cow hide

[2Knives]

I recently recieved a generous gift of an old cow hide from a friend. It's in genuine good shape but i see too much other potential. How do i go about removing the hair off a processed hide?? I'm in serious need of some "old timer" advice. Someone please help!!

Just became a member of the site, already can't say enough good things about it. THANX!!

 

[Holley]

First...what do you want to do with it...or make? Hope not clothing! ::

 

if you leave the hair on they make for great lodge floors...nice an comfy on the feet in the mornin'

 

[Bushwhacker]

check this out http://www.braintan.com/

 

[bob1961]

i always thought bout this too....i have thought bout using a barber shop clippers and give it a hair cut :hmm:....i maybe wrong................bob

 

[2Knives]

I emailed braintan but they didn't get back to me. No offense, they got a great site. I was gonna make some saddle bags and maybe some mocs out of it. It was used as a floor rug for a while but my friends dog liked using it as a piss pad. It's not servivible as a whole but it's got a bunch of good spots on it. You just don't pass up a hide that big for free. i tried using a skinning knife to remove the hair but i wasn't sure if lye would help or not.

 

[Rebel]

Stick it in a barrel with watter and woodstove ashes. Leave it set a few days stirring occasionally and then remove and scrape the hair off.

 

[2Knives]

will mesquite ashes work ok, or do you recomend something else?

 

[Cjcalls]

I emailed braintan but they didn't get back to me. No offense, they got a great site. I was gonna make some saddle bags and maybe some mocs out of it. It was used as a floor rug for a while but my friends dog liked using it as a piss pad. It's not servivible as a whole but it's got a bunch of good spots on it. You just don't pass up a hide that big for free. i tried using a skinning knife to remove the hair but i wasn't sure if lye would help or not.

Urin is a preservitive :results:

 

[Bushwhacker]

i always thought bout this too....i have thought bout using a barber shop clippers and give it a hair cut :hmm:....i maybe wrong................bob

Mannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn...Talk about getting rug burnt :no:
WAUGHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh :crackup: :crackup:

 

[Rebel]

I would think any wood ash would work.

 

[Keith]

Funny just this weekend someone told me they bought leather goods on a trip to Morroco, and the leather was tanned with urine. Gross coincidence.

 

[Rebel]

I've been told that is what they used to make white buckskins, but don't know that it is a fact.

 

[musketman]

I would think any wood ash would work.

It is the lye that is in the wood ash that causes the hair to slip, (and we use shampoo on our hair too, check the ingredients list :crackup

Soak and stir, add a few more scoops of ash if the hair doesn't start to slip in a day or two...

Also, it is a good idea to sift the ashes, this will remove any unwanted nails, staples, whatever is left behind after the fire is extinguished...

 

[Holley]

No buckskinns were made from cow hide. The Natives used it for the rawhide or Parfleche containers in the white form and tipi covers when the canvas or cloth or buffalo were not found.

It is too thick for clothing and difficult to work with. You can make containers, bow cases and other types of these materials with cow. Also great for Chaps, arm protectors and boots. :results: :imo: :m2c:

 

[kentucky bucky]

There is an ethnic product called "Magic Shave" that is a powder that is wet and put on the face like a cream. When you wash it off the hair comes off with it. I wonder if you could use it to remove hair from a hide? It has lye in it just like wood ashes.

 

[2Knives]

i'm gonna try the wood ash thing soon, kinda rainy and snowy here in texas right now. Good leather is hard to come by when it's free and i've got lot's of ideas for the hide, mostly for storage and possibly for mocs. Thanx for all the advice.

 

[Piper]

I've done a bit of tanning, both braintan, and chemical (salt-acid and salt-alum). I haven't used any "body fluids" (other than brains), but I did some reading on the old tanyards. A tannery was one of the first businesses to set up in a lot of towns. It wasn't a place you wanted to be downwind of. Between the odor of rotting oak bark, and the "perfume" of some of the exotic ingredients in the tanning mixes, it must have been a treat.
As far as I know, white buckskin was simply braintan that wasn't smoked. Most braintan finishes up a nice white color, until you smoke it to help it hold up to getting wet. One of the recipes for kid leather though, called for chicken manure and dog urine. Makes you wonder about slipping on a pair of those fancy gloves.

 

[Bill Austin]

From what I understand, the urine and manure are used after the lye. The hide must be neutralized and then a bate was used such as chicken manure. The bate contains enzymes that eat proteins and help the hide come out softer and help prevent the grain from cracking when dry. The hide was then put in vats of bark starting with a weak mixture to prevent the outside from absorbing all the tannins. These processes were not needed for braintan. Bill

 

[eat moose meat]

They use pigeon droppings in morroco to tan leather also.The tannery can be smelled for miles.