Hide Tanning

[Kindo]

Who here has done some at-home tanning of their hides? My son got his first deer last friday and we're in the process of getting it prepped for tanning but unsure as to what solution to go with for the actual tan. Any recommendations?

Also, did you thin the hide at all during the process if you've tanned a deer or similar?

 

[Fitzwho]

I’ve tanned a bobcat and a Blackbuck. I’ve used EZ 2000 Tanning solution. Should have thinned the Blackbuck and worked it more than I did to make it softer. It’s a lot of work. More work than sending it to a tannery and having somebody else do it.

 

[Selkirk6x]

Brain tanned more than a couple deer hides in years past.

It'll get thinner as you scrape and stretch. Assuming he'll want a buckskin, not keeping hair on.

There are lots of workshops and classes out there, at least in the parts of the country I'm familiar with. I'd probably recommend taking one if possible, over trying to learn on the fly or from a YouTube video.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[49ereric]

deer hides are damn thin once fleshed and scraped and use brains or eggs.
old school way is to soak them in oak bark for months but I believe leaves will work as there is tannic acid in the leaves as well.

 

[Kindo]

Thanks for the replies so far. Yes, it absolutely is WAY more work than just sending to a guy to do it. Had I known, I probably wouldn’t have let the little man talk me into doing it!

Either way, it’s fun to give it a go and learn another skill. We’re doing hair on as he wants to put it over the footboard of his bed or throw it on his floor as a rug.

He’s taking an interest to everything outdoors and I’m going to foster every bit of it that I can. Trapping seems to be on his short list so I imagine we’ll be tanning more hides in the future so we might as well figure out how to tan a few hides. Please keep the recommendations coming!

 

[49ereric]

Fleshing knife? Made mine from an old scythe blade.

 

[dieselchessy]

I’ve used the orange bottle tan cream they sell at outdoor stores, and curatan and Alum tan kits from Vandykes over the years.

Takes lots of work and time, but is fun and rewarding.

I don’t think you’d want a deer rug for a floor. Deer hair is hollow and brittle. It will wear quickly. But should be good on the bed.

It’s not hard to get a decent preserving type tan. Just difficult to get the hide to be soft and supple and have the entire hide be evenly textured and soft.
But you have to start somewhere, so make a go at it and have fun.

The best hides I did was when I had an old tumble dryer laying around. I tumbled them dry with just the blower and drum operating, no heat.

 

[highcountrymuley]

I used a two stage chemical tanning kit. I think it was by Knobloch... prob spelling it wrong but close. Scraped all meat but didn't thin flesh much. Used a 40 gall plastic trash barrel for the tanning bath, then neutralizing bath. Then rolled it around a bit to soften, then some softening oil. Wall hang more than a rug. I will post a pic later.

 

[Northpark]

I’ve done a lot of hides. I use McKenzie products. Ultimate acid, McKenzie tan. Easy YouTube instructions.

 

[Brownrice]

Interesting info looking into this myself. I have 60 or so rabbit hides to tan.

 

[tuffcity]

If you're going to start doing a bunch of hides and/or trapping get a Necker fleshing knife. If you're going to do thin skinned animals get a piece of HDPE board and cut strips about 2 ft by 1 1/2"- 2" wide. Cut one edge at a 45 degree angle and use that as a fleshing knife.- I use it for lynx. A dedicate fleshing beam is handy too. Small cost out lay for what you're doing.

I get my hides commercially garment tanned (lynx, wolverine, foxes,wolves, etc)

 

[william schmaltz]

I used the orange bottle on a rubbed out black bear and a musk ox buck skin last spring. The tan set just fine, but they need some serious breaking now and I haven't had the time (or desire) to do it. So they're well preserved and up in my garage rafters for another day. They were both throw away hides that I wanted to practice on. I'd still send in anything that I'd want in my house until I had MUCH more practice.

I don't really trap anymore so my fleshing beam and supplies are all in storage 3,000 miles away. I clamped a 6 inch HDPE pipe to my saw horse and bought a cheap necker. That worked just fine for a couple of animals. You'll need to use your body to anchor hide so I just wore old clothes and used a contractor bag as a barrier (my apron is in storage).

 

[WA209]

Might be irreverent, or useful info….
Ive done some squirrels with a recipe from a kids YouTube, I think his channel was“urban hunterz.”
Salt and alum. If soaked to long had light hair slippage. If throughly worked they turned out great.

 

[Brownrice]

If you're going to start doing a bunch of hides and/or trapping get a Necker fleshing knife. If you're going to do thin skinned animals get a piece of HDPE board and cut strips about 2 ft by 1 1/2"- 2" wide. Cut one edge at a 45 degree angle and use that as a fleshing knife.- I use it for lynx. A dedicate fleshing beam is handy too. Small cost out lay for what you're doing.

I get my hides commercially garment tanned (lynx, wolverine, foxes,wolves, etc)

I’ll have to try out the HDPE fleshing knife trick.
Where about are you sending yours hides to be garment tanned. My local taxidermist said it be around 30-35 a piece to send them to one tannery. I might try calling the local fur buyer to see what he has to say.

 

[tuffcity]

Tanning prices are considerably higher in my part of the world. lol But I used to send them to Quebec for tanning. Did a decent job for just a bit more than you posted but I tube skin my pelts and they always came back opened. I now use BC Furdressers. Excellent job and customer service plus they come back as I set them, but the cost is higher. My cats, wolverines and wolves I tube skin but also do the paws and turn the lips and ears- they can be mounted or used for wall hangers or clothing.

 

[highcountrymuley]

I used a two stage chemical tanning kit. I think it was by Knobloch... prob spelling it wrong but close. Scraped all meat but didn't thin flesh much. Used a 40 gall plastic trash barrel for the tanning bath, then neutralizing bath. Then rolled it around a bit to soften, then some softening oil. Wall hang more than a rug. I will post a pic later.

 

[Brownrice]

Tanning prices are considerably higher in my part of the world. lol But I used to send them to Quebec for tanning. Did a decent job for just a bit more than you posted but I tube skin my pelts and they always came back opened. I now use BC Furdressers. Excellent job and customer service plus they come back as I set them, but the cost is higher. My cats, wolverines and wolves I tube skin but also do the paws and turn the lips and ears- they can be mounted or used for wall hangers or clothing.

Well I guess I shouldn’t be sticker shocked then. Thought $1800-2k was a huge number for some rabbits. Mine are all tube skinned also, no heads or feet the dogs eat those. I am just trying not to waste them, they are mostly junior prime Rex’s.

 

[Samson7x]

I used Rittels EZ tan with success. Broke much softer than I was expecting. Lots of work and time invested but it's cool to have pelts that you personally tanned IMO.