Trying to tan a hide

Gunsmithing & DIY forum for everyone. Enjoy!
Post your projects, questions and advice here.
User avatar
dashooter
.338 Lapua Magnum
Posts: 2805
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2013 4:08 pm
Favourite Cartridge: Wby Magnum's :)
Location: Deep South Canberra

Re: Trying to tan a hide

Post by dashooter »

This is a cape from the weekend on its first salt run (4kgs of salt on it).
Image


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
User avatar
Camel
Ultimate AusVarminter
Posts: 12084
Joined: Sat May 28, 2011 8:51 pm
Favourite Cartridge: 20-222 6x47 rem, 250
Location: Northern Riverina NSW

Re: Trying to tan a hide

Post by Camel »

dashooter wrote: Wed May 24, 2017 12:40 pm
Keith wrote: Wed May 24, 2017 8:04 am
dashooter wrote: Wed May 24, 2017 7:33 am Persistence and a very sharp knife on a fine angle being careful. It will take a while though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Ok I'm on the right track then :D , once all cut off just wash it then use the tanning kit yeah?
Thanks.
Not knowing how well the salt penetrated through the meat into the skin, i would probably run another load of salt over the skin just to be sure (once you have the meaty bits off) then follow whatever process you need to for tanning solution (havent done the tanning bit myself).
This, get the kit, read the instructions and make sure you follow them exactly and you will have no troubles. I would be very tempted to resalt and hang for at least another week.
220
.270 Winchester
Posts: 1354
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2009 9:11 pm
Favourite Cartridge: N/A
Location: Southern NSW

Re: Trying to tan a hide

Post by 220 »

See if you can pick up one of the fleshing tools that come in the leder kits (used to be leidreiters) you can tear rabbit skins with them, fox skins if you try hard enough but next to impossible to put a hole in anything thicker.
A proper fleshing knife is the go but if you don't have the skill the fleshing tool is easy to use without doing any damage.
Keith
New Member
Posts: 18
Joined: Sun Jun 14, 2015 7:05 pm
Favourite Cartridge: .308
Location: Seaford Victoria

Re: Trying to tan a hide

Post by Keith »

220 wrote: Wed May 24, 2017 3:42 pm See if you can pick up one of the fleshing tools that come in the leder kits (used to be leidreiters) you can tear rabbit skins with them, fox skins if you try hard enough but next to impossible to put a hole in anything thicker.
A proper fleshing knife is the go but if you don't have the skill the fleshing tool is easy to use without doing any damage.
I bought that kit and it has the tool inside, I just thought it would be for when it was soft and fresh, I'll try it out.
220
.270 Winchester
Posts: 1354
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2009 9:11 pm
Favourite Cartridge: N/A
Location: Southern NSW

Re: Trying to tan a hide

Post by 220 »

Use the serrated side and work away from you, much easier if you have a fleshing beam. If you start at the neck and work down the skin you can often get the sinew membrane and any meat coming off in a sheet. If your lucky you can sometimes just pull it off by hand once started.
I actually find it easiest to flesh when any meat left has dried to about moist jerky levels.
User avatar
Gadge
.22 WMR
Posts: 109
Joined: Mon Jun 11, 2007 1:24 pm
Favourite Cartridge: .270Win
Location: Gippsland, VIC

Re: Trying to tan a hide

Post by Gadge »

220 wrote: Wed May 24, 2017 3:42 pmA proper fleshing knife is the go but if you don't have the skill the fleshing tool is easy to use without doing any damage.
Yep, a real tanner's fleshing knife is a proper weapon, right enough! And they require a 'fleshing beam' behind the skin, too.

I have a double-handled one I picked up at a disposals shop years ago. Fearsome looking item - I'll add a pic of it tomoz.
Keith
New Member
Posts: 18
Joined: Sun Jun 14, 2015 7:05 pm
Favourite Cartridge: .308
Location: Seaford Victoria

Re: Trying to tan a hide

Post by Keith »

220 wrote: Wed May 24, 2017 5:49 pm Use the serrated side and work away from you, much easier if you have a fleshing beam. If you start at the neck and work down the skin you can often get the sinew membrane and any meat coming off in a sheet. If your lucky you can sometimes just pull it off by hand once started.
I actually find it easiest to flesh when any meat left has dried to about moist jerky levels.
I managed to get it do pull apart by hand, much easier! Got a small bit left to do tomorrow night. There is this white stringy looking stuff coming off when I run the blade over the skin, is that just like dead skin and does that need to come off too?
User avatar
Camel
Ultimate AusVarminter
Posts: 12084
Joined: Sat May 28, 2011 8:51 pm
Favourite Cartridge: 20-222 6x47 rem, 250
Location: Northern Riverina NSW

