Hide time

[bjrogg]

I made a sheath for a neck knife and it gave me the bug to start working on some hides again. I fleshed two deer hides and put them on frames after I scraped the hair off two that were still in my frames from last winter. I have three hides brained and broke. Ready for smoke. Four scraped and ready for brains. Three on frames ready to scrap hair off. I've got a lot of work done and a lot ahead of me yet.

This is the project that gave me the bug again. It's commercial tanned deer hide from the person I made knife and sheath for. I've been nervous about cutting up my tanned hides. This little project gave me a lot of ideas and I'm much more comfortable cutting my hides up now.
Bjrogg
PS I still have 2 red fox, a couple raccoons, a ground hog and a bear. Plus whatever else gets drug over here. Not sure I'm going to get it all done but I won't be running out of projects for awhile.

[bjrogg]

One of the scraped hides before I cut it out of frame. Ready for brains
Bjrogg

[Chief RID]

Perty work. Hats off! That should be an emoji.

[Pappy]

Nice work on the sheath , love working on hides but very time consuming.
 Pappy

[Tracker0721]

This is still on my list of stuff to do! I wanna try some fur on coyote to make a quiver. Hard to do with our coyote furs selling for just over $100 a pelt though!

[bjrogg]

This is still on my list of stuff to do! I wanna try some fur on coyote to make a quiver. Hard to do with our coyote furs selling for just over $100 a pelt though!

It’s a lot easier to experiment with them when their $15. I’ve tanned a bunch of them over the last several years. Usually I just hang them on walls or trade for something. I did make a deal a few years ago with a neighbor who’s wife is from Ukraine. She had five red fox made into a absolutely beautiful coat. It has removable sleeves and turns into a vest. I’ve only seen pictures, but have had so many people tell me how nice it looks.

I’ve been trying to get up the nerve to cut some of this stuff up and make some stuff. I have a bunch of ideas now. I’m hoping my thumb gets better and I can finish up my hides. I’m getting quite a inventory again. Still got a lot of work to do.

Thumb is starting to feel a little better. I’m hoping I can get at them in a couple weeks. Dr said it’d take six months. We’ll see if I can adapt a bit and figure out a way to be a bit easier on it.

Bjrogg

PS really miss Ed when it comes to hide tanning advice. He did beautiful work and explained everything really well

[Hawkdancer]

Hopefully, Ed is lurking out there ready to get back in on the right thread!  He does have a wealth of information and advice on processing and tanning!
Hawkdancer

[BowEd]

Hello BJ and Hawkdancer......
The tanning bug is hard to get rid of that's for sure.Most all my ideas for projects come from just pictures I see and making them useful.
In the beginning of learning to sew I did'nt have any more experience with sewing other than putting a button back on a shirt.I soon came to respect the talents of expert seamstresses and quilt makers.I investigated into their talents and slick ways of sewing.
Some of their methods are'nt pro primitive but sure do look nice.It was'nt long I invested looking into different ways of braiding with different multiple numbers of strands also.
PS.....Nice looking deer hide.I'd aluminum sulfate tan/pickling salt those smaller hair on hides.

[bjrogg]

Thanks Ed. Yeah the hide bug doesn’t bit everyone, but I’ve always enjoyed every step of it. From harvest to skinning to scrapping to tanning. My sewing skills are like yours first we’re. Which is slightly better than my wife’s so no help there. I do have a lot of respect for many talents and seamstress would be one of them.
 My neighbor doesn’t anymore, but once upon a time did a lot of sewing. She made clothes for dolls that were pretty neat. Whenever I got a new flag, I’d take it over to her before I even ran it up the pole. She would sew it with a stitch that wouldn’t unravel. Those flags would last a long time.

I’m just going to brain tan the deer hides. The ones I did last year turned out very nice. I still have to rig something up for smoking them. The fur I’ll use commercial stuff.

Glad to see your still on the right side of the sod.

Bjrogg

[BowEd]

Hello BJ....
Personally I think the attraction of natural bow and arrow making,hides,fur,and leather making all stems from the attraction of the outdoors.The woods.The land.The inhabitants on it in a natural setting.How it gets along on it's own.An overall appreciation of it on any web site.
In expressing it I don't see any right or wrong side of the sod or venue to express it on.If another site is organized or made available I'm completely open to getting to know those on there too.People are people with their talents no matter what site they are on.

[bjrogg]

I’m sorry Ed. I didn’t mean you were at a wrong web site or anything like that. I just was worried for awhile there that you might not be with us anymore. As is gone to the “ Happy Hunting Grounds”.

Where I grew up that’s an expression we use. Any day is a good day when your still on the right side off the sod. Meaning they didn’t put me in the ground yet. I’ve lost some really good friends in the last few years. Glad your still around and kickin. Looks like your still putting out some really nice stuff yet.

Bjrogg

[Deerhunter21]

Im still building myself up to tanning that racoon hide... and deer hide... and well... Its my first time doing this so Im not too good. Might just make rawhide out of the deerhide but de-hairing it and de-graining it I keep getting too many holes     

   grrrrrrr



P.S. I think saying on the right side of the sod is just a fancy way of saying, "Im glad your not dead, dying, anything of the sorts!/glad your not 6ft under!!"

[BowEd]

My apologies to BJ for interpreting what which side of the sod meant.Makes sense.Although I don't think about that subject too much anyway.

[bjrogg]

No apologies necessary Ed. Just glad your doing well.
Bjrogg

Russell you can always tan your deer hide later if you make it into hair off rawhide. Just flesh it really good. You well get the hang of it after a few holes. .  For the deer hide you could even use a power washer if you had one. Then lace it on a rack and let it dry till you can scrap the hair off.

The raccoon you could use a commercial tan. I’ve had really good luck with a system I got fro taxidermy supply company. They had some nice videos to help to. Also a support team if you called and had questions.
 
There are other tanning solutions to. I would suggest cleaning coon really good. I use a degreasers bath for oily hides.

[bjrogg]

I scrapped the hair and epidermal layer off another hide tonight. Then I cut it out of frame with one of my stone points. I’m feeling out of shape. That was a good work out. Two more to go. Not tonight though.
Bjrogg