RE-Dressing coon and mink hide?

[Zuma]

I dressed 2 coons and a mink last fall. I used eggs for one coon and the mink.
I used lectithin oil on one coon. It would seem to me that re- dressing them
would help soften them further. Any thoughts/ideas?
Thanks Zuma

[bjrogg]

I would think it would help Zuma. Thinning hide with a wire wheel or sander first would probably help to. I've never used that method of tanning but I'd guess your right.
Bjrogg

[Zuma]

Thanks BJ. I should grow up and dig into some brains.
Some reason i feel some sort of sacred thing about them
Zuma

[bjrogg]

Me to Zuma.
Bjrogg

[ksnow]

I id a few black squirrels with neatsfoot oil years ago. They turned out beautifully soft and white. I found the key was to keep them VERY stretched, almost to the point of breaking. I also worked them past the point where they felt dry to the touch. After a few unsuccessful braintan attempts, I feel the stretching while drying is vital. And they have to be dry when you are done.

It wouldn't hurt to redress, just rebreak them again also.

Kyle

Oh, I'd rather use eggs or oil. Cooking brains turns my stomach.

[Zuma]

LOL good to know I am not the only sissy, errr sensitive man
Thanks for the help and info. Kumbaya!!
Zuma

[Hawkdancer]

Kyle,
Got to agree with the cooking brains!  That's why I cook them outside on a somewhat breezy day, and stay upwind! !  When the wife isn't home!  Sounds like rendering tallow falls in the same category
Zuma,
Redressing will work fine, just keep staking and stretching as Kyle said, if you use brains, smoke the hides with hardwood smoke to set the oils.
Hawkdancer

[Zuma]

Good for you Dancer, at least you have tried them,
When I originally dressed the hides I soaked the entire skin.
Should I do that on redress or just the flesh side?
Zuma

[BowEd]

Zuma...A properly fleshed hide is needed first to make things easier.One trick I learned while roping deer hides dry after being properly brained for ease of the process was to put the hide in a plastic bag sealed while I was'nt roping.A break so to speak.The thinner areas that dry will absorb moisture from the thicker areas wet yet inside there.Usually not more than an hour though.While roping I'm stretching it to it's max.Realizing where it needs to be stretched at what time comes with experience but it is'nt that hard.With just a few breaks like that with an hour of roping inbetween each time you'll have a nice dry soft hide.
A hair on hide I would only apply the brains to the flesh side or in your case the eggs or lecithin your using.Add water if needed.Massage it in properly.Make sure it is stretchy before trying to stretch it dry.It needs to stay stretched every direction till it is dry.I use the old traditional rope to a tree method on larger hides but like your coon and mink hides you can do them by hand.Many times I'll do a combination of both methods.
What you'll have is a dressed hide then.It'll turn hard if gotten wet and drys.It's actually not water proof till it is smoked properly.
I end up with top notch,soft,and beautiful leather.After doing so many there is'nt one step in the whole process about brain tanning that I could complain about getting the results that I get.

[Zuma]

Thanks Ed you make it sound so easy
Zuma

[BowEd]

It really is in my book.I'm close to 65 years old and it still is'nt anything to complain about.

[Morgan]

I id a few black squirrels with neatsfoot oil years ago. They turned out beautifully soft and white. I found the key was to keep them VERY stretched, almost to the point of breaking. I also worked them past the point where they felt dry to the touch. After a few unsuccessful braintan attempts, I feel the stretching while drying is vital. And they have to be dry when you are done.

It wouldn't hurt to redress, just rebreak them again also.

Kyle

Oh, I'd rather use eggs or oil. Cooking brains turns my stomach.

Kyle, my dad tanned a muskrat with neetsfoot oil when I was little and it was very soft and supple. It laid across the back of our living room chair the whole time I was growing up and was in good shape last time I saw it. I don’t know how he tanned it, just know he said he tanned it with neetsfoot and learned the process in a trapping magazine. I would love to know the process you went through on your skins.

[BowEd]

Years ago I saw articles in magazines like Field & Stream/Outdoor Life etc. showing certain tanning procedures.I would like to see the results myself too and the whole process using neats foot oil and water alone.I've used neats foot oil in very small amounts as it is expensive to help soften aluminum sulfate tanned hides before while stretching and working as it will emulsify and mix with water with the water evaporating and leaving the neats foot oil in the leather.
Tanning like many things done the simple way does'nt always mean easy but with experience becomes easier.

[Zuma]

It really is in my book.I'm close to 65 years old and it still is'nt anything to complain about.

Not to put you on the spot but how long do you think it should take to dress a coon
by hand? And is brain tanning actually brain dressing, even if smoked. 

I tried smoking a mink hide once. It took me a month and thirty packs of cigarette
papers.
Thanks Ed

[BowEd]

I like your humor Zuma...Good one!!!I got lucky and quit those cigs years ago.Feel better on account of it.You can rig up your own method of smoking the way you want to do it.
But seriously I've always called a hide that is just only brain tanned being dressed.Smoking is just part of it to keep it resilient to get soft again with just a little scuffing after drying from being wet and to keep bugs away from it also.
If your going to use brains to dress your coon hide I would apply it pretty warm to it.Anything else you'll use also.Leaving the brains on overnight with it rolled up.In a plastic bag is best.
Next day I'd check to see if any stiff spots are there yet not loosened up like the neck mainly.The thickest part.If not loose apply more with more water warm again.The thicker places will be the toughest to get started stretching but they will.
Time wise of completion is pretty self explanatory I think and is determined by how long you work it out in the open air.It can easily be done in a day but not totally necessary.Like I said earlier if you want to take a break put it in a plastic bag twisted shut and get to it later.I would'nt let it sit around for a week though.