How to tan a hide ?

[vfitzer]

I put one cup of alum and one cup of non-oidized salt in about 2/3 of a five gallon bucket of warm water and put the hides in. After two or three days I remove, rinse and scrape the flesh off. I add another cup each of alum and salt to the water and put the hides back in for about seven days. After that I remove, rinse the hides and hang them up until they are slightly damp. then, using my hands, I pull and stretch the hides until they turn white. It's very cool to see them turn white and soften as I work them. Then I lightly shampoo them with a very weak shampoo mixture (I use Pert Plus) only on the fur side them rinse it out and hang to dry. Makes a very soft, nice smelling hide. I have some that are a couple of years old and the fur is still on and not shedding.

Does this method work on treated dry hides? I was given some sheepskin that are several years old that had been fleshed and salted. Wool on.

 

[Zee-Man]

Does this method work on treated dry hides? I was given some sheepskin that are several years old that had been fleshed and salted. Wool on.

The preliminary steps are done, pick up the last soaking. It need not be seven days, though, just enough time for the skin to be fully saturated.