Four deer hides fleshed

[ksnow]

Looks good BJ. I usually soak the hides in a KOH solution to slip the hair and remove the epidermis. Some times the hair slips easy and the epidermis stays on. I try to leave it on for rawhide, but if I hit it in a few spots, I'll take it off the entire hide. Your frame looks good. The corner braces will make stretching the legs easier. To keep from having to wrap around the 2x's, you could drive nails in every 4 inches or so and just go around the nail head. This year, I fleshed the hides over a beam and stretched them in frames to dry. Once the weather warms, I'll buck, scrape and stretch them again. The bucking works better in warmer weather, I've done mine in the basement when its too cold outside. After bucking and dehairing, the hides need to be rinsed. Moving water is best, but a vinegar bath will work also.

Kyle

[BowEd]

Looking good BJ.

[Outbackbob48]

BJ, nice big clean hide, nice job framing. Bob

[bjrogg]

Thanks Everyone
I got another frame built and another hide laced on it. My brother even gave me a hand with this one. Must have made it look like to much fun to pass up.
Kyle I might have to try that nail idea. Im thinking roofing nails might work good. think I got a box of them.
the second one isn't as big and I didn't skin it so its got some holes. it sure is a lot lighter.
Bjrogg

[BowEd]

Good rawhide strip candidate.

[bjrogg]

Ed, are you suggesting I give it a KOH bath? Then remove hair, rinse well restrech, dry and then cut in strips. Or dry scrape hair then just cut into strips.
Bjrogg

[BowEd]

It doesn't matter to me what way you want to process the rawhide as I've done both ways.I used to use a can of red devil lye for dehairing then on to the fleshing beam after rinsing and delyming.I've heard it's almost impossible to get any more but hav'nt investigated into it lately.They think it's ultra dangerous and can be.Latex gloves are suggested when using that stuff.
Which ever way conforms to be the easiest for you.The reason I suggested it was the size and thickness reasons.Yearlings make very nice thin rawhide but still tough as heck.Rawhide backing strips are handy to have around and good for trade for others too.Rawhide can be used for more things than backing strips and having some available is handy as it will keep well for years and years stored properly.
If obvious holes are present on your small hide right from the get go and you can see more knife slits on there then during the process of stretching making brain tan more holes will arise.Inspecting your hide good before working dry is suggested for that reason.Sewing suspicious knife slits prior to stretching and drying takes care of that.If the knife slit is so thin you can almost see daylight it'll be a hole.
On the contrary if you make brain tan from the small hide that's thinner that's a good one to get the feel of it too as they are easier.Are you confused yet?.....Ha Ha.
It's just a suggestion.You may have alternative reasons for making more brain tan or more hides on the horizon to process for clothing.Mature does and young bucks make excellent clothing and bag material.Larger older bucks make good pants material.When making clothes etc. it's good to match thicknesses' etc.The holes are no problem in that smaller hide and give it some character for clothing.
Summer killed deers' leather is thinner than winter killed too.Just a natural thing that happens.You see that processing fur for the fur trade too.I used to do a lot of hides from a rendering plant that picked up road killed deer.

[bjrogg]

Thanks Ed. I didn't type that out very well. I'm sorry. I wasn't asking which method to use really. I was just asking if you were suggesting that I use one of those methods to make rawhide instead of brain tanning. It's not terribly small. It's just that the first one was pretty good sized, probably almost as big as your big fella buck. It was from a mature 8 point buck one of my old timer friends shot opening day gun season. November 15th. I think since I already have it fleshed and on frame, I'll probably practice dry scraping and maybe brain tanning on it. I should still get some useful material from it.
Bjrogg
PS I'll try get a picture up when I can

[BowEd]

Going by square footage is a good bench mark comparing hides.

