Babiche

[pierre girard]

Tim and I skun out the last deer today. Saved the hides. Gonna try making babiche for a very tight weave snowshoe. Deer hide isn't generally used, but I thought I'd try it with a very tight weave and see how it works. Think I even have a couple of frames around that I never laced.

[Justin Time]

I've seen the word "Babiche" a few times in relation to snow shoes, but haven't figured out what it means so I'll keep an eye out on this thread. Pics would be great too ;)

[Eric_Methven]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Babiche is another name for rawhide thong?
Did you case the hide? Are you going to cut one long thong round and round right up the animal's body, or do you do it flat and cut round an ever decreasing circle?

Eric

[pierre girard]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Babiche is another name for rawhide thong?
Did you case the hide? Are you going to cut one long thong round and round right up the animal's body, or do you do it flat and cut round an ever decreasing circle?

Eric

Not sure what you mean by "case the hide." I haven't done anything with it yet. What I will do is sew the hide on a frame, scrape off all the fat, meat, and membrane, take the hide down and throw it in a large plastic bag with some water until the hair slips, then cut large circles out of the hide and cut the babiche round and round. The hide along the flanks and belly is no good for babiche. Too thin, stretches too much.

[OzaawaaMigiziNini]

Cased hides are just the skin not openned up the belly, like a fox pelt, is it not?

[OzaawaaMigiziNini]

Babiche is rawhide lacing. I believe it's a Franco-Algonquin word...

[Hawk Hawkins]

Casing a hide is just like what you would do with a fox, racoon, or mink.
the hide is started at the backside and pulled up toward the head like a sock so to speak.
Been awhile since I've been on been a busy critter here.
Hawk