Anyone ever tanned a hide?

[Myka]

Anyone know how to do it? I have been looking online, and I have found quite a few different "recipes". Along with non-iodized salt, some say to use battery acid, others say to use ammonia alum?

[Buzz]

Are you wanting to soften it or dye it a different colour?

[muck]

What did your boyfriend do?

[hillbillyreefer]

http://www.halfordhide.com/catalogue...p-supplies.pdf

Check out page 20 of the pdf. A bunch of kits for the home tanner. Anytime I`ve had questions about their products a quick call has given me all the info and understanding I`ve needed to get the job done. I`ve never tanned a hide but would be interested in learning someday.

[Myka]

LOL muck!

I am wanting to preserve the hide (have it pliable too).

Thanks for the link hillbillreefer, I will check it out!

[Buzz]

I was always told that the natives urinated on the hide and stretched it over a wooden post. Kind of gross but I've heard that multiple times.

[Myka]

Must be the ammonia in the urine.

My mom tanned a hide once never again she got a kit and instructions from a few sources. She stretched in on a rack you have to scrape the hair off and all traces of the fat on the inside. Then you apply a solution that depends on the kit you get. After the hide is finished stretching and tanning it is quite rigid and you have to soak it to get any of the chemicals out that are left from the tanning process and then stretch it some more. Once again it is quite rigid and this time you have to beet it to soften it, they say the natives use to chew on the hide to soften it. I don't know if I would chew on it; there could be left over chemicals. Buy the way it does not smell too good either while curing. I have been in a tannery and it smells pretty bad in there. I don't remember the whole process but this is the general idear anyway.
Bill