Tanning a dried beaver tail

[Kidder]

So I picked up a dried whole beaver tail and I’d like to process it and tan it. I was expecting it to be skinned out and dried like rawhide but this was a whole tail bone in and all. Can someone walk me through what I need to do? Never tanned anything before either. Thanks!

[BowEd]

What are your plans for it?Most uses of it can be used in a salted/dried rawhide state rehydrated and glued on.
Slice it along the edges to get 2 halves.I usually use a beaver skinning knife for those but not totally necessary.If patiently done it can be fleshed as you skin it.

Sharpen it down to 600 grit on my work sharp is usually good enough.

[Kidder]

I’m looking to do bow handle grips so probably want it tanned I would think.

[Morgan]

Hope you get some info. I skinned and fleshed one out a while back. It is sitting dried waiting on me to figure out how I’m going to tan it.

[BowEd]

It does not need to be tanned for handle grips.Glueing an extra strip of thin leather along the edges to be sewn can help keep it from tearing.

[BowEd]

If you want to tan the beaver tail the scales will need to be removed first.What will remain then is the leather.Use regular agriculture barn lime.Same as liming a deer hide.Scales will scrape off after plumping up.
Delime it in borax or vinegar.
Use the bark tanning method to tan a bunch of them at once.I would'nt let them dry hard before tanning.After skinning and fleshing I would put them in the tanning liquor.
After they are tanned soften them with nets foot oil by massaging/scuffing them.
You can dye it any color you want after you are finished.

[superdav95]

If you want to tan the beaver tail the scales will need to be removed first.What will remain then is the leather.Use regular agriculture barn lime.Same as liming a deer hide.Scales will scrape off after plumping up.
Delime it in borax or vinegar.
Use the bark tanning method to tan a bunch of them at once.I would'nt let them dry hard before tanning.After skinning and fleshing I would put them in the tanning liquor.
After they are tanned soften them with nets foot oil by massaging/scuffing them.
You can dye it any color you want after you are finished.

Everything Ed said.  I did this last year for a few handle wraps and they look great.  I used salt and alum mix on mine for a few days then washed really well after fleshing out as best you can.  I ended up using mink oil on mine which also worked well for me.  Best of luck.  Here’s a pic of one of my beaver tail wraps.  Best of luck!