Author Topic: hide working (Read 4011 times)

sleek · « **on:** December 09, 2013, 08:54:23 pm »

What are yalls methods for working the skin? Right now I'm doing it with the skin dry and just kinda breaking it with my fingers. Makes for a stiff type leather, but its for a jacket that will be worn enough to break itself in.
I have heard of doing it with shoes and the hide in a dryer on no heat. Whay do yall do?

Trapper Rob · « **Reply #1 on:** December 09, 2013, 10:47:45 pm »

Pulling it across a cable works good.

Pappy · « **Reply #2 on:** December 10, 2013, 05:14:14 am »

I just pull stretch and work it across a small cable while it is drying,don't think it will ever get soft enough wearing it,if it is hard to start with.

It will rub you raw before it gets soft.

Pappy

4dog · « **Reply #3 on:** December 26, 2013, 11:07:13 am »

chew it...lol

iowabow · « **Reply #4 on:** December 26, 2013, 11:32:49 am »

Like pappy said re soak it in the brains or what ever you are using and continue pulling on it for the next couple of hours ...don't stop till it is dry.

flungonin · « **Reply #5 on:** December 27, 2013, 01:41:28 am »

X3 for pappy and iowabow

Mohawk13 · « **Reply #6 on:** December 27, 2013, 03:53:11 pm »

Bury a 6x6 in the ground(about 2 feet) at an angle, Use a rasp/saw to round the end, treat it with neetsfoot oil, and work the hide over that. When soft, make a smokey fire and a tripod, place hide around tripod like a tee pee and watch for flames, smoke until butter soft..Much easier than using a cable..and more primitive...

Pappy · « **Reply #7 on:** January 03, 2014, 10:27:42 am »

Ya I guess a 6x6 smoothed off with a saw and rasp and neetsfoot oil is much more PRIMITIVE than a cable.

One thing I never found the smoke to make it softer,it just keeps it soft if you get it wet again so you don't have to work it till it's dry in the event you get it in the weather and getting it wet again. Sleek how has it turned out ?
Pappy

sleek · « **Reply #8 on:** January 03, 2014, 12:08:36 pm »

Its one of those projects that keeps getting hang ups. I got the back of the jacket worked. But now need to tan another skin but cant spare the eggs to do the job. Will pick up where I left off when I have a bit more money. Thanks for the replies though. I will be doing the next skins with the 2x4 and neets foot oil. Breaking by hand sucks.

kaa · « **Reply #9 on:** January 13, 2014, 10:26:31 am »

Is there a way to water proof the hide without smoking it? The town I live in has a city wide ban on any kind of burning except for grilling.

iowabow · « **Reply #10 on:** January 13, 2014, 10:51:38 am »

Quote from: kaa on January 13, 2014, 10:26:31 am

Is there a way to water proof the hide without smoking it? The town I live in has a city wide ban on any kind of burning except for grilling.

put the punk wood in the grill

Pappy · « **Reply #11 on:** January 14, 2014, 08:26:30 am »

I was thinking the same thing John but didn't want to come off as a smart a$$.

if anyone ask I am grilling hide for supper.

Seriously I never tried it but I guess you could rub in some mink oil or neetsfoot oil and it might work $:-\$ not sure,try it and let us know how it works.

Pappy

nclonghunter · « **Reply #12 on:** January 14, 2014, 11:08:30 am »

use Emulsified Neetsfoot oil, not the regular Neetsfoot oil. Emulsified oils blend with water just like the oil in brains, so you are using a concentrated emulsified oil. Other types of fats do not blend with water and such will leave the hide feeling greasy and not a good feeling for garment skins. If the hide is used for a bag or utilitarian project then fats are okay, even making it a little water repellant.

Van Dykes taxidermy and other tanning supply companies offer different types of emulsified oils (Protol). I think you can contact the Neetsfoot company and they will sell you the oil or go to a hoarse tack store, they usually carry it. Good Luck

Primitive Archer