Tanning chemicals?

[Country101]

I'm wanting to tan a deer hide(and possibly a bear next season and I'm looking for some chemicals to use. I've seen a couple at Tandy Leather and one at Adirondack Outdoor. Has anybody used any of these type chemicals? I'd like to get some feedback on how these things work. I'm wanting a supple hide that wont crack and will keep the fur good.

[jamesed]

I have not tanned using commercial tanning chemicals but I have tanned a number of deer hides using the tanning technique of the native americans.

This techique is known as brain tanning in which you use the animals brain and fat from the animal as the tanning agent.

The website http://www.smokylake.com/history/native/tanning.htm

as a good write up on how to brain tan. Brain tanning uses wood ash to make the lye wash to remove the hair and Brain tanning is the traditional way to make buckskin for clothing.

Hope this helps.

[armedandsafe]

I have tanned hides using the Adirondack Outdoor chemicals and using the Alum and Baking Soda method (see the Foxfire books, I think volume 2?) The canned chemicals are a little easier, but the majority of the work is in preparing and finishing the pelt/hide. If you skimp on prep, the finished product will turn to s*** pretty soon. If you skimp on the finish, the finished product will look like s****.

For snake skins, I just use green antifreeze.

Pops

[Country101]

Can you give me any tips on how to do this stuff? I've never messed with any of it before and I'd like to get pretty good at it so I can do a bear skin.

[inplanotx]

If you do a search on our google window at the bottom of this page, you will find many places that explain about preparing and tanning hides. Here is one place complete with discussion forum that took me 30 seconds to find. It was the first hit in the seach. Try using "hide tanning" including the quotes.

Hide Tanning

[Rhiannon]

Originally Posted by jamesed

I have not tanned using commercial tanning chemicals but I have tanned a number of deer hides using the tanning technique of the native americans.

This techique is known as brain tanning in which you use the animals brain and fat from the animal as the tanning agent.

The website http://www.smokylake.com/history/native/tanning.htm

as a good write up on how to brain tan. Brain tanning uses wood ash to make the lye wash to remove the hair and Brain tanning is the traditional way to make buckskin for clothing.

Hope this helps.

Ive used the brain tan method too. I made mocs out of the hide with the hair in. Ive had them 4 yrs now.

[wuzzagrunt]

Originally Posted by armedandsafe

I have tanned hides using .......the Alum and Baking Soda method (see the Foxfire books, I think volume 2?)
Pops

I second the advice. The Foxfire books (get 'em all) are a great source of "how to", downhome lore, and great story telling. The methods contained within had this city boy tanning pelts like a pro.