Author Topic: Four deer hides fleshed (Read 35330 times)

BowEd · « **Reply #75 on:** January 15, 2019, 09:07:28 pm »

That is a nice sized hide from a very good sized deer.As big as a lot of deer up here.You must me shorter than I remember you then.Could be genetics with the size of these deer.I'm not totally sure myself.I know up north things bulk up weight wise for the upcoming cold more so than down south.Coon as an example also.Larger bodies stay warmer in the extreme cold.
I know since I've been aging deer some by their teeth I see deer or bucks too that you'd think were'nt that old according to their antler size but are older,and vica verca too.I'm sure it did'nt matter to the natives way back then.Meat was meat and hide was hide and that's all that really mattered.When you ran out you went and got more.

Pappy · « **Reply #76 on:** January 16, 2019, 05:16:12 am »

I am 5 7 Ed. Ya Bob the hips and neck are tough on all of them for me, I try and thin them a bit. Jesse is missed for sure, he could pull and stretch on one all day.

Pappy

BowEd · « **Reply #77 on:** January 16, 2019, 07:21:04 am »

That explains a lot of the size difference besides it being wet or brained and stretched length wise.

bjrogg · « **Reply #78 on:** January 16, 2019, 10:36:33 am »

Hide is coming along nicely. It isn't completely as soft as flannel but pretty close. I'm pleased. I think I can get it a little better yet. Next step smoking. I may put that off awhile yet. Don't have anything setup and I'm thinking that'll be a outside job. Might be summer project. I'll probably try to get some more to this stage yet.
Bjrogg
PS wife likes it a lot better now.

BowEd · « **Reply #79 on:** January 16, 2019, 10:50:12 am »

Pretty good first try I'd say.You should be happy.People usually come away from the process when they see the results.....Ha Ha.I've smoked in the winter many times.Cold has no effect on the process.

bjrogg · « **Reply #80 on:** January 16, 2019, 11:04:22 am »

Thanks Ed. It's my first deer hide tan and first brain tan. I've skinned, scraped and put up lots of other critters. Even tanned a few so I know how much work is involved. It was much easier than the bear I did last year. I did learn lots doing the bear that would help on the next one. I also learned a lot brain tanning this deer hide. I know it will help for next one. I all honesty it went better than I expected and I'm thrilled to have used just the brains. Didn't have to buy a thing. The hide is so soft and I think I can get it a little better yet.
Thanks for all the help guys.
Bjrogg

Pappy · « **Reply #81 on:** January 17, 2019, 06:21:37 am »

That looks good BJ , nice job. I have 1 ready to smoke also and 2 wrapped in the freezer that need stretching and drying, just to wet here. Raining now and calling for 2 more inches over the weekend with snow on the back side so it will be a few day before I get back on them. Good news is they will hold in the freezer .

Pappy

GlisGlis · « **Reply #82 on:** January 17, 2019, 06:41:23 am »

Good work BJ.

I'm following the thread with great interest
Never tanned a single critter but it's on the list

ksnow · « **Reply #83 on:** January 17, 2019, 07:54:48 am »

Nice work BJ. I tried brain tanning in high school, with very limited information. You may have inspired me to give it another go. Or I'll just send all my rawhide over to you. Can't wait to see what you make from it.

Kyle

bjrogg · « **Reply #84 on:** January 17, 2019, 08:34:17 am »

Thanks Pappy. I'm thinking I might try getting more of my hides to hair off rawhide. I have one more there already to brain. Two more dry on stretchers fleshed and ready to remove hair. Three more fleshed and waiting to go on frames. Isn't going to leave me a lot of spare time for knapping and building bows. It is possible to do some multi tasking while tanning. I did get my "presentation pole" done while doing this one. I'll have to hang more stuff on it and get some pictures of it with a nice background. Going to use it to display my stuff when people ask me to do presentations. It turned out pretty nice .

Thanks GlisGlis. I've played around with hides for along time. I've always enjoyed them. I just started tanning them about three or four years ago. I'd still like to learn more about making stuff from them.

Kyle. I'm betting if you tried the brain tanning again you'd probably have more success. It actually went much better than I imagined and I love the end product. It's still a little stiff around neck but I'm still working on it and I think I'll get it. I'm thinking a smaller one will be much easier. If you try it again don't be afraid to ask questions. I told Susie I was going to make a dress for her. She doesn't think so but she really does like how soft it is
Bjrogg

bjrogg · « **Reply #85 on:** January 18, 2019, 04:32:26 am »

I got another hide scraped last night. This was a doe someone gave me. She was taken last day of late doe season. I'm not sure if it's the way I Sharpened my scrapper or because she was harvested so late in winter, but this hide was way different than the first two I did. Maybe a combination of both. Her hair was incredibly thick. Making it really hard to see what I was doing at times. Her hide seemed to have spots I had trouble with my tool catching and cutting through with no warning. It did have that crunchy sound like chasing a Osage ring. I scraped spots that gave me more trouble softening first hide more aggressively. Got most hair to come off attached to epidermis layer.
Bjrogg

Pappy · « **Reply #86 on:** January 18, 2019, 05:35:56 am »

Yep that is how it is supposed to come off, I can usually tell if I am not getting it all by all the loose hair going everywhere. If you are doing it right and seems you are it is a mess but not near as big a mess as it is if you are just shaving the hair. Also when you tan it, it will feel like a day old beard if you don't get all the epidermis off with it. You need to do like I did BJ just build more racks.

and yes it does take away from other project time for sure, especially if you have more than one going at a time.

Pappy

bjrogg · « **Reply #87 on:** January 18, 2019, 09:21:05 am »

Thanks Pappy. After braining and breaking my first hide I could see that a bit more scrapping in the beginning would save a lot of time breaking hide. at least that's what I'm hoping. My first one turn out nice, but I think I could have scrapped a bit more.
bjrogg

Outbackbob48 · « **Reply #88 on:** February 28, 2019, 01:25:36 pm »

Bj, finally caught a little sun and got up to about 25 today, thought I might smoke a couple today, Sure didn't seem to warm out. I smoked these 2 with some dead ash punk mixed with Aspen punk. I'm really liking the Aspen, nice color and don't seem to smell smokey for ever like some other woods that I have tried. Here's a pic of my setup and a couple airing out. Bob

bjrogg · « **Reply #89 on:** February 28, 2019, 07:08:29 pm »

Thanks Outback. I'm afraid I really got sidetracked with putting my ash lumber on my man cave. I e still got a few things I need to finish up on it but it might not all get done this winter. It did turn out really nice though and I'm very glad I sawed up that dead ash.

I did finally get all the hides I had fleshed at least on stretchers now. I've got three brained, one dehaired and three more drying on frames. I've got a taxidermist buddy that has a very old sewing machine used for sewing leather. I'm thinking when I get them all brained I'm going to talk to him about sewing them for smoking. I've had a lot going on this winter and it's flying by. I've still got a bear hide and my two selfbow buck hides I'd like to tan. Also two red fox and a coon. I'm hoping to do the fox, coon and maybe bear next week, well start em then anyway. I'll probably just Chemical tan them. It still takes a stretch of time I need to dedicate to them. The two selfbow hides I kinda got something different I've been thinking of doing. Have to see if I can find the time for all my projects.
Really appreciate the pictures of your setup.
Bjrogg

Primitive Archer