Author Topic: Tanning Leather (Read 8110 times)

Chippintuff · « **on:** October 17, 2016, 11:08:12 am »

I'm not sure whether this is the correct forum for these questions. If it is not, please move this topic.

I know generally about different types of leather, but I don't know how each type is produced.

1. What does tanning do to leather? I know it can make it softer and more flexible, but does it do anything else to the leather?
2. What makes the difference between tooling leather and soft leather? What about delicately soft leather?
3. Does tanning make leather more durable? If so, is the extended durability caused by the greater flexibility or something else?
4. Does tanning neutralize (or remove) the hide glue?

WA

Pappy · « **Reply #1 on:** October 17, 2016, 11:13:18 am »

Before tanning what ever kind of tanning you do, all you have is rawhide not leather.

Pappy

Pat B · « **Reply #2 on:** October 17, 2016, 11:33:26 am »

Like Pappy said, tanning turns rawhide into leather. Tanning is a type of preservative. There are different types of tanning for different types of leather. Some, like vegetable tanning(bark tan, oak tan) which makes leather harder for tooling or for making shoe soles, belts and harnesses and other tanning(oil tanned, and others for softer tanning for cloths, etc.

---GUTSHOT---> · « **Reply #3 on:** October 19, 2016, 08:01:00 am »

Tanning turns the raw hide to leather. If your wanting to have a stiff leather then just tan it and it will be like a board after it dries. If your looking for a plyable leather then 24 hrs after the tan has been applied you need to work the hide and break the fibers down in it. I use steel to work mine over until it's dry. Good luck

High-Desert · « **Reply #4 on:** October 19, 2016, 10:17:06 am »

The key to soft leather, is work, lots of work. You have to continuously work the leather as it dries, or it will be very stiff. Vegetable tanning is what is used for tooling leather, and is "true" tanning, in other words, uses tannen from tree bark. It makes a tough leather and does well with moist environments. The process is long, and can take as long as a year in the bark bath.

Eric

Chief RID · « **Reply #5 on:** October 20, 2016, 06:39:31 am »

I have read so much about this and never done it. I am too lazy, I guess. It is on my bucket list and time is of the essence.

Pappy · « **Reply #6 on:** October 20, 2016, 07:31:30 am »

Chief it is something that you have to really want to do, not sure on other methods but Brain tanning and getting it soft is a whole lot of work and time. I have folks every year say ya I want to learn to tan a hide, for most once is enough

and they never ask again. By the time they get a hide to rawhide they have usually about had it. ;)Lots of people now days want it Now, they think just rub something on it and wala you got soft leather.

I love doing it when I have the time and the weather is right , But ha I got nothing else to do.

Pappy

BowEd · « **Reply #7 on:** October 20, 2016, 11:18:49 am »

You bet.There's really not any short cuts to nice durable leather that I know of.You get what you put into it.You can refine your methods to make it easier and maybe a little faster but that's about it.The only way to figure that out is to do a lot of them.
I really like vegetable tan leather for straps etc.Seems to last through all the mud,blood,and wear and tear I put it through.Brain tan too feels like softened flannel with an aroma....lol,but now brain tan does not neutralize any of the natural components of the leather.Brain tan is raw ide tough!!!
There's got to be 30 different ways to tan a hide.Each has it's own benefits and makes useful material.

BowEd · « **Reply #8 on:** October 20, 2016, 12:25:58 pm »

The very easiest method of tanning I do is aluminum sulfate/pickling salt method.Neutralize with about 2 to 3 fresh water rinseings after it is cured.Wait for it to cure in a bath usually within a week depending how strong the solution is and this method you really can't over chemical it anyway.Usually 1# of aluminum sulfate and 2#'s of pickling salt will do a deer hide.You can guage it from there for smaller hides as to amounts.It can go by weight but does not need to be exact.Minimal amount of softening by hand[not near like brain tanning] and then a light bit of neats foot oil for suppleness is all that's required.Makes egg shell white leather which you can dye in the solution too or later with powders and an adjuvant.
Done literally hundreds of hair on hides this way.Of course the thicker the leather is the more work in softening it there is.

BrianS · « **Reply #9 on:** October 20, 2016, 10:47:27 pm »

Chief RID,
For a long time I wanted to brain tan a deer hide. Never seemed to have the time. This past year I made the time and tanned the hide from a doe I shot. It was a very rewarding process. A lot of work but worth the effort. I am anxious to do another hide this year if I am fortunate enough to kill a deer. I am also going to try tanning some squirrel skins and maybe a coon. I had very limited knowledge but with the help of a few experienced friends my first hide turned out pretty good. I made a shooting bag out of it. Not perfect but I made it myself and every time I use it, it gives me satisfaction knowing I killed the deer, processed the hide and made it into a usable item. My point is: Just jump in and give it a try.
Good luck,
Brian

nclonghunter · « **Reply #10 on:** October 21, 2016, 01:20:50 pm »

Quote from: Chippintuff on October 17, 2016, 11:08:12 am

I'm not sure whether this is the correct forum for these questions. If it is not, please move this topic.

I know generally about different types of leather, but I don't know how each type is produced.

1. What does tanning do to leather? I know it can make it softer and more flexible, but does it do anything else to the leather?
2. What makes the difference between tooling leather and soft leather? What about delicately soft leather?
3. Does tanning make leather more durable? If so, is the extended durability caused by the greater flexibility or something else?
4. Does tanning neutralize (or remove) the hide glue?

WA

Those questions are best suited for a chemist....a hide is similar to a bunch of cotton balls flattened into a hide. Inside the cotton fibers are proteins and glues (aka hide glue). Those glues and proteins are removed from most tanning processes. For brain tanning the smoking process coats those glues so they do not bond again after becoming wet and dry, which keeps it soft. Most vegetable tans result in a firmer or hard leather (tool leather) due to "tannins" attaching to the cotton fibers and making them firm by shrinking and preserved from bacteria. Braintan puts natural oils(brains) into those cotton fibers and allows them to move and stretch in a soft clothing type result. These are very basic and simple descriptions of soft and firm tanning. Hides are very durable but tanning just allows them to be preserved from bacteria growth and rotting so they last longer. Hope this helps and doesn't confuse more.

DC · « **Reply #11 on:** October 21, 2016, 01:48:49 pm »

Did the Native Americans use brain or veg tan? Or do we know?

nclonghunter · « **Reply #12 on:** October 21, 2016, 01:55:04 pm »

Brain tan is well documented for native Americans going back many moons....not certain about a bark tan. Good question.

Chippintuff · « **Reply #13 on:** October 21, 2016, 04:22:52 pm »

Thanks for all the discussion everybody, esp. NClonghunter.

If I want to make some thigh pads for flintknapping using hog hide, would the bark method be the best? If not, what method is better? A thigh pad for knapping needs to be tough to reduce shock from the blows with billets or hammerstones and tough to resist cuts from flakes. Does the bark method have to take several months to a year?

WA

nclonghunter · « **Reply #14 on:** October 21, 2016, 05:37:46 pm »

Look at Van Dykes Taxidermy website. They offer many types of tanning techniques. There is a Quebraco Vegteable tan that gives a good bark tan result. It sounds lime you want to use the pig hide for knapping. I have thought that a section of hair on deer hide may be a good cushion for the leg.

Primitive Archer