deerskins

Is there a way of removing the shiny side of a comercial tanned deerskin?I got a few at a garage sale a while ago and need a new pair of leggins and have experienced the garbage bag effect of this kind of leather :shake: .
Ive heard of sandblasting the shiny side but don't have access to that.

From my understanding you can buff the shiny side and make it a bit more course and have it look more suede like. However you will still have that clamy feel to it. It is how the hide is tanned. The chemicals don't break down the hide in the same way as a brain tanned hide. Commercial will be hot in the summer and cold in the winter. There are a bunch of guys here that can explain the whole thing better than me but I've resigned myself to having to kill afew deer next season and trying my hand at brain tanning some hides for my leggings. Like I really need another hobby. Until then I think I may make some light wool leggings to get me by.

spudnut said:

Is there a way of removing the shiny side of a comercial tanned deerskin?I got a few at a garage sale a while ago and need a new pair of leggins and have experienced the garbage bag effect of this kind of leather :shake: .
Ive heard of sandblasting the shiny side but don't have access to that.

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You can scrape it off with a blade, sand it off with sander/wire wheel, or even use a hacksaw blade (as illustrated by Ben Hunt) on smaller pieces. Seems to go pretty quick with a sander and rough grit paper....

a file card, which is a little paddle type wire brush with a handle, works very well.

Never tried the file card way like Wick said, I use a 80 grit sanding wheel on my angle grinder...LIGHTLY! And if its gold...it goes in the walnut tub for a few days.

Stumblin Wolf said:

And if its gold...it goes in the walnut tub for a few days.

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I use the bleach/water method. Takes the dye out pretty well and THEN it goes in the walnut bath.

:hmm: :thumbsup:

Been said but take a wire wheel to them, bounce it off of them so not so heavy pressure on them. They wont feel anywhere near like real buckskin, ie brain tan, but will feel better than they do now. Soak them back in some RIT dye remover and then rinse them clean. Then use either walnut or pecan dye to make them a good color. Smoke them afterwards.

Thanks all.The color is no big deal I plan on dying it.their already just a whiteish grey color.
I made some from the commercial brain tan that were nice but I recently messed em up Always measure before cutting. :shake:

Make patterns, it saves time and $$$. :cursing:
Dusty :wink: