brain-tanning/ buckskin help

[Earthpeace]

I been tanning furs with alum for years ( and Taxidermy) but I would like to learn how to brain tan.
I have tried several times but I can not get it right. I have been reading up on the internet and in books but theres nothing like 'monkey see's monkey do' for helping speed things up.
So my Qs is
Is there anyone that would be willing to show me how they do buckskin tanning, I am willing to help & hard working.
I am coming back to England sometime next week so if anyone is free around that time, for a day or a few days learning would be great.
please let me know if you can help.
Thanks
Rosemary

 

[Exbomz]

Hi Rosemary

I would love to offer but the process takes a few days at least - soaking, scraping, braining, wringing, drying/softening and smoking and it's weather dependent too (I am talking about wet scrape, my far far preferred method) - unless you have several lots on the go at each differrent stage. So sorry, cannot offer that service.

Can I recommend instead Matt Richard's DVD - Deerskins into Buckskins Video or DVD? It shows the different processes which is what you want; his book explains it all in detail (the theory) and there is nothing better on the market in my humble opinion. His web site also sells all the kit.

http://www.braintan.com/Merchant2/m...ode=1&Product_Code=Rvideo&Category_Code=Media

Tips - make sure you soak long enough, scrape slowly and thoroughly, brain several times (especially fallow!) and expect softening to take a while first few goes (and do not stop softening until you are sure the mositure has gone).

Hope that helps.

 

[Earthpeace]

thanks for that bit of help and info Exbomz, I think Im going to have to do that, as there is few people out there willing to part with the info or maybe just don't know. Lamb cullings coming up soon so I will have to take heart and keep trying.
I just don't seems to get it on the right, I take of to much and get holes in it :yikes: or not enough and it feel like the face of unshaved man:Thinkingo

 

[Exbomz]

thanks for that bit of help and info Exbomz, I think Im going to have to do that, as there is few people out there willing to part with the info or maybe just don't know. Lamb cullings coming up soon so I will have to take heart and keep trying.
I just don't seems to get it on the right, I take of to much and get holes in it :yikes: or not enough and it feel like the face of unshaved man:Thinkingo

Hi Rosemary

Are you trying to brain tan sheep skins? I believe, though haven't done or tried them myself, that sheep (domesticated) are very hard if not impossible. Apparently the breeding that went on to produce good wool bearers made the skin far harder to tan. So it may nothing to do with your technique but the skins.

Everyone gets holes, whatever the animal, espcially around the belly & scars, mistakes when skinning etc all weaken the area so when scraping they just go through. However, the scars can be effectively repaired and almost disappear (even with my sewing skills).

I have done red and fallow mainly - fallow are harder, espcially the rump - and deer skin is tougher than sheep. The skin swells and when you scrape, it finds its own way to the junction between layers (as long as soaked for a few days). However, you can get them really soft and they make really comfortable clothing. When you have worn some, you'll understand

Suit: http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff68/exbomz/BTsuit.jpg
Mocs:http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff68/exbomz/Mocs.jpg

Happy tanning

 

[Earthpeace]

hi Exbomz, love your buckskins clothes there great, well done:You_Rock_
Maybe your right, which skin is the best you think.
So I have tried on sheep skins, angora goats and big red deer stag skin.
The stag I got the most the the layer of but to turn out stiff.
Angora goat skins- I could not do it because the layer was so think, that the bit of skin that was left just fell a part. And the sheep would not come off at all.
I'm thinking the stag skin was not brain enough.
Thats another thing - how do you do the brain bit Exbomz , do you boil it in water.
I have been putting the skin in the warm brain/water mix, moving it around for a minuite , then giving it a hand ringging and putting it back in. I'm I surpose to leave the skin to part dry before putting it back in the brain mix, or maybe leave it in the brain longer , over night?
Also I am using farmers lime ( the type they put on the fields) Is this Ok?

