Can anybody give me some pointers on how to turn a fur on deerhide into rawhide for backing a bow?
I am coming into winter here in upstate NY so putting it in the sun isn't a very good option. Is there an easy way? Thanks
Brian
Here's how I do it. Click on thumbnails to enlarge and read text. Don't know of any easy ways or I wouldn't do it this way ;)
http://groups.msn.com/ferretsarcherywebpage/makingrawhideforbacking.msnw
Thanks Mickey. What are you using to scrape the hide?
Homemade ADZ sometimes spelled ADZE. Primitive tool for scraping but basically it looks like a cross between a pick and a curved chisel.
If you soak a hide in water,for a few days,the hair will slip right off.Its a little smellier,but easier.Go by every couple days n pick it up,by the hair.If it pulls off easy,its ready.You can rinse n wash it off,after,to eliminate the mell.Most of it goes away,after it dries.
Traxx is right on target. it is a very simple task. Do just like he says. I make my drums in the same fashion. You can also change the water each day to keep the smell down. But heck it don't smell that bad anyhow. Least it don't stink like cuttin and grining antler for knives. Mike Smyth
I forgot, but to flesh just lay over a piece of pvc pipe and push off with a dull draw knife. Takes about fifteen minutes for a big one. Mike Smyht
TTT
You can also check out http://www.braintan.com/
Brian, I messed one up this year already.I think I left it in the bin too long and may not have fleshed it well enough.The hairs were breaking in the middle instead of coming out of the hide and it got to stinking.I used lime from Lowes and wood ashes.Let me know when you have some success.
Traxx and OBCWD..what if you punched a hole in a corner, tied a rope to it, and then threw it in a creek of running water (anchoring it with the rope of course). How many days before the hair would be gone?
A pressure washer works real well to flesh it.I know ,I know! It aint very primitive but if you are in a hurry it will save a ton of time
Ferret, not sure how many days in the creek. I can tell you that in like 50 to 70 degrees in a five gallon bucket with daily change of water it will take four days to about seven days to slip easily. Then neck is always the last to slip. When I say slip I mean just wipe off with the thumb or fingers. If it is over 70 and for sure if it above 80 change water each day and by the 4th or 5th day it should slip. Over 90 and it will really go fast as in sometimes rot before or at the same time it slips. Actually that is what is happening when it slips is controlled rot. Just a fair guess I would say two weeks in the crick to slip. I have made a lot of drum heads in the bucket with good results. Mike Smyth
Nugget, How long would you say it takes to flesh a skin from a medium size deer with the power washer? Thanks Mike Smyth
5 minutes maybe
That is quick. Do you just lay it on the ground or what? I have a friend who did one on the ground and he got all wet from back spray. Mike Smyth
No use a fleshing beam or something of that nature. A rack of some sort to lay it over.Start at the neck and work yer way back.
Just so I have it straight. Soak it in water for a couple of days to get the hair off and then pressure wash the flesh off.Does it then need to be stretched to dry or can it just dry laid out?
Thanks for all of the great pointers guys! Brian
Would adding a smaaallll amount of bleach to your water stop the smell?
I know it will kill bacteria, so maybe the hair wouldn't slip as it normally would?
Washes my sinew in bleach water (1 tbsp per 3 imp. gallon) Kills any bacteria boogers that may be living there.
I have had a hide through the hard wood ash stage and just have'nt had time to Grain it and proceed with the tanning process. I have been changing the water in a 5 gallon bucket about every other day for about 6 days. Can I simply pull off the remaining hair and dry it to have good rawhide?
Yes you got it Horatio1226 That is the way to do it.once it is on the rack to stretch take and squeegy all the excess water off of it.On both sides. It will quicken the process. If all goes right you should have useable rawhide in less than a few days.
Thanks nugget. I really appreciate your input. Brian
I do mine like Ferret, have been for the past 30 years or so. IMO I think it makes for the best rawhide or for brainning. Just make sure you get the dermis layer off also.
Ozark you can but ya got to rinse it real good to get the lye from the ash out. As far as rawhide goes you want the epidermal layer to stay on for the best rawhide. You only have to remove the epidermal layer if you are going to make braintan. Mike Smyth
I used to flesh my hides, and then soak for a few days in a mixture of water and Red Devil lye. After wiping the hair off, I'd then soak it for a day in a second mixture, this time water and apple cider vinegar to neutralize the lye. After that, I'd stretch them on a frame to dry.
Unfortunately, I don't remember the mixture ratios for the two solutions.
the Deerskin to Buckskins book is a great resource, tells about rawhide too. I did mine the way Jason said, and the came out great. Made a nice drum from one skin. They seem not to stink too bad with the lye water. But I seem to recall them making lye controlled substance because of meth heads using it to cook their drugs. First Sudafed and now soap!
I made a bunch of buckskin too and they came out beautiful, but dang near gave me arthritis in my hands. It is a ton of work.