Fur slippage.

[Japbow]

      The raccoon dog(tanuki) hide I was working on is a
      bust. After skinning, I let it soak in Dr. Bronner's then
      fleshed it. I don't know if it was the soak or if I
      damaged it when fleshing, but the hair started coming
      out in big clumps.

      This is only my second hide so I don't really know what
      I'm doing, but man, what a nice pelt it would've been.

      The first one I did, I only used soap, salt, and eggs.
      The finished hide is a little hard, but that's ok with
      me as long as it becomes leather, I'm satisfied.
     
      Oh, also, I picked up the first hide I tanned in the
      summer time so I kept it in the freezer for a few
      months before starting to work it. Would freezing
      make a difference?

      I'd like to stay away from chemicals so I'd love some
      advice for a simple, primitive fur-on tanning method.

      Thanks,
      Japbow.

[tipi stuff]

If you can freeze them then you don't need to soak them to flesh. Freeze in a plastic bag, then you can just thaw and flesh. Once fleshed, you can just put a mixture of brains and neetsfoot oil on the flesh side. Keep the mixture off of the hair side. If the hide starts to dry out as you are fleshing it, use a damp towel on the flesh side to keep it moist.

[CORIUS]

I recently just used one egg and a bunch of mayo and it worked great. Just rub it into the hide, roll the hide up and put it in a ziplock bag and leave it overnight. The next day rinse the hide and start working it.

[Stoker]

If it is a summer hide it doesn't take long befor you have hair slip... It has to be skinned and delt with pronto.. Heat is your enemy...
Thanks Leroy

[Pappy]

Not sure on the soak   but that is what hair will do when the hide is starting to spoil.  When you slip the hair making rawhide or leather that is what you are doing,bringing it real cloes to spoiling that's why I dry scrape.
 Pappy

[Japbow]

      Thanks for the advice! I think next time I'll freeze,
      then stretch & dry, then do a dry scrape.

      BTW, what is a good tool to use for dry scraping?
     
      Also, would I then rehydrate before applying the
      eggs or brains, or whatever, or just apply them
      to the dry hide?

      Japbow.