Tanning my hide

[Beekissed]

Exactly! You think I'm putting that poopy cow hide in my machine? Not on your life! It's far too heavy anyway and would unbalance my machine. Not to mention all the greasy, fatty residue.....

I'll use the big, front loaders at the local laundry and make sure they are clean when I am done.

 

[Beekissed]

Just salted my calf hide and am so excited about how soft and lovely this hide will be if I am successful in my efforts.

Two Bites had long, soft fur that is a rich color....black/brown with auburn highlights. I was marveling over the softness and can't wait to see the finished product.

After salting, I am supposed to wait for three days. My mother has a knife called an Ula that I am going to try to use for the fleshing.

Today, before salting, I trimmed the leg hide back so that the hide was a little more uniform in shape and the ragged ends were a little more even~but I didn't make it too even. I want it to look as natural as possible.

FarmFresh had given me a great tip about washing my hide at the carwash and it worked out great! It was faster and more cheap than using the local laundry. Thank you, Farm!

 

[Farmfresh]

For me fleshing was the hardest part. Next time I am spending some money on a proper fleshing tool. Let me know how the ulu knife works.

 

[Beekissed]

What did you formerly use for your fleshing, Farm? Do you think this Ulu knife will possible be too sharp for this job? I chose it because it has the properly curved blade and ergonimical handle.

 

[Farmfresh]

I used SEVERAL different tools trying to get the right thing. I tried a sharp knife and that scared me, I thought I would cut my hide. Then I used a dull knife and a butter knife. What worked best for me was a pull type paint scraper with a dull blade. But, like I said, NEXT time I am spending the money and buying the right tool.

BTW I did most of my fleshing BEFORE I salted my hides. I don't know for sure which way is correct.

 

[Beekissed]

I used SEVERAL different tools trying to get the right thing. I tried a sharp knife and that scared me, I thought I would cut my hide. Then I used a dull knife and a butter knife. What worked best for me was a pull type paint scraper with a dull blade. But, like I said, NEXT time I am spending the money and buying the right tool.

BTW I did most of my fleshing BEFORE I salted my hides. I don't know for sure which way is correct.

You are correct....I just reviewed the method I wanted to try and I was supposed to flesh it first! Hmmmmmmmm......should I remove the salt tomorrow and flesh it, or let it be salted for the three days and try to flesh it then?

I think I will remove that salt tomorrow and flesh it out. Have you ever done a large hide, Farm? For your hides did you pin it down or just try to flesh it without doing that? If you did, did you have something that didn't leave holes in the hide?

 

[Farmfresh]

My back deck is just about perfect working height when I stand on the ground beside it. That was where I did my fleshing. The dogs were very happy to help me rid the yard of the little bits of flesh.

It took me one evening per hide (they were pretty good sized sheep - the two hides make a good truck seat cover with plenty hanging down both sides by the door), but you know how I have to work at things slow. After I scraped the first one down my hands were all swollen up. Stupid arthritis. I kept the other hide in the basement fridge till I was ready to work it.

Before that both hides had spent some time in my freezer right after I got them back from the butcher shop. I had to get my supplies ready and my ducks in a row. I was SURE glad to get them out of the freezer. Even frozen and in THREE garbage bags they STUNK! Hubby says NEXT time the sheep are going through the car wash BEFORE we take them to the butcher shop! Sounds like a plan to me! I actually know people that wash their horses at the car wash! (you have to stand back quite a ways to reduce the amount of water pressure hitting the horse however! )

 

[Beekissed]

Did you nail them to your deck to flesh them? Or did you just hold them with your hand while pulling down on the fleshing tool?

 

[Farmfresh]

I held them with my hands.

I did nail through the edge of the hide when I hung them to dry at the end of the process. Next time I think I would use those giant clothes pin like clamps they use for wood working. spring clamp They have plenty of grip and would not leave holes.

 

[Beekissed]

Wish I had some.....could maybe convert some cheap, dollar store jumper cables into such clamps, couldn't I? That's what I will do! Use my jumper cables!