Tanning Hides

A lot of people ask me how I tan hides so I decided to post an article on what, and how I do it.

Tanned Elk Hide Growing, up my grandfather, father and uncles were all cowboys and my grandfather and father were Mounted Sheriff’s as well. We all lived around my grandfathers ranch, so all of us kids were junior cowboys as well.

My grandfather was a leather worker (called a tanner) and could make anything, yes I said anything out of leather. Saddles, chaps, bridles, shirts, pants, whips and ropes.

In the fall when it was time to butcher the steers, he’d send the hides to the tannery and beautiful leather would come back. It always intrigued me on how they did it.

So, when I was about 10 years old, I had become very intrigued with tanning and while reading magazines that my parents subscribed to, I learned that if I learned taxidermy, I’d learn how to tan hides, so I saved my money and bought a “Mail Order” Taxidermy course (our Internet in those days was Life Magazine!!).

I saved and bought all of the tools and chemicals and “stuff” that I would need to go through the course.

I learned to mount birds, rabbits, squirrels and just about anything I could get my hands on… usually road kill!

When my parents went deer hunting and would bring home a deer, I would help my dad skin the animal and while mom and dad were butchering it for the freezer, I was salting and prepping the hides.

I learned to tan hides with the hair on and hair off.

We raised rabbits for food so I never let a hide go to waste, they all got tanned. When I was about 18, I had hundreds of rabbit, deer, raccoon, squirrel and other hides that were all tanned, trimmed and beautiful.

As I got older and could hunt myself, I started tanning the BIG game hides (ELK) and that was an eye opener in how hard and how much work went into it. Deer hides are thin and easy to deal with but Elk are huge, very long hair and lots of thick flesh on the skin side.
One of the hardest parts is de-fleshing the hide which usually entails lots and lots of scrapping at the skin side to get all of the non-usable flesh off so that the tanning solution will penetrate.

PRESSURE WASHER
I learned that a pressure washer that puts out at least 3,000psi with an oscillating tip would strip the flesh off of the skin and leave only the bluish skin behind. It allows me to flesh a large animal hide in about an hour and the finished product is uniform and without gouges. (I’m sorry I don’t have any pictures here, its a seriously messy job and no one in the family wants to be standing around taking pictures due to the crazy overspray, maybe next time).
I simply lay the hide on a picnic table and use spring clamps to hold it down while I spray/strip. Suffice it to say, the flesh is stripped off quickly and easily and the ranch dogs love it… It’s like a nutritious rawhide bone feast for them (I love that because I’m utilizing more of the animal).

This is straight out of my life long Hide Taxidermy & Hide Tanning Notebook.

—PREPARING THE HIDE===

If you can’t immediately start the tanning process you must at least SALT the hide.

Cover the hide in non-iodized table (fine grain) salt, fold skin halfway to the middle, side to to side on the skin side so all skin is touching skin, then fold or roll into a compact package. Let stand for 2-3 days to allow the salt to remove the blood and blood moisture. It’s a good idea to keep it out of the reach of dogs or animals as this is raw hide and it is a very nutritious meal.
Be sure to put it where the liquid can drain without ruining your garage floor or your wife’s carpet… It WILL seep a lot of nasty fluid.
NOTE: If the hide is from the Rut season, I like to pre-prepare the hide by rinsing the dirt, blood and urine debris out of the hair first but if you’re pressed for time or out in the field, at least follow this process of salting. This will typically STOP the hide from decomposing, but if this is a rut hide, the bacteria from urine and blood in the hair may cause the hair to fall out during the tanning process.
Better to rinse it by the instructions below:
#1 of HAIR ON METHOD below.
After a few days in the salt, if you are not going to tan the hide immediately, lay it flat, skin side up and apply MORE SALT, about 1/4″ of salt over the entire skin surface. Let it dry almost completely while covered in salt. Then fold or roll it up with all of the dry salt and store it until ready to tan.
When ready to tan, shake and then rinse off the salt and soak in clear water for a few hours (large hides may take 24+ hours) to rehydrate the hide. (I’ve kept hides like this for years until I could get to them for tanning.)

