Deer skin
- Thread starter Toddy
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I've just done a fox pelt in the washing machine and it's come out pretty well too. Because it's not a large animal or thick skin I just used an old pillowcase to contain it while washing which kept the fluff and bits in but was big enough to let everything circulate. Pleasantly surprised at how well it worked to be honest.
The other plus is that it seems to have reduced any residual aroma somewhat.
The other plus is that it seems to have reduced any residual aroma somewhat.
That's a good idea for smaller pieces 
This skin was just too big, and I really wanted it 'washed', to try a pillowslip.
I first did a skin this way over ten years ago. I found the information in a book called Our Boots. It was written by Inuit women, edited by Jill E. Oakes, and it described their art and skill in the work that they did making those most vital garments.
In it the comment that the Inuit are open to innovation, and have devised a way of lightening the labour involved in making rawhide, caught my attention. So I tried it out on a very young roe deer skin. To my delight it worked perfectly, and that skin is still sound and the pelt is still entire and full.
cheers,
Toddy
This skin was just too big, and I really wanted it 'washed', to try a pillowslip.
I first did a skin this way over ten years ago. I found the information in a book called Our Boots. It was written by Inuit women, edited by Jill E. Oakes, and it described their art and skill in the work that they did making those most vital garments.
In it the comment that the Inuit are open to innovation, and have devised a way of lightening the labour involved in making rawhide, caught my attention. So I tried it out on a very young roe deer skin. To my delight it worked perfectly, and that skin is still sound and the pelt is still entire and full.
cheers,
Toddy
hmm would think it would be hydraulic shock (?) we tend to see this a lot with beasts shot with small fast rounds (.243) wont bore you with the ins and outs of such things
Just my take on it, may/probably be wrong.Sam
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Cheers Sam
This one came straight from an estate, culled by one of the keepers, so it might well be.
I've seen a few weird looking marks on skins before but this one was a new one on me.
cheers,
Toddy
This one came straight from an estate, culled by one of the keepers, so it might well be.
I've seen a few weird looking marks on skins before but this one was a new one on me.
cheers,
Toddy
Ah well, it seems I was right enough in my thoughts that this one had hung around too long.
I cleaned the skin, washed it, conditioned it and hung it out on the washing line for two days, until I could get into Galgael and pick up my stretcher frame.
I hadn't gotten the frame beforehand because I didn't think I was going to need it.
Turns out I was right.
Hair slipping off from the skin
Showing how cleanly the hair is coming free from the skin.
When I was in the workshops Ian said, "Sika ? that loses it's hair really easily."
and I had confidently said, "Well this one looks sound enough
"Hah!
Since the hair was only coming free from two patches either side of the spine I needed to soak it in water for three or four days and try to get the rest to slip off cleanly.
So, it's in a big black bin half full with water just now.
Problem is that it's been -oC all the time here, and now it's partially frozen :sigh;
Sod's Law
I'll let it sit, work at it when I can, and see if it can still be smoke tanned over the New Year.
cheers,
Toddy
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Sorry to see that Toddy - so frustrating after putting all the work in for a pelt. Ah well, buckskin will be lovely too
It was one of those oh moments.
It's sound everywhere except those two patches but you can see how big one was, the other was a little larger.
Sod's law.
I had even cut the lacing holes along the edges and was literally ready to frame it when I thought it looked slightly odd there. It just came away clean in my hand so I got HWMBLT to come and work the camera.
I have seen some absolutely beautiful pelts with this method and some of the softest ones I have ever touched came from Sika (tanned with Mimosa bark) so it really was disappointing.
Maybe next time I'll get it earlier.
If I can get it defrosted I'll get it worked enough for smoke tanning and finish the thread tidily
cheers,
M
moments. It's sound everywhere except those two patches but you can see how big one was, the other was a little larger.
Sod's law.
I had even cut the lacing holes along the edges and was literally ready to frame it when I thought it looked slightly odd there. It just came away clean in my hand so I got HWMBLT to come and work the camera.
I have seen some absolutely beautiful pelts with this method and some of the softest ones I have ever touched came from Sika (tanned with Mimosa bark) so it really was disappointing.
Maybe next time I'll get it earlier.
If I can get it defrosted I'll get it worked enough for smoke tanning and finish the thread tidily
cheers,
M
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I had the same with the sheepskins I was tanning. Tried to make pelts with most of them, and failed because they were staying wet too long and bacterial action meant the wool was falling out in patches just like the one on your Sika at the point where I was drying them. Huge amounts of work in softening that had to be redone as buckskin each time.
I SO know how you feel! It does make your heart sink.
Ah well, hopefully the next one you get will be just right.
I SO know how you feel! It does make your heart sink.
Ah well, hopefully the next one you get will be just right.
Hi Mary,i just noticed this thread just now and its quite apt as i too am in the middle of brain tanning a Roe hide that Patrick kindly donated to me for the purpose,its in the shed on a frame as i type. Its my first so i am a bit nervous thinking that i may knacker it up,i am going by John and Geri Mcpherson's book,The ultimate guide to wilderness living,on brain tanning hides.I am also leaving the hair on,but time will tell if the hair slips or not. I,ve have scraped it clean and its drying out now,ready to have the brain applied.
