25-06 Report post Posted November 11, 2004 Does anybody know how to tan a hide I got my first deer this past Oct. and my boys are wanting to make stuff with it. So far all I have done with it is salted it. Any advise on what to do next? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rembrant Report post Posted November 11, 2004 Get it to a taxidermist before the hair falls out and its too late. Salting isn't enough. It must also be fleshed of all the meat, fat, and connecting tissue so that the salt will penetrate into the roots of the hair. If you can get this done then salt it heavily and put it at a slant so the grease will drain. now you can let it dry out until you get the alum and formic acid from the taxidermy supply house to pickle and then tan the hide in the plastic garbage cans you will need to buy for this. After this process you will need to "break" the fibers in the hide as it dries. Tanneries use big tumblers. Don't use your home dryer (especially if you're married), so just work it with your hands for about half a day or more. When you're done, it won't be near as good as if you had taken it to a taxidermist. So...Get it to a taxidermist before the hair falls out and its too late. Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted November 12, 2004 It is a huge amount of work to tan a hide. I tanned a fox and a javelina hide. It's interesting to do, but takes a lot of effort. If you want to make stuff with the hide, I suggest following Rembrandt's suggestion and let a taxidermist deal with it. It is really hard to get the skin smooth and soft if you do it yourself. But if you are really wanting to do it yourself, you can learn how and ask questions at the taxidermy.net forum. Great place. Search the archives and read up before you post any questions though. Most everything has been discussed already. There is a link to it on my links page, or just click here Amanda Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
.270 Report post Posted November 12, 2004 i've worked with leather my entire life. making saddles, tack, hunting gear, you name it. my ol' man used to tan a lot of stuff years back and i can testify that it is real hard work. do ya want to tan it with the hair on or off? either way is a lot of work. i helped my dad tan a lot of deer and cow hides when i was a kid. it is real labor intensive and you have to work it when it's ready or you'll ruin it and all the work you put into it up to there is wasted. there is a tannery in san francisco called "New Method". they do a real good job on stuff and most taxidermists this side of the mississippi send their stuff there. or did. californias bear and lion laws have stopped some taxidermy business there. i've sent them quite a few hides over the years and they've done a great job and i always got my hide back. either hair on or buckskin or latigo, they've always done a good job. and it isn't real expensive. elk buckskin and latigo is some primo stuff. i have a hide from a bull elk killed in -40 weather that i had em tan with the hair on. there ain't a night cold enough that that thing can't keep ya warm. i'd give new method a call. if you really want to tan it yourself, get on the internet and search. i'm sure there is a lot of info there. when you get done with a hide, there is a big sense of accomplishment, but it is real hard work. i won't go into all what you have to do here because it'd take a week to write it all down. there are a lot of books available and there are some home tanning kits available. and as mentioned, any good taxidermist can get it done for ya. just make sure they have it tanned and don't pickle it. pickled hides are worthless. Lark. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
25-06 Report post Posted November 12, 2004 Mike, Amanda, Lark I appreciate the advise. I am going to take it to a taxidermist to have it done right. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
.270 Report post Posted November 12, 2004 good luck, .25. don't know for sure exactly what you're wanting. sounds like you're wanting to tan a buck you got. but if you ever need deer or elk skin leather, better known as buckskin, there is a place on 19th ave called the leather factory that has all kindsa stuff like that. have fun. Lark. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DesertBull Report post Posted November 18, 2004 tanning the old fashioned way. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHT_MTNMAN Report post Posted November 18, 2004 like .270 said the leather factory is great and if someday you really want to do it yourself they have a little tannery in a box or something like that. it is about 50 bucks and has all of the chemicals and instructions to tan a hide. I bought one about 3 years ago, read the instructions and realized that as a student and father of 3 kids I didn't have enough time, (or that much desire) so it still sits at my parents house waiting for my brother to grow up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
