We need a tan-a-long

[osage outlaw]

Would anyone be willing to do a detailed tan-a-long?  I would love to learn how to tan a deer hide and maybe something smaller like a squirrel.  If there is already something like that on here, would someone please point my in the right direction.  Thanks

[Bevan R.]

I would be interested also.

[iowabow]

Well I wish I had read this today I wet scraped a hide.  I have done one so I am no expert.  I think there are two methods that I know of.  Pappy know a lot about tanning.  I will post a few picture of what I am trying over the next few weeks.  I am working one hide hair on and the other hair off.  The first hide I did last week I took the epidermis off.  I started by placing the hide in water over night then fleshing it.  Next I took hard wood ashes and added them to water in a 20 gal tub until I could float an egg on end not on side. This put lye in the hide and makes the hide thick. I left it in the ash for about a week.  Then I worked it on a log with no bark.  I removed the hair and a layer of skin below it.  I then put it in the pond over night.  Then I took it out and rinsed it in a 5 gal bucket with a 1/2 cup of vinegar for 30 minutes.  Then checked to see if all of the lye came out and wash it for an hour with clean water.  Add oil and soap wring.  Then framed and worked with a stick for hours because it was to cold. You should do this on a spring day not winter.   Then I smoked it with rotten log in a bucket of charcoal. I ordered a video on brain tanning and it was great.  This is a good way too learn because you see the process on video and that is much better than just pictures.  In an hour you will understand.

[iowabow]

OK I am a newbie at this and everyone needs to know that. I have two hides that I am working.  I really don't have a big plan on the hair on project with the osage bark and  and wood shavings. I did notice that when I removed the hair the hide had good color in the belly area and other thin parts.  So after I removed the hair I put back in for the night and bagged it and put it in the freezer till spring.  The hide with the hair was taken out and I put new bark and wood shavings in a different tub. The trash can that I bought with wheels on it was collapsing and fell over half way and dumped fluid all over the garage.   lucky it has a slope and it all drained out of the bay.  I went and bought a tub because I think it will work better.  I laid the hide over the shavings flesh side up then packed shavings from below over the top so that the skin could not touch each other.  I did this so that the water can move around and it will keep the hide in contact with fluid all the time.  After I packed the insides with shavings I put more over the top and weighed the whole thing down with rocks.  The hide has been in the solution for 15 days and by the looks of the other hide the hair is holding real good.  I really had to work to remove the hair from the other osage hide.  I am not sure what to do next but I have about 15 days to think about it.  I think I am going to add oil and break it on a frame but not sure exactly how yet.   There is a guy that tanned a hide kinda like this on paleo planet so I am going to go and read his post again. 

[iowabow]

[iowabow]

It kinda doesn't look like there is a lot of material in the trash can but it is packed full of osage material. Also the last picture does not show how I filled the tub with water and added rocks. I really don't know what I am doing because it it the first time hair on for me but I am having fun and that is what it is all about.  If anyone one has advice please jump in.  You might wonder why I am posting this on christmas but everyone is sleeping so I thought I would drop a few lines about the process I playing with.

[nclonghunter]

Your smoked hide looks great. Good even smoking across the hide. Will make some good leggings or quiver.

I am curious about the Osage chips for tanning a hide. Oak bark, Hemlock bark and Sumac bark are traditional tanning methods due to the "tannin" in the bark. I have not searched the Osage, but I would suspect if any "tannin" was in Osage it is strongest in the bark and not the chips. Otherwise it is only a good "stain" with no "tanning" values. Again, I have not researched the Osage, just know of traditional methods most use. You can order a "Quebraco bark" tanning powder from Van Dykes that is not too pricey. It is a natural bark with tannin. I have used it and it works well and is easier than pounding bark into small pieces. Good luck, I'm interested in the Osage results.

[iowabow]

Ok I should have said that I have back and sap wood in the mix here.  Good to know the other info I will shave more bark to put in the mix tonight.  I read in a book about trees that the bark would give a yellow tan. 

[HoBow]

I did a salt-alum tan-a-long a while back. It should be in the how to section...