Anyway nice thread and i will let you know how i get on.
Cheers Stuart.
Anyway nice thread and i will let you know how i get on.
Cheers Stuart.
Roe's nice The first hide I did like this was Roe, and it's now over ten years since, but the pelt is still thick and full
Never done brain tanning, I understand the process and can see how practical it is, but I use hand cream base and it works fine.
My Grandpa like eating the brains. Singed sheep's heid. Smelled absolutely awful as it roasted on the fire. Granny made him do it outside He lived 'til his late nineties though so it didn't do him a bit of harm
I'm getting better, didn't throw up lunch this time, but I'm really not keen on the sticky stuff mixed with hair all over my hands. No idea why, it just really turns my stomach. I can butcher fine, just the hair in with it
"It needs done; do it.", kind of just gets me through the job.
Be interesting to hear how you get on
Mine's frozen solid right now so I guess the hair will slip no bother when it thaws.
I had hoped to smoke the hide up at Wiston, but I really doubt it's going to be ready in time for that.
If the weather eases it might.........
atb,
M
The first hide I did like this was Roe, and it's now over ten years since, but the pelt is still thick and full Never done brain tanning, I understand the process and can see how practical it is, but I use hand cream base and it works fine.
My Grandpa like eating the brains. Singed sheep's heid. Smelled absolutely awful as it roasted on the fire. Granny made him do it outside
He lived 'til his late nineties though so it didn't do him a bit of harm I'm getting better, didn't throw up lunch this time, but I'm really not keen on the sticky stuff mixed with hair all over my hands. No idea why, it just really turns my stomach. I can butcher fine, just the hair in with it
"It needs done; do it.", kind of just gets me through the job.
Be interesting to hear how you get on
Mine's frozen solid right now so I guess the hair will slip no bother when it thaws.
I had hoped to smoke the hide up at Wiston, but I really doubt it's going to be ready in time for that.
If the weather eases it might.........
atb,
M
That looked like a fantastic hide. It must have been heart-breaking when the hair started slipping.
It was one of those, awwww , moments
Nothing I could do about it.
Right now though I haven't a clue whether it's slipped or not. The skin is frozen into the biggest ice cube you've ever seen The big black bin I use as a dye bath froze solid the next day and it hasn't thawn out since.
I'm kind of dreading seeing what state it's in now tbh.
Sod's law.
It should still work, the old trappers froze their skins until they had time to work them, so I'm hoping......
It's already -5 in my garden not twenty minutes ago Glorious full moon up there though
cheers,
M
, moments Nothing I could do about it.
Right now though I haven't a clue whether it's slipped or not. The skin is frozen into the biggest ice cube you've ever seen
The big black bin I use as a dye bath froze solid the next day and it hasn't thawn out since.I'm kind of dreading seeing what state it's in now tbh.
Sod's law.
It should still work, the old trappers froze their skins until they had time to work them, so I'm hoping......
It's already -5 in my garden not twenty minutes ago
Glorious full moon up there though cheers,
M
For what it's worth, most of the time fur-on deer hides tend to slip a little hair constantly even IF you get them tanned without losing patches.
It's a little like having a dog around that is constantly shedding a bit.
Deer fur is hollow and brittle so there's usually a bit around if the item gets touched at all. It can be a pain if the resulting hide is meant to be touche and moved (not an issue for taxidermy, for instance).
At least that's the case with American deer I deal with. I assume yours are the similar.
One thing you can consider next time: as soon as you get the hide make a bath of three or four gallons of warmish water and half a gallon (or a bit more) of white vinegar in a five gallon plastic bucket.
Put the hide in and swish it around to make sure its well bathed and leave it in for a couple of hours, swishing it about some from time to time.
Don't leave it in more than overnight because the hide will start swelling and get rubbery if your bath is very acidic. If you make a mildly acidic bath you can leave it in overnight, no problem.
The acid in the vinegar will neutralize any bacterial action present and significantly slow down its progress. You get to start from clean slate in other words. Any existing damage done prior your working the hide won't be repaired however.
Working hair-on deer is a real pain and I don't even care for the final results that much. So I almost never do it. Other hides, those with softer fur or real hair as opposed to fur, net much better results.
It's a little like having a dog around that is constantly shedding a bit.
Deer fur is hollow and brittle so there's usually a bit around if the item gets touched at all. It can be a pain if the resulting hide is meant to be touche and moved (not an issue for taxidermy, for instance).
At least that's the case with American deer I deal with. I assume yours are the similar.
One thing you can consider next time: as soon as you get the hide make a bath of three or four gallons of warmish water and half a gallon (or a bit more) of white vinegar in a five gallon plastic bucket.
Put the hide in and swish it around to make sure its well bathed and leave it in for a couple of hours, swishing it about some from time to time.
Don't leave it in more than overnight because the hide will start swelling and get rubbery if your bath is very acidic. If you make a mildly acidic bath you can leave it in overnight, no problem.
The acid in the vinegar will neutralize any bacterial action present and significantly slow down its progress. You get to start from clean slate in other words. Any existing damage done prior your working the hide won't be repaired however.
Working hair-on deer is a real pain and I don't even care for the final results that much. So I almost never do it. Other hides, those with softer fur or real hair as opposed to fur, net much better results.
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