Possible to bark tan hair on hide?

[Mo_coon-catcher]

Like the title asks, is it possible to bark tan hair on hides? I've never bark tanned anything yet but plan to this year in addition to some brain tan hides, if I can acquire enough deer hides. After graduation in December I'll probably have a good bit of free time on my hands for a couple months, so why not do a bit of trapping for the remainder of the season to build up a stash of hides. And since the fur prices are so low if might as well tan everything I catch instead of selling them for a couple bucks apiece. So if the animals cooperate I should have a few hides to be able to experiment with different processes. For small game species I have my brain tan method figured out, but I've never bark tanned and have been wanting to try it for a while.

Think it's possible to bark tan a fur on hide without ruining the fur? Or would it be a waste of time.

Thanks,
Kyle

[BowEd]

I agreed with your way of thinking a long time ago here too.The fur prices being so low as they are.I believe there is a way to bark tan fur on hides although I've never done it.I'm sure your wondering whether the tannins will stain the fur.I'm sure the leather would turn out good.I've wondered that too.Lots of times I will just usually aluminum sulfate tan hair on hides but then the leather is an egg shell white then.

[DC]

Go to SkillCult on Youtube. He has a ton of videos on bark tanning.

[nclonghunter]

You can bark tan with the hair on. I have done a couple deer hides and coon. Used Quebraco vegtable tan which is a bark. You also use salt and pockling crystals. The salt sets the hair so they do not come out.
Look at Van Dykes Taxidermy online and check out their tanning supplys.

It will make your hide a brown color. Didnt seem to color the hair.

[Mo_coon-catcher]

I think I'll have to give it a try and see how it goes. The way I was thinking was the bark tea method and let it soak. The main thing I'm worried about is the hair being matted down, though it should fluff back up while breaking the leather if it doesn't slip after the soak. I'll try it with a opossum hide first and see how t goes. My normal tanning method that I get good soft hides with is: flesh and dry, during the thick parts of the hide down with a sanding disk on an angle grinder, degrease with acetone, rehydrate in a wet towel overnight, slather on some warm diluted egg yolks, and break it. On raccoon and opossum sized things, one oiling is usually all that's necessary. Over thanksgiving break after boiling my traps? I'll just leave the tea to throw some hides in.

Kyle