THE HIDE TANNING PROCESS

HAIR ON METHOD:
All big game should be done this way.
If you want to remove the hair and just have leather
follow the instructions for SALTING and FLESHING THE HIDE, then follow the instructions below for REMOVING THE HAIR and then come back to STEP 6 here.

HAIR ON: A.S.A.P.
I hang the hide over a picnic table, or rope line so that it is above the ground and easily accessible.
I hose or pressure wash the hair side to get all of the dirt and blood and debris out. Then I turn it over and lightly rinse the skin side of all dirt and debris.Now, I turn it back over to expose the hair side and use the pressure washer on the low pressure soap setting to apply lysol or any other industrial or hospital sanitizer (this is to kill bacteria that is on the skin at the hair follicle which is the cause of hair coming out after tanning.Bucks and Bulls during the rut urinate on themselves and in a scrape (a hole they dig) which they then roll in to perfume themselves for the girls. This makes them a walking bacteria factory and since they are wearing their winter coat, it is very hard to get to it and kill it in time with a soaking pickling solution [see below] and if you don’t kill that bacteria, chances are good that the hair will fall or pull out after tanning. Let this antibacterial soak for about 20 minutes then pressure rinse skin and meat side off until clean.
Next I shock the hide to set the hair by putting it in a mild Alum pickling solution (1c alum per 5 gallons of water). Soak the entire hide in this for 4-24hrs.
Now follow the salting directions for Preparing the Hide above.
Now, remove the hide and hang it to drip dry.
Discard the shock pickling solution.
Big hides are seriously heavy with the hair on so I use the tractor to lift them out of the tanning can and let them drip dry for a while.
Flesh the hide (see pressure washing).
IF YOU REMOVED THE HAIR, CONTINUE HERE.
Make the tanning solution (see below) and soak the hide for the appropriate time.
Remove the hide and hang it for a couple of hours to drip dry. You can help this along by squeezing the hide, but do not wring it.

REMOVE THE HAIR (Optional)

If you want to remove the hair, prepare a hair removal solution and soak the hide in it for 2-3 days, stirring 2-3 times a day until the hair releases from the skin. Do not leave in the solution any longer after the hair releases or it will begin to decompose the hide its self.

HAIR REMOVAL SOLUTION & INSTRUCTIONS
In a large container (like a plastic garbage can) mix:

1 gallon of hardwood ashes from the fireplace or wood stove
2 lbs powdered slaked lime (I’ve used construction lime successfully)
5 gallons of water

AFTER removing the hair and rinsing the hide multiple times in clear water, soak the hide again for 24 hours in a mixture of 5 gallons of water and 1 quart white vinegar (or 4oz aluminum sulphate [this is the best as it helps to start tanning the leather]) and 4oz Oropon (bating agent) to neutralize the lime action and soften the hide for tanning.

After the vinegar solution soak, soak the hide in clear, clean water for 24 hours.

—MAKING THE VARIOUS SOLUTIONS—

—OILING AND FINISHING SOLUTIONS—

FIRST you will need Sulphonating Neatsfoot Oil
Your finishing solution will require this.
History: The name neatsfoot comes from the old English word for cow, which was “Neats”. The oil comes from the joints and hooves of cattle, therefore the name “Neats Foot Oil”.
It is a natural oil that does not go rancid and does not freeze. It is the joint and hoof lubricant and because of its natural properties, it also allows the cows body to lower the temperature of the legs in the winter to about 40 degrees without causing harm to the living tissue, therefore it allows the cow to conserve heat energy by keeping its body heat within its main body cavity, and minimizes heat loss with minimal heating to the legs in winter.
This oil has been used for centuries to preserve leather.
If you have dirty leather gloves and have ever thrown them in the washer, you noticed that they went very hard and brittle, well, in that case we would just apply some neatsfoot oil and they come right back to life, infact its better not to let them dry out, but put them on wet and rub in neatsfoot oil, take them off and let them dry.

Sulphonated (or Emulsifying) neatsfoot oil
9 Parts neatsfoot oil
1 part oleic acid (alt: stearic acid)
2 parts triethanolamine (used in lotions and health potions)
8 parts water

Mix together oleic acid, triethanolamine and 1/3 of the neatsfoot oil.
Stir vigorously until a thick emulation occurs. Add the reminder of the neatsfoot oil while continuing to stir vigorously, then add the reminder of the water while stirring. Stop stirring when a uniform mixture is obtained.