[bjrogg]

Here's a couple pictures of second hide. Frame is same size. 6.5 x 5.5
Bjrogg

[BowEd]

Nice pics and hides.Step by step you'll get er done.Good thing now is you can take your time deharing and do it when you have time after it drys.Keep the dogs and cats away!!!Mice can even eat your lace strings too causing slack in your rawhide.It's always cool to see the meat grain on the leather on the flesh side.Scars on the hair side too from previous injuries.I've known people who cut scars out and then sew them up as they are hard and do not take smoke through them.I've always let it be what it is.It's character!!
To know for sure to sew any knife slits it must be dehaired first.It's a thing from here I really can't diagnose properly.I'd have to be handling it myself to know for sure.When dry scrape dehairing around those knife slits it's best to go with the slit not across it.Even with epidermis removal wet scraping go with the slit not across it.Mistakes can happen in a split second....Part of the  learning curve.
It's all about the sharpness of your scraper and the right right amount of pressure while dry scrape dehairing.Thinner areas of hide you use less pressure.Thicker areas more pressure is allowed.The epidermis will be thicker where the leather is thicker also.Places like the flanks where it's thinner the epidermis is thinner too.I sometimes will just sand the epidermis off places like the flanks.I like 60 grit for that.Even breaking it up so brain oils can get in there will help.The neck/spine length/and hip areas are your thickest areas.
If it wash boards too much it probably is'nt dry enough yet.Wash boards can be removed going with the line of wash board.Then sanded smooth.No problem.Wash boarding does not occur when wet scraping removal of epidermis.It makes beautiful smooth brain tan on the hair side every time.I always liked to use a fairly dull flesher blade or not exactly super sharp I'd say doing it that way too.You can feel it taking the epidermis off as you stroke.A fair amount of pressure is used dehairing that way so look out for scars and slits.
Knife slits are just the things a person can get letting someone else skin the deer.That's a learning curve I learned long ago too.If a someone wants to give me their hides I'll skin it myself or advise them on not what to do.I always skin my own always and mostly pull it off or as they say fist it off.Getting that extra meat on the carcass really never amounts to much and the extra on the hide makes it easier to flesh.It's fairly hard work roping a hide dry and investing effort into a nice piece of leather is always the best use of time.
The fellas at the rendering plant that skinned deer pulled all the hides off them with an electric wench so only knife work was opening up of the hide on the legs/around the neck and main cut up the belly.They always came to me clean with no knife slits or if any right by the edges and no problem.

[Outbackbob48]

BJ, second hide looks real good also, I get most of my hides from hunters that skin there own. I wished they would just call me and let me skin there deer They are free so I just have take what I get and sort them out and make what I can. Trying to get enough real good hides together to make me a real nice shirt a pr of leggings and possible a pr of pants. I have a 2 hide shirt that I made as my first attempt, I was scared to death to make the first cut on my labor intense hides Came out pretty good. I just hate it when I get a real nice hide and it has a slice that is half way thru the thickness, usually rips out just before you are totally soft. I have gotten pretty dang good at sewing holes with a #12 needle and dynma thread, Real job to just thread the needle but will make cuts and holes just disappear. Have fun and take your time. Bob

[bjrogg]

Thanks Ed and Outback. I made a tool from a broken disc blade tonight. Hide is still way to wet yet. Temperature is about 59 degrees in shop. There are ceiling fans and good circulation but it could be awhile before they dry enough yet. I do feel good about them now though knowing they are in good shape for storing now other than animals eating them. Did have to chase the neighbors dog away from one I left outside while taking a break from fleshing. Sure glad I saw him sneak up to that hide. He just barely got it in his mouth when I saw him. I might make another frame or two yet. I've got some reclaimed 2 x4 s. I'd like to hang them from wall so they were more out of the way. That way I could keep animals away to.
Bjrogg

[BowEd]

Good idea suspending those frames up in the air.No worries then.
I watched a U tube of a Cree way method of using toothed bone fleshers on a moose hide.Pretty cool really.That moose is big.I saw at least 3 people helping her.

[DC]

You want to remember to hang them far enough from the wall for good air circulation.