Tanning hides

[LomahAcres]

We're possibly going to be butchering for the first time this weekend, and would really like to make use of the hide/skin. These will be from 4 month old kids, any advice or tips on how to go about it tanning/treating it?? Web sites?? I have no idea what I'm doing, can you tell?

[fishhead]

You might try posting this in the Outdoors forum. I think I've seen threads on tanning. Or just do a search of this site.

Last winter I was kind of eyeballing the coat of my boer cross. It would make a great pillow covering.

[mamajohnson]

I have done hide tanning. Usually with allum and salt.
Here is a good link:
http://members.tripod.com/Invictaflies/id211.htm

Good luck!
I would love to see pics when you get one done.

[RiverPines]

This time of year the hide is not prime.
You will have to prime it before tanning or the hair may fall out.

You also have many types of tanning, hair on, garment, leather, sued, hair off.
There is a big difference between finished leather on what can get wet and what can.
Where a coat made out of an alum tan in the rain a few times and most likely the hair will fall out.

And fleshing...thats the number one most important part. You need very strong hands and arms. You need something to flesh with. You need to find what works for you.

I was a taxidermist and best hides are prime from fall and winter and working them is best done in cool weather as fleshing takes awhile and summer heat can cause the hair to slip.


Summer is best for making raw hide. Thats what I am doing now.

[LomahAcres]

After searching the web for hours, we settled with a simple raw hide method we found, just because it was the only one we had what we needed on hand. So we will see how it turns out. I waited to butcher the next two until Monday so I could get some more things from the store in town and try different ways. Never done it before and want to see what I like best. I would really like to make wallets and perhaps purses or handbags with it. I was thinking of using the quicklime for one (taking the hair off), and raw hide the other 2 one with hair, and one without. Play around with it and see what I like, or it maybe nothing turns out good.