Use this mixture as sulphonate or sulfated neatsfoot oil in tanning.

STANDARD FINISHING SOLUTION
(aka: Fat Liquor)
This is the solution that makes and keeps the leather soft. It is also where leather gets its unique smell.

MIX
3.5oz Sulphonated Neatsfoot oil
3.5oz Purified water
1oz clear ammonia

===TANNING SOLUTIONS===

BRAIN TANNING
You will need a brain the size of the animal you are tanning.
Every animals brain is enough to tan its hide

Mix the brain in a blender
Heat the solution to hot, almost a boil
Mix the solution with enough water to cover the hide to tan.
Submerge the hide in the solution and leave for 24 hours. Use a brick(s) to hold the hide under the solution.
Dry the skin by squeezing, not wringing.
When the skin part is partly dry, proceed to the oiling and finishing process below

AMMONIUM ALUMINUM SULPHATE (ALUM), SALT & SODIUM BICARBONATE (BAKING SODA) TANNING

This is the process I use the most. It’s very inexpensive and does a very good job. I suggest that you go online and buy 25-50lbs of Ammonium Aluminum Sulphate (Alum) if you have or plan to tan lots of hides.

–THIS IS A SUBMERSED TANNING METHOD–

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb Alum
2 1/2 lbs non-iodized table (fine grain) salt
4 oz (1/2c) Sodium Bicarbonate (baking soda)
1 oz borax (rinse water only)
5 Gallons of water

MIX:

Mix the Alum in 1 gallon of the water
Mix the salt and baking soda into 4 gallons of water
Mix the two solutions together
CAUTION. Do this is a GIANT container, big enough to hold your entire hide submerged and then some (I use a big plastic garbage can) as the chemical reaction of the soda and alum will cause a lot of foam and fury.

SUBMERGE

Submerge the hide into the solution (use brick to hold the hide down) adjust this recipe for larger skins.

AGITATE / STIR

Leave in the solution for 6-8 days*, poking and stirring, agitating and moving the hide around 1 to 2 times each day to remove air bubbles and make sure all of the hide is exposed to the mixture.

REMOVE

Remove the hide from the mixture and hang for a couple of hours to drip the majority of the tanning solution off of the hide.

NUTRALIZING RINSE

In a clean tub of water with 1 oz of borax per gallon, put the hide for 1 hour. Agitate and stir about every 5-10 minutes.

REMOVE

Remove the hide from the rinse mixture and hang for a couple of hours to drip the majority of the rinse off of the hide.
Remove the excess water from the skin by squeezing, not wringing.

DRYING

Drape the hide, skin side IN over a pole, fence, ladder, wall (anything that will not rust) or any safe place where it can drip dry for about 4 hours.
Turn the hide over skin side OUT and let it continue to dry.
Notice the large black bin on the trailer. This is one of my tanning containers. I also use large plastic garbage cans (not pictured).

FINISH

When the skin part is partly dry, proceed to the oiling and finishing process below.

This solution will not OVER-TAN a skin so leaving it in the solution longer rather than shorter is better, however leaving it too long, a week or two will cause it to sour. If it sours, all is not lost, you can follow my tried and true process for de-souring the hide below.

*Rabbit, squirrel, require about 2 days, coyote, beaver require 3-5 days, while larger skins will require 6 to 8 days.

–ALUM PASTE TANNING–

THIS IS A SPREAD ON SOLUTION
I’ve had moderate success with this on thick hides and great success with thin hides.

Mix the dry Alum tanning solution above (use 1/2 if the baking soda) with sufficient washed sand, flour & cornstarch (I like to use clean washed sand with 2-Tbsp of flour, 2-Tbsp of cornstarch per cup of sand) and 1/4 c sulphonated neatsfoot oil to a gallon of sand mixture to make a medium consistency paste, adding the dry mixture in small quantities with a little water and mixing thoroughly to avoid lumps.
Stretch the hide so it lies smoothly and tack it down to a stretching board, flesh side up. Using a paint brush or scraper knife, coat the skin with the tanning paste about 1/8″ thick. Let stand until the next day.
The next day, scrape or broom brush off the paste and apply another coating. Apply two or three coatings at daily intervals. Thick hides should need as many as 3-4 treatments.
Leave the last coating on for 3 to 4 days.
Scrape and brush off all of the paste.
Rinse the hide clean in a water containing about 1 ounce of Borax. Rinse again in clean water. Put the skin on a smooth board and use a dull edge to press out most of the water. Proceed to the oiling and finishing process.

