Tanning Hides

[Stimw]

The Discovery show "Mountain Men" Has a Guy named Tom Orr who does a lot of tanning to make a living. He said he bought a pamphlet on an Indian Reservation for 15 cents years ago on how to.
He even did a bear on the show.
He always boils the brain mixed with water from the animal and uses it for tanning. It softens the pelt.

 

[Rockbadchild]

There are no tanners around here. You gotta send it out. By the time I send it 2nd day air, wait 4 months, pay $40 and then get it back I could do it for WAY cheaper. I thought about sending it off but honestly I want to learn how to be proficient at it myself.

YEP!! I just bought 2 more and a good ceramic honing steel. I have a good sharpener that makes a great edge eaily but to stop, clean the knife and sharpen. PITA I will just all of them sharp and ready to go.

Also, do you have a leather belt ? they help keeping the edge longer, don't wait for your edge to be completely gone as soon as you start feeling it loose it's edge, pass it a few time on the leather belt and you gain back your edge.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

The Discovery show "Mountain Men" Has a Guy named Tom Orr who does a lot of tanning to make a living. He said he bought a pamphlet on an Indian Reservation for 15 cents years ago on how to.
He even did a bear on the show.
He always boils the brain mixed with water from the animal and uses it for tanning. It softens the pelt.

Yeah I'd like to try a brain tan eventually.

 

[Jstpssng]

The old Foxfire book series had a good section on tanning. Issue 3, if I remember correctly.

 

[riptides]

Ugh, beavers. Ugh.

Avoid the scent glands. The beaver is a greasy mess. I used the old Indian method. Brain tan.
Got good enough to sell a few, then lost interest. It is a lot of work.

 

[Rockbadchild]

Ugh, beavers. Ugh.

Avoid the scent glands. The beaver is a greasy mess. I used the old Indian method. Brain tan.
Got good enough to sell a few, then lost interest. It is a lot of work.

lol ... I get used to the smell and I don't think it's that bad at all. We harvest the scent gland they are worth a lot of money. A old native lady from my town would put one in her gin bottle and drink it throughout the winter... apparently she would never catch a cold although I am not ready to go that far.