Braining Day : Making Buckskin pt 6

This may seem kind of gross but it makes the hide soft. I cook the brains to kill any pathogens that might be lurking. I used to use 'em just raw but they don't smell so awful if you cook 'em. I'm using hog brains this time.You could use soap and neatsfoot oil or even eggs but I like brains.when I can get them. PLEASE DON'T COOK THE HIDE with too hot of a solution. Add water to thin it down and let it cool till you can hold your hand in it. Put the wrung hide in and let it spend the nite getting acquainted with the brain. Put on some old clothes and shoes and wring the hide when it comes out the next day and then proceed to softening. I will upload softening and then smoking as I get them finished.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• deer
• hide
• brain
• tanning
• leather
• buckskin
• outdoors
• braindope

[95hanhepiwi]

How many eggs would you use to tan a deer hide? The same amount as brains?

[OL8Twho]

@95hanhepiwi I don't really know but that sounds about right. A dozen eggs or however much you need to soak the hide in. Do it after you've wrung it out real good so it will soak up the eggs like a sponge. Of course you wouldn't cook 'em! I recently started cooking the brains to kill any pathogens or bacteria and cuz it smells a little bit better but I've used uncooked brains plenty of times. Let me know if your egg treatment works.

[coopers204]

How would you use the footoil ? And the eggs?

I clean hides but have only been taught natural color, interested in getting that whitish color for the drums

Thanks

[OL8Twho]

@coopers204 I never used eggs, but I've read about it. I used neatsfoot oil and a little soap and it turned out ok.

I noticed the drums in your videos are kinda dark, you guys use rawhide for drumheads, right? I don't think you could use this braintanned stuff for a drum, it's too soft. but you could stretch a hide out tight on a rack and it might look whiter and just let it dry and don't use any oils to soften it.

[jaymarco123]

aaahhhhhhhh they're soooooo cute!!! blaaam blaaam blaaam blaaaam!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! alrighty, now lets make a feather hat :)

[Linnas79]

At 2:00 I really thought you were going to lick the spoon :-D

[coopers204]

Yeah I do natural tan, a friend said to scrap and use that foot oil or brains but I know that is one way if making leather ( I smoke mine) Thanks