ALCOHOL AND TURPENTINE TANNING

I don’t use this method.
The basic tanning solution is composed of just two ingredients: Turpentine and Alcohol. The procedure follows:

1. Mix the tanning solution.
Use a large-mouthed gallon jar with a screw top. Add equal parts wood alcohol and turpentine to the jar to cover a small fur skin. A half pint of each is sufficient for a squirrel or rabbit skin.

2. Shake or stir the solution each day, because the alcohol and turpentine will separate.

3. After 7-10 days, remove the skin and wash it in dishwashing or laundry detergent water to remove the alcohol, turpentine, and grease.

4. Rinse the skin well several times to remove the detergent.

5. Dry the skin by squeezing, not wringing.

6. When the skin part is partly dry, follow the instructions below for Oiling and Finishing

BATTERY ACID – Yes you can use battery Acid but it is a very dangerous method and should be used only in emergencies when you have no other way to tan.
CAUTION USING THIS METHOD

I don’t use nor have I ever used this method…
I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS METHOD.
I PUT IT HERE JUST FOR INFORMATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES.
This S#IT will burn your skin, can blind you and harm you in irreparable/permanent ways and it is not safe for the environment if it is not neutralized afterwards.
The alum process is much safer.
This recipe will make enough solution for one large animal or 20-30 rabbits.

WEAR PROTECTIVE FACE & EYE GEAR, PROTECTIVE CLOTHING (this will eat clothing in minutes), AN N-95 MASK, ELBOW LENGTH RUBBER GLOVES, RUBBER SHOES, RUBBER APRON AND ANYTHING ELSE TO PROTECT YOU. HAVE A DISTANT OBSERVER, EVERY MOMENT, NO BREAKS, TO MAKE SURE TO GET YOU MEDICAL AID IF YOU SCREW UP.

7 gallons water
16 cups non-iodized table salt
2 pounds bran flakes
3½ cups battery acid (from auto parts store)
2 large plastic trashcans and one lid (30-gallon size)
4 boxes baking soda (for afterwards to neutralize the acid)
Neat’s-foot oil
Sponge or paintbrush
Wood rack or stretcher (wooden pallets will work)
4-foot stirring stick (wooden)
Stainless steel nails or tacks
Bristle brush (preferably stainless steel wire)

Boil three gallons of water and pour over the bran flakes. Allow to sit for one hour.
Strain the bran flakes and reserve the brown water from the flakes.
Boil the remaining four gallons of water.
Pour the boiling water into a trashcan.
Add sixteen cups of plain salt to the boiling water and stir with the wooden stick.
Next, add the bran flake water and stir again.
Allow this mixture to cool down to a lukewarm temperature.
Next, put on rubber gloves and all protective gear and add the battery acid to the water mixture in the trashcan. Note: Do not let the battery acid splash. You should also make sure you have read all precautions and first-aid information on the battery acid before handling it.
Peel the inner skin off of your dried hides and add them to the battery acid and water mixture.
Push the skins under the mixture with the stirring stick and leave them for forty minutes.

While the hides are soaking, fill another trashcan with fresh, clear water that is lukewarm and continue with the following steps.

Transfer the skins from the battery acid mixture to the clear water using the wooden stick. Stir the water with the wooden stick continually to remove the slat from the skins. After about five minutes, change the water.
At this point, you have a choice to make. Some people add baking soda to the rinse water to neutralize the battery acid. This is because some people have reactions to the hide from the acid being used in the tanning process. On the other hand, the baking soda also neutralizes the preserving effects of the battery acid. A good rule of thumb for many people is to decide based on what the hide will be used for in the end. Rugs and non-clothing items can be tanned without the baking soda; if it’s going to be clothing, use baking soda to prevent an allergic reaction.
Use the wooden stick to remove the hides from the rinse water.
Hang the hides over the back of a chair or some other surface to allow them to drain.
Use a sponge or paintbrush to apply a layer of neat’s-foot oil to the skin side of the hide. This should be done while the hides are still damp.
Tack the hide to a wooden stretcher. You can use wood pallets that you salvage from many businesses.
Pull the hide gently as you tack it to the wood. You want it to be taut.
Apply the Oiling/finishing solution to the skin side of the hide.
Place in shady area to dry.