Re: Trying to tan a hide

Post by Camel »

Keith wrote: Wed May 24, 2017 7:30 pm
220 wrote: Wed May 24, 2017 5:49 pm Use the serrated side and work away from you, much easier if you have a fleshing beam. If you start at the neck and work down the skin you can often get the sinew membrane and any meat coming off in a sheet. If your lucky you can sometimes just pull it off by hand once started.
I actually find it easiest to flesh when any meat left has dried to about moist jerky levels.
I managed to get it do pull apart by hand, much easier! Got a small bit left to do tomorrow night. There is this white stringy looking stuff coming off when I run the blade over the skin, is that just like dead skin and does that need to come off too?
That white stringy looking stuff is actually called "Selvage" though some call it a sub-cutaneous membrane, same smell, different shit. The main thing I have found to get rid of is any big chunks of meat, and of course as much fat as possible. A little selvage left on the skin wont hurt, as long as it is scored so the tanning chemical can get into the skin and work its magic all will be right, after the skin is tanned, dried and softened a lot of the flaky stuff can be removed with a sanding disc using very coarse grit, about 40 works well.
barryb
.270 Winchester
Posts: 1326
Joined: Fri Oct 18, 2013 10:35 am
Favourite Cartridge: 17 ackley hornet
Location: Hunter NSW

Re: Trying to tan a hide

Post by barryb »

mmmh, don't like the sound of all this , guess I'll be outa business soon with all these young fellows coming into the game & slightly older tanning gurus sharing their Leidrieters techniques. Suppose it was a dying occupation anyhow.
Good luck with it Keith , sounds like it's going to end up a nice pelt.
Barry
220
.270 Winchester
Posts: 1354
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2009 9:11 pm
Favourite Cartridge: N/A
Location: Southern NSW

Re: Trying to tan a hide

Post by 220 »

:lol:
don't worry about the competition from me, after the work and trouble I had with the Belgium blue steer I did last year Im not sure the effort and hassles are worth the $$$.

Don't envy you, I don't mind doing them when you have control from live animal to tanned hide but there is that much that can go wrong when you only become involved part way through the process and the outcome isn't known until the finished product come out of the solution.
User avatar
trevort
Spud Gun
Posts: 12710
Joined: Thu Sep 14, 2006 9:21 pm
Favourite Cartridge: Tater
Location: Melbourne

Re: Trying to tan a hide

Post by trevort »

Keith, Barry did the fallow hide you have seen at my place. I recommend picking his brain before you start the next one


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
User avatar
mick_762
50 BMG
Posts: 4156
Joined: Sun Mar 04, 2012 1:46 pm
Favourite Cartridge: 308 Norma
Location: Wodonga Vic

Re: Trying to tan a hide

Post by mick_762 »

trevort wrote: Thu May 25, 2017 7:43 am Keith, Barry did the fallow hide you have seen at my place. I recommend picking his brain before you sending the next one straight to him and avoid the pain


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Fixed it Trev :mrgreen:
User avatar
Gadge
.22 WMR
Posts: 109
Joined: Mon Jun 11, 2007 1:24 pm
Favourite Cartridge: .270Win
Location: Gippsland, VIC

Re: Trying to tan a hide

Post by Gadge »

Dying trade in Oz is all too correct; Howe Leather have a tannery down at Rosedale, not too far from me, that tans cow hides for the luxury vehicle market. That tannery takes them from raw, through de-hairing and 'wet blue', to the 'crust tanned' stage of processing.

It's recently been reported in the local news that it's going to be closed down shortly, and the raw/preserved hides shipped offshore for processing...
User avatar
trevort
Spud Gun
Posts: 12710
Joined: Thu Sep 14, 2006 9:21 pm
Favourite Cartridge: Tater
Location: Melbourne

Re: Trying to tan a hide

Post by trevort »

Great bakery in Rosedale. One of the very few places if not only that has a steak and kidney pie on the menu


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
User avatar
Camel
Ultimate AusVarminter
Posts: 12084
Joined: Sat May 28, 2011 8:51 pm
Favourite Cartridge: 20-222 6x47 rem, 250
Location: Northern Riverina NSW

Re: Trying to tan a hide

Post by Camel »

trevort wrote: Thu May 25, 2017 9:23 am Great bakery in Rosedale. One of the very few places if not only that has a steak and kidney pie on the menu


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
We get them at times in our bakery, just depends on how the cook is feeling. :wink:
Post Reply