Deer Hide Tanning

[Hook'N'Bullet]

Hi All,

Two of my bullets managed to find their mark on Saturday morning. I've decided to keep one of the hides to make a throw for the couch. I've looked around online and found information that appears to contradict itself regarding salting etc. I watched a guy do it on the tube and he simply salted over night (didn't tack it to a board which I was surprised to see). Fleshed it the next morning and then tanned it with 4 or 5 egg yokes. So I decided to give it a go.

At the moment, I've taken any large deposits of fat or flesh off the skin and liberally salted it. Folded it in on itself and put it away in a box in the shed as I'm in work. I'm starting to worry that I should have tacked it down because I was reading elsewhere that it will shrink considerably if not. Why I didn't in the first place was because i was following the video.

Anyway, anybody any tips on my next steps? I'm going to try flesh it properly this evening and depending on how that goes, might even tan it with the eggs. Should I go home and tack it to a board before fleshing and tanning?

Thanks in advance,

H&H

 

[Hayduke]

Get the jacket off and salt it asap. If there is any green you may get localised slipping. Fold it in on itself. If for a throw, buy tanning supplies of Snowdonia Taxidermy Supplies, follow instructions, do not f__k around with egg yolk, brains or any of that sh!t. A fleshing beam is really useful as is a scudding / fleshing knife - save you loads of time and means you won't flay the crap out of your skin.

If making leather, same as above, salt it for a while. Make a fleshing beam, Scud flesh and fat off.
Place hide it in calcium hydroxide (quick lime) solution (not gardeners lime or any of that crap - won't work) for a few days. Get it back on the beam, dehair, scud off all hair and any more fat you can find. Put it in tanning solution (from Snowdonia Taxidermy) for a white tanned finish or Oak bark tan solution for a beautiful finish with character.

 

[Matt4567]

I've only done it once, but I salted it with loads of flesh still on, folded the salted side in on itself then rolled it up and put it in a bucket in a cupboard. Next day there was a load of water in the bottom so I resalted. Did that once more until it stopped drawing out moisture and it lasted a few weeks before I got round to scraping it. After that, scraped it down then washed in the bath with head and shoulders then dried the hair best I could and nailed to a board to dry. Once stiff, rubbed the brain in, left until it was all soaked in then dried it out while beating and stretching it. Sanded a bit when dry, which gave it a nice soft finish. Total ball ache and its a bit stiff still, but fine to chuck over a sofa.

 

[Hook'N'Bullet]

Hi folks, bit of an update. It turned out really well.

I originally salted with flesh on and after 2 days, scraped it and salted for a week. the Skin dried considerably more and became taught on the rack i nailed it to. (Didn't do this previously). I then mixed egg yokes, think it was 6 or 7 in total and painted it on. Covered it with a damp towel and then the next day or day after that i washed it all on both sides with soap. Dried it out again with a dehumidifier in a small room with the hide draped over the frame i made. At this point i was sort or expecting it to shrink but it didn't. I then began working it when it was about 70% dry and wound up with a soft (not as soft as id like it but you cab fold it up pretty well) hide with white suede like texture on the back.

Havn't had any hair slipping. Delighted with the outcome.