How do I tan a hide?

SMELLYBUCK · Aug 13, 2004

I'm ready to take my game processing ability to another level and would like to tan a deer or elk hide this year. I've found a few tanning recipes that call for chrome allum. What is chrome allum and where do I get it? Has anyone tried the tanning solution that Cabellas sells? How is it? Any tips for good books or other suggestions regarding the topic would also be appreciated. Muzz hunt is in 6 weeks and I'll need to have everything ready by then!!!

Thank you, friends.

CI

polarbear · Aug 13, 2004

The way that my Dad and Grandfather use to tan hides was to whup up on ya with their belts!

Eric

Someburro · Aug 18, 2004

www.braintan.com

OneGun · Aug 19, 2004

Why the hell would someone waste so much time tanning leather. Have you heard of gore-tex, plastic, etc.. We're in the 21st century folks. Why live like cavemen? And it looks stupid.

cohntr6 · Aug 20, 2004

dont you love some of the answers you get!? I would look up tanning on the internet, do a keyword search, go to ebay, etc. You'll get more info than you want I/m sure.
jeff

LIK2HNT · Aug 21, 2004

Chris
Look up VanDykes Taxidermy. They are now owned by Cabela's, and offer books, videos, & supplies for doing taxidermy. Jonas (sp) is another supplier.

Have fun. I still have a few hides me and my dad did 25 years ago.

Bill

rost495 · Aug 21, 2004

Geez-- how does one interpret what you want to use the hide for out of your post anyway. Some folks rudeness never fails to amaze me.

Tanning takes lots of chemicals, good vigilance and a lot of work. Fleshing and salting and sending off to a tannery gets a great result with less work. Though it may take tanneries from 3-12 months to return your hide. Thats one reason it takes taxidermists so long to get mounts back. Not to mention the fact they work full time during seasons getting enough work to last all year. Just the way the game goes. If they were finished in 3 months they'd be broke the rest of the year.

All that being said your best easy bet is brush on tanning solutions. I can't quite remember my suppliers name at the moment but there is a great place to deal with for all the chemicals you'll need. Up in Maine or Mass if I recall. Just remembered it was Rittels tanning supplies. Do a search, or if I can manage to get back to my shop on Sunday I can probably dig up a phone number.

Bruce Rittel will point you in the right direction with the best supplies if you tell him what you are doing and what you have to work with.

I send all my capes to tanneries now days. Much easier on me.

Jeff

SMELLYBUCK · Aug 26, 2004

Thank you everyone who submitted an intelligent answer! I found out the director of my department is big into Mountain Man Rondeveus and has tanned a lot of hides. He has a lot of the info I need.
Jeff, I don't have any idea how Onegun came up with his interpretation. I swear some people on the site are infiltrating anti-hunting women (onegun) who are in dire need of Midol for their PMS. I say this with no disrespect for women (I love my mother, 4 sisters, wife and daughter!!) But Ms. Onegun certainly made it a point to share with us her flare for fashion, in an emotional fit that was illogical and poorly thought out. Don't worry onegun, I know a lot of good women that have the same struggle. I'm sure your are nice the other three weeks every month.

rost495 · Aug 27, 2004

Smellybuck

And for others just in case as an FYI.

Rittels Tanning Supplies, 51 Summer Street
Taunton, MA 02780

508-822-3821

Have not bought supplies in a number of years and this is the latest info I have. He has a lot of chemicals for different tans and lots of savy and info as needed. Definitely a wealth of info for me. Helped out everytime I ran into a problem.

Way better than the Van Dykes type stuff where they sell but don't really know, use or keep up to date with innovations in the process.

Jeff

idhunters · Aug 31, 2004

3 general options:

Send the hide to a commercial tannery (a local taxidermist can help)

or

Use one of the many chemical products the other folks have listed and do it yourself.

or

Utilize the resources given and learn to brain tan.

Why brain tan? Personal satisfaction...it is alot of hard, smelly work but the final product is much better than chemical, primarily because part of the skin is scraped off and the brain tan hide is therefore "thinner". You can literally feel the difference between chemical and brain tanned.

nmtaxi · Aug 31, 2004

Use Rittel's. You can order a whole kit from him, with detailed instructions. It's not as hard as you think (especially for thin-skinned deer), and you can come out with professional results. I tan all my own hides, and these products work great. It can be a lot of fun, too. Have fun.

Dan

MichaelJ · Oct 5, 2004

Sorry I'm late. I assume you want to tan the w/ the hair on? If so, I'm not sure your friend that's into rendevous will be a whole lot of help. I'm sure he can help you with the scraping, and such, but if you want to tan with the hair on, I know of a great way that is perfect for this. U use an ALUM and Salt solution to set the hair, and make sure that it won't fall out. Then you lace it into a frame, and use a tanning agent (brains, neetsfoot oil, eggs, even soap) and continue to soften and work the hide dry while it is in the frame. If you need more info, email me. [email protected]

Michael~All Gods creatures welcome... right next to the mashed potatoes and gravy.

Wyomingben · Oct 17, 2004

http://stores.channeladvisor.com/wyomingben/Taxidermy

kingfish · Oct 19, 2004

Lay it out in the sun and use about a 15 sun block. Works on me!!!

rutnbuck · Oct 20, 2004

ok this works well I have done it it is the natural process. Indian mt man style
First skin and remove all the meat and fat u can off the hide
2 Soak in a pot of water and wood ashes. Heat to warm. Remove after 24 hrs.
wood ashes prouduce lye.
3 scrape and Strech. use a peice of glass or skinning knife. Strech on a peice of plywood.
4 Piss on it for several days each day run it through a rope loop. The acid in the piss works well
5 Keep scraping it and working it so it goes soft.
6 STrech it over the cornner of a sharp edge of a table.
7 Take the brains of the animial u plan to tan and rub them into the hide.
A mouse brain works for a mouse a deer brain works for a deer etc.
8 After u rub the brains into the hide. This makes it soft
9. If u are married have your wife chew it for a couple days till all is worked soft
If not married try someone elses wife. or Figure a way u can give it the chewy effect.
If u want to keep the hair on don't scrape that side and dont soak so long in the wood ashes. If u leave it in the wood ashes to long it will disolve it.
Good luck It is free.
rut