Brain Tanning

[okiecountryboy]

Quick question.
What is the best ratio of brain and water?

[Trapper Rob]

I'd have to check my notes but I think I used 1/2gal of warm water & run the brains & water through a blender.

[okiecountryboy]

Thanks trapper

[flungonin]

Isn't it supposed to be the consistency of pudding when your done mixing. Or maybe pancake batter

[Pappy]

Mine is thinner than that,I mix one brain per hide I plan on doing, put it in a blender and them mix with about 2 gallons of warm water. I make hair off buck skin,may be different if you are doing hair on something.
 Pappy

[okiecountryboy]

All good info, Gents...
Please keep it coming!
I would think that the more brain ratio the softer the skin?
Not Sure, but seems to make sense...Maybe .
please chime in...I'm in learning mode!!!

Thanks
Ron

[tipi stuff]

There are a whole lot of methods to brain tanning, most of which yield similar results. Mine is done kinda like Pappy's. The brains look somewhat akin to a strawberry milkshake while it's in the blender. I mix it with more water to thin it out. Just guessing, I probably use one pound of brains with a gallon or two of water. I pour the mix into a 5 gallon bucket, and then soak the hide for an hour or so. I used to always soak them over night, but that brain mixture gets pretty rank when you do that in the summer. Now, I soak for a shorter period of time, but I ring out the hide more often. The hides come out about the same, either way. 
    I do know some guys that like to slather the brains on fairly thick. I've never tried it that way.
                                            Curtis

[Zuma]

Good thread and advice.
I have read where egg yolks can be a substitute for brains?
I am not good with handling innards so eggs seems great.
I have a few friends that wear buckskin exclusively and swear by it.
I have watched them lay the hide on the table and just work the brains in with a smooth river rock. I have never seen what they do after that.
I have a awesome project in the freezer and want to get all the info you members are willing to divulge. lol
You folks are the best,
Zuma
PS, I know there are many threads on this but this is current and read.

[Saxton]

I would get the book "Deerskins into buckskins" by Matt Richards. I Followed that step by step and came out with an incredibly soft buckskin . I used just enough water to cover the hide with, the trick is to get the hide to the right moisture content so it soaks it up like a sponge . I tried the eggs on a squirrel and chipmunk it work well .

[sleek]

Hope this isnt too bad a hijack...

I just did a three day wood ash soak to slip the hair on a deer skin. Now it smells like a skunk took a dump on it. How will the smell go away? Im doing an egg wash now on some pieces of it I cut for a quiver. But I dont wanna carry the smell of the grim reapers fart on my back even if it does make a good cover cent.

[Pat B]

Have you neutralized the skin after the alkaline soak. That might help eliminate the smell...unless it has begun to rot. 

[steve.b]

I've done several hides, if you have the ash mixture strong enough there shouldn't be any really strong smell after the hide is cleaned up. Smell comes from bacteria, and the ash mixture should be strong enough to kill all the bacteria on the hide.

[sleek]

Well I guess the ash wasnt strong enough then. So is the hide a total loss?

I neutralized it in vinegar water when I was done slipping the hair. I though bacteria was used to make the hair slip? Thats why tanners of old stunk so bad.

[Pat B]

I say to try washing the hide in dawn dish soap then rinse it a bunch and see if that helps. The hide probably isn't ruined but you may not get all the smell out. Baking soda might help too. 

[Zuma]

Hope this isnt too bad a hijack...

I just did a three day wood ash soak to slip the hair on a deer skin. Now it smells like a skunk took a dump on it. How will the smell go away? Im doing an egg wash now on some pieces of it I cut for a quiver. But I dont wanna carry the smell of the grim reapers fart on my back even if it does make a good cover cent.

I hope the images and imagined smells will dwindle with time. Yikes
I think a moonlight ceremonial cremation is the only remedy.
Zuma