Hair on tanning problem

[apg]

Hi everyone,

I shot a big old 180 lb doe last week that had a stunning coat. I wanted to do my first hair on hide.

So I fleshed it, salted it a lot, and cleaned the skin. Then I used the a salt water amonia alum solution for four days and transferred it to a board, hair out to dry. I noticed at that point the hide was losing huge clumps of fur.

I added the deer hunters and trappers formula and started working the hide and more fur fell out. So I tried to let the hide dry completely and start again with the formula but it didn’t work. So I removed all the fur and went with a hair off hide.

Any idea what on earth I did wrong? I’m pretty upset, this would have made a perfect vest.

[Pappy]

First off deer hair on don't make good clothing, the hair will break and shed unlike fur it's hollow hair, beautiful on a table/wall or for displays but won't take much rubbing such as clothing or quivers. I am not sure on why the hair slipped but if it was slipping you came real close to spoiling the hide, I only do brain tan so someone else may chime in on the solution you used. 
 Pappy

[gutpile]

my thought is you left in water solution too long... I don't think you need to soak at all if you brain the flesh side and stretch and soften in a frame... Im going to do a hair on rug... my plan is flesh put in frame loose.... work it with a stake till dry.. then pull frame tight and let set for 24 hours.. should lay flat then and be soft on flesh side... gut

[gutpile]

meant to add brain it while in frame loose...when I brain this one it will be with a brush too... so I won't wring it out... I did one a long time ago.. soak it in alum a few days... then neatsfoot oiled flesh side... it is soft but sheds like a golden retriever... haha... but it is about 8 years old and hasn't lost any clumps and still is full hair on hide...