Life is good

[BowEd]

I see.It's no big deal to me about the knuckles.I'm aware of Matt Richards way but have never bought his book.It's effective but his procedure was known and done long ago before he ever put a book out.My turn around for success back in the 1980's came with a book from the 'Praire Wolf" John Mcphearson.The wringing and twisting procedure.
Another thing is that I like to do larger hides from older animals.They take longer to dry.I sell or make use of them all.

[Pappy]

It is a good discussion Ed, I have done it without pre smoke and it works fine, as I was said that is just the way I was taught and seem to always go back to it, never read a book on it, all I know about it came from a good friend that worked for an old guy as a kid in NC mountains, they did 100 or so a year to sell and make a living and also just hands on seeing what works and don't work. One thing I know for sure, pre smoking don't hurt, not sure it helps but know it don't hurt and also love the smell. I have also found as you said freezing them at least once does seem to help. :)Headed down in a bit and hope to get this last hide dry and ready for final smoke today, also got 2 bows to finish sealing and 1 in the works that I may get to start tillering on this weekend. Always something to do. Hope yall have a good one also. Life is Good.
 Pappy

[BowEd]

The way I see it there is positive vaild reason to presmoke a hide as raw hide if the creasote on the outside does infiltrate the inner fibers when twisted.I think the warmth from the warm smoke could possibly help with this then too.Although I've seen the hides hung so high before the warmth would have nothing to do with it.It would prevent those fibers from sticking to each other just as the oil from the brains does.It's just a step I've never seen needed for success.Of course I always smoke hides thoroughly after softening normally for myself unless it is requested by the buyer to remain white.Usually it's trade era shops reselling the white brain tan after having hired bead and quill workers to decorate them and then they resell the item at outrageous prices.
I always encourage people to do their own brain tanning.Just like making bows.I've always been one to like fur and leather and the making of it to be made into useful items.
I have a strong feeling to be buried in my buckskins when I go 6' under or maybe cremated back to the earth as it should be.

[Pappy]

I hear ya Ed, sounds like a good plan. ;)Great weekend, kind of wet but what the heck, you just make the best of what is given you. Started out with some bow work, I got 2 in the works. They were full of worms but about 10 or 12 rings down I got to clean wood, quite a challenge but finely got there. Got one on the from and the other about ready to lay out a bow. BigA is working on a set of snaky billets. 
 Pappy

[Pappy]

Got mine off the form and looking pretty good right now, also putting the finish on a tri lam [Osage/Hickory and Boo I am gifting to an old friend, it's the first I have made with the help of Shawn but know I will never shoot it and Joe will. I am just a self bow guy and can't help it.   Hope he enjoys shooting it as much as I did making it.
 Pappy

[Pappy]

Bill showed up working on a nice piece of Osage, wound up with 2 holes, very cool. I got my last hide almost dry and ready for final smoke and then the rain came, over 4 inches in about 40 minutes. WOW.
 Pappy

[Pappy]

Next few pictures are of the storm when it was just getting started. 
 Pappy

[Pappy]

We just carried on in the shop until it really got bad, then we were all hands on deck trying to save all my hide stuff and trash cans and anything else that was in it's path, the next day all good except for several hours of clean and pick up and of course some gravel work and repair of the drainage pipes to the camp ground. What a day. i have seen a lot of big rains in the 60+ years I been on this farm but don't think I have ever seen that much that quick.
 Pappy

[Pappy]

Bucky shooting his new Osage, it has a little to much bend on the top limb but he is out of weight to give so decided to leave as is, it shoot well but may not last to long, I told him that but you know how new guys are with their first bow. Gregb  showing him how to put on tip overlays. Also had a guy show up from Paris TN. needing help with a bow, he bought the stave at the Classic, so we jumped in and got it laid out and cut to size for him. Nice guy and good piece of wood that should make a good bow. Seem lots of bow work going on right now, it comes and goes down there but seems everyone is in the mood right now.
 Pappy

[Pappy]

Spent most of Saturday morning cleaning up the mess from the storm, hauled 12 loads of creek rock to fill in the road and other areas. My girls were plum worn out .
 Pappy

[Pappy]

Got 80 new targets in for the IBO Trad world, seems we may have to build another target shed, I think we are up to around 300 now, that's a good problem to have I guess. I did finely get time to finish my hide, smoke turned out very good and even and the hide is soft as a babies behind, very pleased with it. Hope yall had a good one also. Life is good. 
 Pappy

[BowEd]

Devastating rain there Pappy.Big mess in a hurry.Don't need that much rain that quickly anywhere.
Nice work on your projects though.

[chamookman]

Wow - Gully Washers  ! Glad everything worked out. Thanks as always Pappy - Bob

[HH~]

Now we know why you dont sleep in dry washes and gullies. It can rain in desert 30 40 miles away and then a wall of water comes down like a tidal wave and yer done. That was some rain! You I got home asked my wife  'How bad was it here". she said "not to bad at all".

I had a big feeling Buckys bow when I finally saw it the flood day that he had scraped the bejesus outta that nice piece of Osage! Whipped it purty good! He stopped just in time of he'd a had a really nice 25-30lb bow at his draw length. Oh well, you cant tell some folks nuthin hardly.

HH~

[Pappy]

You are welcome Bob, I hear ya Shawn, he just done to much scrapping and not enough checking, always in a rush and that don't go so well with self bow building. Ya Ed to much all at once but as I always say, it could have been a lot worse. Headed down this morning for some more clean up and then after we get most of it straightened out we will need more gravel.  Nothing really new about that, we get several loads every year, that's what you get when you build something in a deep hollow.
 Pappy