Your hide is now ready to sit in the shade until it is dry.

NEUTRALIZE THE SOLUTION

You can now dispose of your tanning solution; however, you have to do this safely. Make sure you are in a well-ventilated area before pouring baking soda into the acid-water mixture. Pour 2 boxes of baking soda into the mixture. CAUTION: The baking soda will neutralize the acid and cause a toxic gases to be released DO NOT BREATH THE FUMES while it is neutralizing.
Do not pour this mixture down the drain.
Once the reaction of the baking soda and acid stops, stir the solution and be wary of splashing or additional reaction. Now add another 2 boxes of baking soda to the mixture and observe if there is another reaction. Continue this process until there is no reaction from the mixture.
You can pour this mixture on a dirt or gravel driveway or field where nothing grows or will grow or weeds if you want to kill them.

STRETCHERS

Depending on the size of your hide you’ll need a stretcher to finish the tanning process to prevent shrinkage as it dries and teach the hide the size that it will be as a finished product.

Stretchers come in all shapes and sizes.

I’ve made stretchers for Beaver consisting of a 3′ x 3′ piece of plywood or osb. You can find lots of instructions on the Internet on making beaver hide stretching boards and how to make your marks of where to stretch the hide to and tack it down.

For small animals I have just used a piece of plywood or osb that will let me stretch the hide as big as it will allow.

For large hides like Elk, I take 5- 8′ 2×4’s and 2-4×8 sheets of osb. I make a frame with 4 of the 2×4’s and put the 5th down the center so the inside of both osb sheets have something to fasten to.
Once done, I have an 8 foot by 8 food stretching board.
I usually start at the top of the hide (the neck) and put it at the center top of the stretcher.
I use a staple gun loaded with stainless steel 1/2″ staples and I tack it down. I go down to the tail and pull it as hard as I possibly can and tack it down. I do the same side to side. then I go to each quarter and stretch and tack, pulling it as hard as I physically can.
Once done (about an hour) the hide is on the stretcher and ready to be oil finished.

OILING AND FINISHING
(Brits call this fat-liquoring)

Let the wet, tanned leather dry over a line or pole hair side out for about 3-4 hours for large hides, shorter for smaller hides. While the skin side is still quite damp, stretch the hide onto a hide stretcher. Now you can apply the finishing solution (fat liquor). The amount of oil required will vary depending upon the natural oiliness of the skin.

Place the skin on a flat surface hair side down. Apply the finishing solution (fat liquor) to a portion of the hide and spread it evenly with a paint brush or your hands. Continue until the solution has been applied to the entire skin. Allow to stand for 30 minutes, then apply another coat of the oil in the same way.
Cover the hide with a sheet of plastic and let stand overnight. If several skins are fat-liquored at one time, they may be piled flesh side to flesh side.
The next day, drape the skin, hair side out, over a pole or sawhorse and allow the hair to dry. Use an electric fan to speed the drying if you’re pressed for time but usually the breeze does it fast.
Nail the skin, flesh side up, to a plywood board, stretching the skin slightly. Space the nails (no. 6 finish) every 5 or 6″ around the circumference and about 1/2″ from the edge. Dry the flesh side at room temperature.
(This is where I have to keep my finishing hides overnight to keep them away from the ranch dogs!!)
When the skin is nearly dry but still slightly damp, work the skin in all directions, stretching it from corner to corner and working the flesh side over a stake or a wooden edge, such as the back of a chair or piece of board clamped in a vise. The skin may also be worked this way through smooth metal rings.
1. Success in producing a soft skin lies in repeated working, which must be done while the skin is drying out, not after it is dry. This process may be repeated several times if necessary; simply dampen the hide evenly and work it again while it dries.
  I usually put the hide on the floor hair down and use a small 12″ piece of 2×4 and push it as hard as I can into the leather side of the hide trying to stretch it as much as possible.
  I will then put another light coat of finishing fat solution on it and let it set through the night, then repeat the scraping/stretching process again. This usually leaves me with a very supple piece of leather.
If the skin is too greasy after it has been softened and dried, you can remove most of the grease by giving it a hasty bath in white or unleaded gasoline. Do this OUTDOORS, away from spark or flame. Allow to dry outside brushing the fur to dryness.
After the hide has been softened, rub some fine grit sandpaper over every square inch of the exposed leather (skin) to smooth the surface. Only do the flesh side of hides with the hair still on. When the hide takes on a smooth appearance, it is ready to be used as a rug, wall hanging, or sewn into some other type of useful item.

