Hid tanning, help!

[Woods Dweller]

Many years ago, I have tanned hides with brains that I would buy at the supermarket. I have been given some hides and want to tan them but can't get brains at the supermarket no more.
How can I tan my hides now? Also I have a fox hid and want to tan it. I never have tan a hid with hair on it. Can anyone give me some advice?

 

[Black Hand]

Try braintan.com for information.
There are many substitutes for brains available....

 

[jethro224]

You might try a butcher shop or someone who processes deer if there are any in you area.

My Grand Aunt used to like to eat fried pork brains in her salad sometimes. Once she was at the supermarket looking for some to buy and didn't find any. Well, it just so happened that the meatcutter was out stocking the freezers, so she walked right up to him and asked, "Ain't you got any brains?"
:rotf: Try that. It might not get you what you're looking for but the look on their face will be priceless.

 

[Woods Dweller]

Thanks for the advice, I'll look into it.

she walked right up to him and asked, "Ain't you got any brains?"

That's funny right there! LOL :rotf: :thumbsup:

 

[gmarc]

You can tan by substituting whole eggs for brains. Both are a source for the lecithin that softens the hide. Look up using "egg tanning leather" search.

Hides can then be water proofed by smoking them.

 

[baer19d]

I've never done it but I believe a bar of Ivory soap can be used.

 

[Muskeg Stomper]

Egg yolks and naptha soap or Ivory soap flakes do work. About the best substitute that I know of is Murphy's Oil Soap. Murphy's is easy to work with, the oil penetrates the hides well and they come out fairly soft without having to do a lot of excess work to soften the hide afterwards.

 

[Trkdriver99]

Do you do the Murphy's straight or mix with water?

Ronnie

 

[Muskeg Stomper]

Yes, you can dilute the Murphy's Oil Soap with a little water to help soften up the hide when you first start working the soap in. It should take very little water to do this. You want the oils in the soap to be what is penetrating down into the hide. The Murphy's will penetrate the hide just fine, particularly something as thin as fox hide that Woods Dweller is interested in tanning.

 

[Black Hand]

Yes, you can dilute the Murphy's Oil Soap with a little water to help soften up the hide when you first start working the soap in. It should take very little water to do this. You want the oils in the soap to be what is penetrating down into the hide. The Murphy's will penetrate the hide just fine, particularly something as thin as fox hide that Woods Dweller is interested in tanning.

More details please!

 

[Muskeg Stomper]

I'm at work now but a good reference that I use is the book "Secrets of Eskimo Skin Sewing" by Enda Wilder. She's a Inuit lady who used to teach throughout the University of Alaska system. She tells about brain tan alternatives using soap. Murphy's Oil Soap was a later discovery that I made on the internet. Google the book or get one from Amazon; you'll be happy that you did. Tanning, fur care, cutting, sewing and patterns for hats, mukluks, mittens and parkas...it's all in there.

I forgot to add that some more great references, particularly on handling hides and making rawhide are old books by Ben Hunt. Good stuff out there on the internet too but I like books.

 

[WyomingWhitetail]

im currently reading deerskins into buckskin so i can attempt to make buckskin. It mentions brains, as well as eggs, and soap and natural oils. I think that liver can be used also.

 

[Birdman]

I've used eggs on beaver so I can tell ya will work, the suggestion to check out braintan.com is a great one, more info there then ya can take in ina week. YMHS Birdman ps, working beaver soft IS HARD WORK way more then any deer.

 

[Noeyebrows]

Most Hispanic groceries around here have brain.

 

[fatboy]

If you check with your butchers /meatcutters you should be able to find hog brains, dont think they will sell you calf brains anymore also check your shops that cut deer maybe they can help you out with some deer brains

 

[jimikinz]

I just used eggs on a deer hide last week and it came out beautifully soft.

 

[Black Hand]

I just used eggs on a deer hide last week and it came out beautifully soft.

Can you provide additional details as to how you went about the tanning?

 

[William O.]

Many years ago, I have tanned hides with brains that I would buy at the supermarket. I have been given some hides and want to tan them but can't get brains at the supermarket no more.
How can I tan my hides now? Also I have a fox hid and want to tan it. I never have tan a hid with hair on it. Can anyone give me some advice?

Take a look at the Lutan-F kit; http://www.cabelas.com/product/Van...&Ntt=lutan-F&WTz_l=Header;Search-All+Products