Whats the best way to soften a deer hide. I got a quiver from another TG member and it's made from a deer Hide and is a little stiff.
Start chewing !
That was the old way that they use to do it .
Really I have no idea how you would soften it up if it's already into a quiver .I had my deer hide tanned three years ago ,And when it came back it was just like as if it was denim ,Soft as can be .
I don't know what process they used on it.
Are you able to take it apart and work it ?
Somebody with experience will probably chime in .
Carl
Well, years ago we used to soften the leather on our baseball gloves with Neatsfoot Oil. It will darken it a bit. I'd try a little on an out of the way spot - if there is one, and see if it works. OR, you could ask the maker of the quiver and see what he/she says.
Is the hide tanned or rawhide?
It still has the fur on
TTT
Anyone,Anyone
I have taken an orbital sander and went to work on them on a flat surface and had some luck but still not solf like professonally tanned hide.
Neets foot oil will soften the leather. Just use PURE oil not the compound.
If you can turn it inside out, we use a cable or nylon rope between two trees to soften newly tanned hides. Just bend it over the cable and work it back and forth in a sawing motion.
It sounds like a rawhide quiver. Neetsfoot won't do much for that. You can soak it, turn it flesh-side out, then do a simple "brain tan" with water, soap and oil. Work it while it dries, then oil or smoke and it'll stay nice and soft.
If you can find it use lanolin on skin side. I did one with GoJo (lanolin prime ingrediant) once and it came out real good. Apply and break over a 2x4. Work it a couple of times and it comes out nice and soft.
I found a product called Luxol leather conditioner for couches and tried that it worked really well. The hide is pretty flexible and I am going to do another application or two.