SOFTEN (stake) THE HIDE

During the drying period, you need to check your hide every day. You can take the hide off the stretching rack when it feels dry in the center. It will be moist, flexible and soft. Use the wire brush on the skin side of the hide to soften it and lighten the color. Make sure you are using gentle, uniform strokes. The wire brush gives the hide the appearance of suede. Finally, set the hide aside to dry a few more days.

If you want a dark brown tanned look you can smoke the hide.
You’ll need an enclosure to hand the hide in.
I usually put together 8 wooden poles and lash them together like a teepee over the hanging hide. I make sure the hide is skin side IN and I build a small fire pit right under the hide. I make a small fire and usually put birch bark (quaking aspen: quakies) over the flame and let it smoke. I cover the entire teepee with a tarp and let the smoke come out the top.
In just an hour or two your hide leather will have a nice brown color and smell like smoked salmon!!
This also helps preserve the hide.

You have now tanned your first hide. You can cut and sew it into a beautiful, warm jacket or make a rug for your floors. Your friends and family will be impressed and probably start asking for your help with their own hides. Give them the recipe and tell them to give it a try just like you did. You can live without spending hundreds on sheepskin rugs and other hides; all you have to do is take the time to do it yourself.

TRIM THE HIDE

When your hide is tanned and finished you should trim the edges so that all of the tacking and stretching marks are gone.
To do this I use a carpet knife on large hides and an open razor blade on small animal hides.

I pick a place to start and then just cut (from the skin side) just inside of the abnormalities and ugly marks so that I leave just a nice clean piece of leather. I follow this around the entire hide until I get back to my starting place. Since it’s now finished, the cut line will be clean and leather looking.

This is also the time when you can make an odd shaped hide more symmetrical and beautiful unless your using it for sewing something up, then it doesn’t matter what its shape is, or really if its even trimmed at all.

SOUR HIDE

Sometimes a hide may sour and require removing the hair. If the hide is viable enough to tan, even hair off you can remove the sour smell.

Souring can happen due to not skinning soon enough, or not salting the hide soon enough after skinning, or not salting enough, or the hide can even sour sitting in the tanning solution too long, or by not agitating it frequently enough.

Remove the hair if necessary and tan in a DOUBLE strength solution for two days agitating frequently.

Pull and stretch and break the fibers as much as possible so the heavy tanning solution can penetrate. This is a nasty job due to the sour smell… it will make your clothes smell too so wear clothing that you can remove before going in the house, and wash as soon as possible.

The tanning solution will sauté the skin fibers and allow it to be totally tanned but tanning will not remove the sour smell.

HOW TO REMOVE THE SOUR SMELL

You can do this step before you re-tan the hide, or after your re-tan the hide. I prefer this to be the last step.

Remove the hide from the tanning solution and discard the solution. DO NOT USE IT FOR ANOTHER HIDE or that hide will sour as well.

Make your rinse solution at FOUR TIMES STRENGTH.

Use at least 4 cups bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and 1 cup Borax per 10 gallons of water.

Make sure the hide had drained and is somewhat drying so it will soak up the solution as much as possible.

Submerge the hide in the rinse solution and leave for 2-24 hours depending on how bad it was.

Remove, rinse in clear water or spray with clear water.

Let drip dry then stretch on rack and continue the finish procedure.

Good Luck and thanks for reading.
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