Stitch holes in tanned hide

[Eterry]

Finally decided to try tanning a deer hide. A small doe I took this weekend.
Fleshing the hide I got a few small holes in the hide.
When should I try to stitch the holes?
Now, or after I finish fleshing? Im guessing after salting it's too late.

Thanks.

Btw, I'm using a salt/alum mix, neatsfoot for lube.

 

[tenngun]

Joe that you can fix post tan, for brain tan before.

 

[Eterry]

Anyone else have an idea... or translate what tenngun said?

 

[Bill Austin]

Sew them up before you soften the hide.

 

[Brazos John]

Joe that you can fix post tan, for brain tan before.

Tenngun said that you can fix the holes after you tan it.
If you were to use brain tan, repair the holes before tanning.
If that's not what he meant, I'll go sit down.

 

[.36Rooster]

I did a fair amount of hide tanning as a teenager...if i remember correctly, i stitched a hole once with dental floss very thorougjly before i tanned it. I know it worked out well...my thoughts were, on these hides, i dont care how good you are, the skin will never be as soft and pliable as it is, now, before it's tanned...that is the time to close up the hole...

 

[tenngun]

Tenngun said that you can fix the holes after you tan it.
If you were to use brain tan, repair the holes before tanning.
If that's not what he meant, I'll go sit down.

That’s what I was saying. Brain tan depends on stretching as it dries. So a hole would just get bagger
On a salt alum tan you don’t need to close the hole first.

 

[Eterry]

Thanks guys, my salt and alum arrived yesterday courtesy of Amazon. So i'll get more done today.

 

[andy52]

If you are intending to make any kind of garment with leather don't stitch the hole before tanning.
For a truly authentic look patch the hole after it's tanned by placing a piece of the same leather behind the hole and lacing it in place with a leather strip of the same leather.

 

[nhmoose]

Having trapped I always stiched holes in the hide after fleshing before stretching and drying. I used 5-pound test mono fish line.