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?