Tanning Tips Q&A

by Frank Sherwood

People frequently write asking about problems they have had when brain tanning hides. There are some questions that come up again and again. I have collected a few of the most common questions and answered them below.

Q: My Deer hide has developed funny ridges on it as I was dry scraping. What is this from and how can I get rid of it?

A: This is called washboarding and it comes from scraping with a dull or loose bladed scraper, or scraping a hide when it is damp. Check your scraper for sharpness and sharpen it if needed. Make sure the hide is dry. If you have these washboard ridges, they can be removed by scraping with a sharp blade parallel to the ridges.

Q: I just scraped the flesh side of my hide and now, as it is drying, these clear spots are appearing around the edges. What is this and what should 1 do?

A: These are grease burns that result from fat and grease being left on the hide when it was fleshed. It means the hide was not scraped thoroughly. Simply wash and rinse the hide using a grease cutting dish soap. This should get rid of most of the grease, but it may also make the affected area tear more easily, so use caution when scraping this area.

Q: After spending long hours on my first attempt at brain tanning, my hide turned out as stiff as a board. Is there any hope?

A: The most common causes of a hide turning out stiff are: not pushing hard enough while staking, or quitting before the hide was completely dry. You can dampen the stiff areas of the hide and restake until thoroughly dry. Remember, hides are pretty tough, so push firmly and stretch that hide to soften the fibers. Running out of time in the middle of staking is not good. However, if you are unable to stake the hide until it is dry, you can unrack the hide, wring out any moisture, and place it in a plastic bag. If you will be able to finish in a day or two, just put it in the refrigerator. Otherwise, freeze the hide until it can be finished. Good luck!

From True Tracks, Winter-Spring 1996, published by the Tracker School.
For more articles from True Tracks, visit the Tracker Trail website.