Advice how to preparea raw hide from deer

[freke]

Hi,
I have got a frozen deer skin that I intend to make raw hide from, but have never done it so I would like t prepare it in the easiest way. I think I know one way how to do, put it in a stream wait several weeks for the hair to feel off but at the moment have I not the access to any streaming water.

Appreciate any advice, and guiding?

Best regards,
Jonas

[Pat B]

You can "slip" the hair by putting the skin in a bucket of water with wood ash added or add lye to the water. After a few days the hair will loosen(slip) so it can be removed by scraping. you will also have to neutralize the alkalinity with a diluted vinegar rinse, I think. Once the hair is removed tack the hide up until it dries. You now have rawhide.
  You can dry scrape the hair off also.   Hopefully someone else with more experience than me will chime in on both methods. 

[Outbackbob48]

freke, couple of different ways to do this, first your going to need a frame or something to tack the hide on to, here is how I would do this, first flesh your hide real good then put in a container of water for a day or two , then I would scrape hair off on a fleshing beam, then stretch in a frame and let dry. I would not leave in the water to long. Yea the hair will slip but by then things or usually getting a little stinky Ashes or lime will make the hair slip also but then you need lots of water to get a good rinse. Another option  is to flesh your hide then put it in a frame and let dry good and then dry scrape while in the frame, this works real good especially if you have some experience in dry scraping Good Luck and keep it fun. Bob

[freke]

Thanks for the replies,

So there are basically three easy ways(than the stinky stream:))

The Ash have I heard about but didn't get it right as I mixed the methods up.
The other two scraping the hair dry or wet, dose this take  the hair follicle - dose it makes difference as for bow backing? 

Sounds the two options ash or just water and than scraping is the easiest for me, the dry scraping sounds like an overwhelming risk of having unwanted deer hair flying around in the garden distubing my wife, and I have to stop my stone age life and force me back to modern time.

[Pappy]

If you rack and dry scrape, and do it right you don't get much hair flying, it will come off in strips as you scrape and you get follicle all at the same time, now if you don't do it right you will have hair ever where, I dry scrape but that is the way I was taught and there is a bit of a learning curve. Never tried the other method's. I suspect either method you are going to make a mess so you just well let your wife know in advance or do as I do just ask forgiveness after the fact. 
 Pappy

[Lumberman]

I think I would rather have hair blowing around than the smell I associate with slipping. Slippage usually occurs from bacteria eating the membrane casing around the hair follicle and then if the skin is wet and pliable they'll slip right out, not sure how the ash method really works. Let us know how it goes whichever method you use

[Outbackbob48]

Wet or Dry deer seem to have a lot more hair than you think just tell the wife your helping the birds with nesting building materials .   Hardwood ashes and lime mixes are lye acid and cause the hide to swell so that when you scrape you are removing hair and grain ( epidermis) Your hide will be very slippery especially if you use lime and needs lots of water to rinse out (like a running stream overnite) and return to normal thickness. Bob

[freke]

Sounds dry scraping is the way, the spring is here so I think its absoluly perfect time for drying and work outdoor with it,
but I have to bribe her with chocolate and roses and send her away for a day or two ,

  - the scraper is there any spacial better than other?

[Pappy]

I have one made just for the job. I will get a picture up of it , maybe tomorrow if I don't forget, forgetting a lot lately.
 Pappy

[Outbackbob48]

I am a wet scraper so I use my Neckers fleshing knife on the dull edge on a beam, Dry scrapers ( in a frame) use a different type of scraper, I know this is what Pappy uses but not sure of where you get them. Put down a tarp under your scraping beam or frame and catch most of your hair. I just drag my tarp over in the woods and let nature take care of hair pile, seems to last a long time. If your doing just a couple of hides maybe a homemade scraper will work Professional fleshing knives and scrapers can be kinda pricey for just a few hides but they also work excellent, I do a lot of trapping so a good fleshing knife is just something ya gotta have Bob

[Hummingbird Point]

For your first try I strongly recommend that you thaw the hide just enough to cut out a 2 sq ft piece and work with that first.  Doing a whole deer hide is a much bigger project and mess than you imagine.

[freke]

For your first try I strongly recommend that you thaw the hide just enough to cut out a 2 sq ft piece and work with that first.  Doing a whole deer hide is a much bigger project and mess than you imagine.

Do you mean the scraping off the hair or the hole job including fleshing   - I haven't done anything so far, not even flesh it so much work ahead

I intend to use the long centre piece hide for my long bow builds (so no test cutting there) - the sides could be an option to cut a piece from for testing:)

[Pappy]

To be honest it is really hard to explain in writing, it is a big job for sure but really not bad with the right technique, wished you was close because the learning curve is a lot shorter when you have someone that can show you the ropes as I did. 
  Pappy

[freke]

To be honest it is really hard to explain in writing, it is a big job for sure but really not bad with the right technique, wished you was close because the learning curve is a lot shorter when you have someone that can show you the ropes as I did. 
  Pappy

Its a pity I am not living in America:)

Did you found the picture of your dry scraper?, assume if I start with right gear It may help:) - Could be e not have em on market here but I am used to make what I need.
/Jonas

[Pappy]

No but I will try and get some good shots of the tool I use this weekend.
 Pappy