Be very glad if anyone would have the time to reply , as i an dieing to have a pair of buskskin trousers to go with my hand spun/hand knitted jumpers.

 

[Exbomz]

hi Exbomz, love your buckskins clothes there great, well done:You_Rock_
Maybe your right, which skin is the best you think.
So I have tried on sheep skins, angora goats and big red deer stag skin.
The stag I got the most the the layer of but to turn out stiff.
Angora goat skins- I could not do it because the layer was so think, that the bit of skin that was left just fell a part. And the sheep would not come off at all.
I'm thinking the stag skin was not brain enough.
Thats another thing - how do you do the brain bit Exbomz , do you boil it in water.
I have been putting the skin in the warm brain/water mix, moving it around for a minuite , then giving it a hand ringging and putting it back in. I'm I surpose to leave the skin to part dry before putting it back in the brain mix, or maybe leave it in the brain longer , over night?
Also I am using farmers lime ( the type they put on the fields) Is this Ok?

Be very glad if anyone would have the time to reply , as i an dieing to have a pair of buskskin trousers to go with my hand spun/hand knitted jumpers.

Hi Rosemary

If the stag turned out stiff, it is either lack of brains or softening technique, or may be both on early attempts. Simply rebrain it a couple of times; during the summer, I often brain, wring and then let it dry outside, only occasionally pulling it. It is sort of half softening till dry and then rebraining and softening – you can do several skins at the same time that way and you cannot over-brain IMHO.

I have a frame to soften but only use it on really large skins. I have done some by hand but made a staking post - wooden pole with small piece/sheet of stainless steel bolted across the top - which is what I mainly use now. The metal abrades the inside (saves pumicing) whilst really separating the fibres and I think it reduces the effort.

You will know if you scraped the entire top later off when smoking as these areas do not take smoke in the same way and are easily seen. However, if you are methodical when scraping, you can get it all/99% .

As to braining, I sometimes use brains, sometimes egg yokes, just depends what I can source. I do not cook brains first, just make sure the brain (or egg) and water mix is hot to touch (not boiling) and then soak the skin. Pull it around in the mix until the whole skin is soft and has soaked it up. On early brainings I usually leave it overnight, but later ones, 30mins to an hour. You can "feel" a difference when the skin has got lots of the oils in it. Red deer I usually reckon on 3 brainings but with fallow may be up to 5 because of the thickness of the butt. Never be afraid to rebrain - the work put in is not wasted.

For wringing, I would strongly recommend a post or something solid so you can use a stick with it to get torque into the wringing. Make the skin into a loop and with red deer you can really wring hard. Fallow tend to be harder - you need to wring hard to dry the butt but in doing so there is a danger you will tear the skin around the forelimb/belly area :aargh4: If you wring with just your hands, you cannot get enough moisture out of the skin – it will take far longer to soften or for rebraining .

I use potassium hydroxide for the soak. I have tried hard-wood ash and water (the ash contains potassium hydroxide (KOH)) but it makes such a mess and you can end up with charcoal bits everywhere. Farmers Lime - never touched it and I'm not sure what the chemical composition is. I thought it was basically calcium carbonate (CaCO3) which is not the same as Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) (lye). I believe there are far more problems associated with lye; braintan.com sell all the chemicals you need - http://www.braintan.com/Merchant2/m...=1&Product_Code=Tanningkit&Category_Code=KITS. There are some usefull writings on their site too e.g. http://www.braintan.com/articles/bighides/metcalf1.htm

You can get away with no chemicals - just soak the skin for a few days. The downside is that you need more brainings/wringings to ensure the skin has enough oils in it.

Hope that helps but hands on practice is best.

Good luck

PS I did take photos of the whole process for a talk I gave to the local archeological society. IF I can find them, I will make them available.

 

[Earthpeace]

thankyou very much Exbomz for sharing this info with me . I have printed it out so its at hand when I start doing skins again this winter.
Would love to see the photos if you can find them.