Tanning hides

[BFOX22]

Just wondering if anyone keeps and tans their deer/elk hides? Just wondering why or what you do with them and the process you use to do it.

[dreadi]

I gave all I had to three hides. Deer, elk, and bear. I used the Trapper’s Formula product. It was A LOT of work and they still didn’t come out as I wanted them to. You know, nice and supple with the hair on. I only loss hair on the bear ears due to not fleshing them throughly and fly laying eggs and maggots hatching. Unfortunately,  none of them came out soft and supple.

[Oh Mah]

I tan all hides,I make pillows,Back covers for couches,Blankets,and bear wall rug with no head or legs.Coyote,Bear and deer hide.

20 coyotes for blanket,A lot of sewing.

I use the borax solution. 

[pup0025]

A few years ago I got a van-dykes lutan-f taning kit from Cabela's bargain cave, it was cheap. Like 20 bucks I think.  I had never tanned a hide before so I decided to try it out.  I did 2 raccoons and both came out really well, no hair loss and they smell like leather.  It was time consuming.

[Jpmiller]

I try to tan all the decent hides that aren't a royal pain to get out. Then I stop working them when they're soft but not even close to professional soft and supple and then I throw them in a tote in the shop. I think I'm down to two or three now I gave almost all away. Everytime I wonder why I keep tanning them with no plan to use them for anything but it just seems wasteful not to. Most everyone I hunt with doesn't do anything with them and I don't have an issue with that but I can't just leave them. I have stopped taking all theirs at least.

[Bango skank]

I tan all hides,I make pillows,Back covers for couches,Blankets,and bear wall rug with no head or legs.Coyote,Bear and deer hide.

20 coyotes for blanket,A lot of sewing.

I use the borax solution. 

You really tanned and sewed 20 coyotes to make a blanket?  Damn thats a lot of work.  Care to post a pic?

[RookieBow1967]

I brain tan my deer hides then hang them on the walls. Still working on getting them soft though. How do you guys try to soften yours?

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[pup0025]

I've heard you can break the hide by putting them In the dryer on no heat with some tennis balls

[Yelper Guy]

Or you could chew it like the natives did.

[Jpmiller]

I had best results pulling it over a metal fence post sunk into concrete. Took two guys to do it and a long time at that, still wasn't professional quality but it was my softest.

[Tbob]

Is it expensive to have it professionally done?

[dreadi]

I've heard you can break the hide by putting them In the dryer on no heat with some tennis balls

Tried that when the Ms. wasn’t home. Didn’t work for me.

[pup0025]

I've heard you can break the hide by putting them In the dryer on no heat with some tennis balls

Tried that when the Ms. wasn’t home. Didn’t work for me.

thanks,. Everytime I told the Mrs I was going to do that she gave me the LOOK.

[duckmen1]

I've heard you can break the hide by putting them In the dryer on no heat with some tennis balls

Tried that when the Ms. wasn’t home. Didn’t work for me.

thanks,. Everytime I told the Mrs I was going to do that she gave me the LOOK.

Don't add the heat. We did that once and the hide came out looking like a little fawn hide. Although it turned out nice it really shrunk.  opps

[Brushcrawler]

Is it expensive to have it professionally done?

I had a deer done by Promise land Tannery here in WA. I think they were around $150. Good turn-around and nicely tanned.

[dreadi]

I've heard you can break the hide by putting them In the dryer on no heat with some tennis balls

Tried that when the Ms. wasn’t home. Didn’t work for me.

thanks,. Everytime I told the Mrs I was going to do that she gave me the LOOK.

Don't add the heat. We did that once and the hide came out looking like a little fawn hide. Although it turned out nice it really shrunk.  opps

No heat when I tumbled a spike blacktail hide. How long did you tumble yours and how big was it?

[duckmen1]

 The one we did was a mature blacktail doe. We fleshed with a pressure washer which was awesome and super easy. Came out really clean. Did an aluminum alumn type soak. Then it was put in on a low heat on the dryer. It did help break the hide way easier then by hand. I can't remember how long we left it in the dryer. It shrunk a lot. Some due to tanning solution,  but mostly due to added heat. Came out fairly nice though. But can't come close to professional tanning. Still fun to play around and test different things though. Usually use hides that others are not gonna keep. I always send mine in professionally.

[Oh Mah]

I tan all hides,I make pillows,Back covers for couches,Blankets,and bear wall rug with no head or legs.Coyote,Bear and deer hide.

20 coyotes for blanket,A lot of sewing.

I use the borax solution. 

You really tanned and sewed 20 coyotes to make a blanket?  Damn thats a lot of work.  Care to post a pic?

Sorry just got back from Silver Wood.Yes i sewed all the hides no tails to a white comforter.I don't have it any more but it looked like this one here just a little smaller.I cut head and legs off cut into rectangles all the same size them sewed them all together with an industrial sewing machine i had up until about 2 years ago when it gave out on me.  (looking for another one that doesn't cost too much).

[pup0025]

 Dang. That looks awesome....I should take my 2 raccoon hides and make a coon skin thong..or banana hammock!

[Alchase]

I tan all hides,I make pillows,Back covers for couches,Blankets,and bear wall rug with no head or legs.Coyote,Bear and deer hide.

20 coyotes for blanket,A lot of sewing.

I use the borax solution. 

You really tanned and sewed 20 coyotes to make a blanket?  Damn thats a lot of work.  Care to post a pic?

Sorry just got back from Silver Wood.Yes i sewed all the hides no tails to a white comforter.I don't have it any more but it looked like this one here just a little smaller.I cut head and legs off cut into rectangles all the same size them sewed them all together with an industrial sewing machine i had up until about 2 years ago when it gave out on me.  (looking for another one that doesn't cost too much).

Wow, that is impressive!

[DeerSkin]

I have been tanning hides for 8 years now and have used many different methods.Through trial and error I have found that McKenzie tan works best for me. . They always come out really nice and soft.

[Oh Mah]

Those look very nice and clean,They look very soft. 

[DeerSkin]

Those look very nice and clean,They look very soft. 

Thanks, it’s very time consuming and a lot of manual labor. Sometimes I wonder why I always take on so many tanning projects in the winter. It took a long time to figure out how to make them so nice. When I first started tanning they turned out horrible.

[The Marquis]

Those look very nice and clean,They look very soft. 

Thanks, it’s very time consuming and a lot of manual labor. Sometimes I wonder why I always take on so many tanning projects in the winter. It took a long time to figure out how to make them so nice. When I first started tanning they turned out horrible.

That's great to know, because my first go on a deer hide was embarrassing.  I've just got it rolled up because I don't figure there is any real use for the hide with such a trash job done. 

[ELKBURGER]

I have been tanning hides for 8 years now and have used many different methods.Through trial and error I have found that McKenzie tan works best for me. . They always come out really nice and soft.

Those look amazing, do you tan professionally?

[DeerSkin]

I have been tanning hides for 8 years now and have used many different methods.Through trial and error I have found that McKenzie tan works best for me. . They always come out really nice and soft.

Those look amazing, do you tan professionally?

Nope, just a little backyard tanning hobby I learned to do over the years.