased with it. It took between 40 and 60 hours to do, so it's not for the faint of heart. I also smoked it quite lightly, so it's not a dark color but doesn't stink as bad as the heavy smoke.
I have read an article in the TBBC newsletter "Off the Shelf" on brain tanning that interested me in trying it. I had kinda forgotten about it, but they are reprinting it in the current issues and it has piqued my interest again.
If I manage to stick an arrow in a deer this fall, I think I will definitely give it a whirl.
What do you intend to do with your leather, chef?
Cheers, Canuck
Posts: 7123 | Location: The Rock (southern V.I.) | Registered: 27 February 2001
I have a friend who brain tans all of our whitetail tails. I don't think he's tough enuf to do full hides. They turn out OK and almost as good as commercial. With CWD now in many states, I would be careful with my hygiene!
Posts: 1517 | Location: Idaho Falls, Idaho | Registered: 03 June 2004
Blank I agree about the cwd thing. A lot of popele use hog brains. I intend to make a nice plains Indian style quiver for my arrows. There are different variations in brain tanning the method I used is supposed to be the least labour intensive. It was still a grueling job.
There are different variations in brain tanning the method I used is supposed to be the least labour intensive.
Least labour intensive is right up my alley. If you don't mind, maybe I can compare notes with you before I actually get started on one? I am not sure how the method described in the articles I mentioned above stacks up to the others in terms of labour intensity!
Cheers, Canuck
Posts: 7123 | Location: The Rock (southern V.I.) | Registered: 27 February 2001
Originally posted by calgarychef1: Blank I agree about the cwd thing. A lot of popele use hog brains. I intend to make a nice plains Indian style quiver for my arrows. There are different variations in brain tanning the method I used is supposed to be the least labour intensive. It was still a grueling job.
Some people say hog brains are greasier than deer or beef brains. The only thing with deer brains is the CWD thing. Hogs don't carry CWD and should be safer. On the other hand the chance of CWD in deer is very small anyway so it shouldn't be a risk.
Originally posted by calgarychef1: No problem, nothing like the blind leading the blind!! I used the pre-smoke wet scrape method. There are good directions on the net for this method.
Thanks. Will let you know if the time comes.
Pre-smoke wet scrape, eh? That even sounds like a lot of work!
Cheers, Canuck
Posts: 7123 | Location: The Rock (southern V.I.) | Registered: 27 February 2001
Canuck are you the one who was posting pics of butchering buffaloes on yor folks place? I'd be interested in getting a nice buffalo robe to try the process on.
Yah, that was me. I will probably head up there again this winter to slaughter a few. I can save you a hide. It won't be a real big one...probably perfect for your purposes anyway. My Dad usually sells the raw hides for pretty cheap, and we waste some of them, so I am sure I can arrange something for ya. If I drive up it will be easy to arrange a meet somewhere on the way back. I usually go via Hwy 22 (Bragg Ck/Turner Valley).
I'll let ya know.
Cheers, Canuck
Posts: 7123 | Location: The Rock (southern V.I.) | Registered: 27 February 2001
Man, I did the brain tan thing because it was so much easier than the other processes I’d tried before. I’ve never spent more than a few hours on a brain tanned hide, and the hardest part was stretching the hide the day after tanning.
To flesh a large hide like moose, elk, or bison, try a 4 ½†grinder with a new ¼†thick disk, unless you want to do everything the hard way. Let the hide dry pretty well before starting, just damp. Once you get the hang of running the sharp edge of the disk over the hide, it goes quick and with a lot less effort, but you can cut a hole before you know it.
DRSS member
Do what you can with what you've got where you are. TR
They turn out OK and almost as good as commercial. With CWD now in many states, I would be careful with my hygiene!
