Tanning a hide?

[erock1980]

Hope this is the correct sub-forum. I would like to remove the hair and tan a hide from a deer I shot to use in some simple leather projects. The brains are long gone so that method is not available anymore unless I keep the brains from another deer which I probably won't do haha.
The hide has been in my cool, dark garage covered in salt and almost all flesh etc is gone.

Any tips? I know this is a real do-it-yourself crowd. I called some local taxidermists and none would tan a deer hide with hair removal first.
thanks

 

[LRB]

You can use the brains from almost any other critter just as well. Pork, beef, sheep, goat, ect.

 

[crockett]

This book is good and the book I bought included a little patch of brain tanned leather so you knew what you were trying to obtain.
http://www.amazon.com/Tan-your-own-hide-Indian/dp/B00071IGNU

 

[jimikinz]

Also check out the "Deerskins into Buckskins" book. It was a great instrucion manual for me, and I've done a couple hides that turned out well

 

[tryinhard]

I've heard you can use soap but have never done it. I have a couple of raccoon pelts I plan to soap tan if I can find the process. It is supposed to be like a brain tan.

 

[Sperit de bois]

Try this one,, 'Home book of Taxidermy and Tanning' by Gerald J.Grantz SBN 8117=0805-5
Covers everything that has fur,fins,or feathers.

 

[skunkskinner]

I've heard you can use soap but have never done it. I have a couple of raccoon pelts I plan to soap tan if I can find the process. It is supposed to be like a brain tan.

Ivory soap and 100 percent neatsfoot oil works well, its what i use.

I think its near impossible to make brain tan with the hair and grain layer still on.

SligoBill Matt Richards book Deerskins into Buckskins and video is what i would also recommend, read the book once and watch the video twice. And follow his advice to a T and you will have a nice peace of brain tan.

 

[Blizzard of '93]

stretch and scrape then soak overnight in a borax and liquid laundry soap mix mixed well into water.
remove, drain then stretch and scrape again really cleans off any flesh and preserves the hide. dry then apply a liquid soap/neatsfoot mix to soften/tan.
removeing the hair requires soaking in a wood ash and or lye mix until it slides off easy.
then pickle and tan

 

[Leon/Iowa]

I did my first hide last winter using Matt Richards book Deerskins into Buckskins. Ivory soap and neats foot oil. Turned out well. I hope to do another one this winter. Leon

 

[erock1980]

thank you folks, i ordered deerskins into buckskins and will see where that takes me. I have a colleague saving me a bucket of hardwood ashes to remove the hair too.
thanks again

 

[Rick Son]

http://www.braintan.com