Learning how to tan deerskin is not difficult, but it takes a little manual work and a lot of time. The end result will be a soft deerskin that you can use for a variety of projects, such as a rug, hat, vest or upholstery. This article explains some tanning techniques with both acid solutions and deer brain oil.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Tanning with Acidic Solutions
Step 1. Remove all meat and fat from the deer skin
Do this after the skin has cooled and you can lay it out on a flat stone or concrete. Use a knife and remove all residues. It is very important that there are no traces of meat so that it does not rot.
- Don't wait too long to remove the meat after skinning the deer. If it begins to decompose you will not be able to finish the tanning.
- Use a suitable tool to scrape all the meat. Sharp knives can cut and damage the skin.
Step 2. Rub the fur with non-iodized salt (sea salt)
Make sure you put an even layer of it to remove all the moisture. Use 1.5-2.5kg based on skin size.
- The salting process takes about two weeks. Keep adding salt until the skin is dehydrated and looks wrinkled.
- Add even more salt to the wettest spots.
Step 3. Soak the skin in water
Before using a saline solution, soak the skin in clean water until it is soft and pliable. This operation ensures that the leather is ready to absorb the chemical tanning agents. Remove the dried inner skin.
Step 4. Get the ingredients for the saline solution
It serves to soften the skin and to preserve it; it is an essential step in the tanning process. Here's what you'll need:
- 8 liters of water.
- 2 liters of bran water (boil 2 liters of water and pour in about half a kilo of bran flakes. Let the mixture rest for an hour, then filter and store the water).
- 1.5 kg of salt (not iodized).
- 60 ml of battery acid.
- 1 pack of baking soda.
- 2 large garbage cans.
- 1 large stick to mix and move the skin.
Step 5. Tanned the leather
Put the salt in the garbage can and add 8 liters of boiling water. Add the bran water and mix until the salt has completely dissolved. Add the battery acid. Put the leather in the bin by squeezing it down with the stick to make sure it gets completely submerged. Leave to soak for 40 minutes. Remove the skin from the saline solution and drain it.
Wear gloves and take all necessary precautions to avoid burns with battery acid
Step 6. Neutralize the saline solution
Combine 28 grams of baking soda for every 4 liters of water and use enough to completely cover the skin in another large bin. Soak the skin for 20 minutes, then rinse it off and let it drain.
Step 7. Grease the skin
After rinsing it, hang it on a beam to drain it. Rub it with ox foot oil.
Step 8. Pull the skin
Hang it on a frame so it stays taut to finish the procedure. Put it away from the sun to let it dry. After a few days you should find it dry and flexible. Remove it from the frame and run a metal brush on the side of the leather until it has a suede look. Let it dry for a few more days.
Method 2 of 2: Tanning with Deer Brain Oil
Step 1. Remove the meat
The first part of the tanning process always involves removing all fragments of meat or fat from the skin. Place the leather on a specific frame or garbage bag or tarp on the floor. Scrape off any remaining meat with a special tool.
Step 2. Rinse the skin
Wash it with clean water to remove dirt, blood, and bits of meat. You can use castile soap or another type of natural cleanser.
Step 3. Let the skin dry outdoors
Hang it on a support that holds it tight and let it dry for a few days before soaking it in the tanning solutions.
- You can buy the frame to dry it in hunting shops. It is a very useful wooden structure.
- The skin must be tight and not just hanging. Otherwise the edges will curl.
Step 4. Remove the hair
Use a curved steel blade with a handle or a traditional moose horn scraper by passing it over the fur against the grain. This helps the skin absorb the tanning solutions. Be careful not to damage the skin on the abdomen area.
Step 5. Make the solution to tan
Put the deer brain with 250ml of water in a pan. Cook it until the brain mashes. It should look like soup. Crush it so that it is well uniform and without lumps.
Step 6. Tanned the leather
First of all, wash the skin once more with clean water to remove any residual fur and to make it more malleable. Squeeze it between two cloths to remove excess water. Now pour the brain mixture on the skin and rub it with your hands. Rub a sufficient amount of it to cover the entire skin, down to the last centimeter.
- You can put on gloves if you don't want to do the job with your bare hands.
- When you're done, roll up the skin and place it in a large food or freezer bag. Refrigerate for 24 hours to give the skin time to absorb the brain.
Step 7. Soften the skin
To prevent it from becoming hard and stiff you have to work it by pulling it at the edges. Remove the skin from the refrigerator, put it back on the structure and remove the excess brain with a cloth. Use a wide stick by running it back and forth across the entire surface of the skin until it is soft.
- You can also use a heavy rope to soften the leather.
- Another way to soften the leather is to remove it from the structure and, with the help of a partner, rub it back and forth on a log or shelf.
Step 8. Smoke the skin
This is the last step for a natural tanning. Sew the leather on the sides to make a pouch. Close one end so that it can retain the smoke. Dig a hole 30 cm in diameter and 15 cm deep. Place the "leather bag" over the hole with the open side facing down and hold it suspended with sticks like an Indian tent. Light a small fire in the pit so the smoke reaches the skin.
- As the flames go down and the fire begins to go out, add more chips to create more smoke and to fuel the fire. Make sure the smoke doesn't disperse.
- After half an hour, turn the bag over and smoke the other side.
Related wikiHows
- Like Slaughtering a Deer
- How to Go Deer Hunting
