Do Any Of You Do Your Own Tanning?

[Glenfilthie]

What is involved? And is it worth it?

It is going to cost me $300.00 to get a moose hide done. I took it to Halford Hides here in Edmonton Alberta. It is a combination tannery/crafts shop. At first I thought I was getting ripped off until I went around back to drop the hide off.

My wife buys the artsy-crafty stuff from Halford up front in the show room, and on the best of days the place smells to high heaven. I am a big boy so I just manned up and took it.

When I went around back to drop the hide off at the actual tannery, the stench factor went up to a full "10" on the Rectum Scale! Good lord, the stink was so bad you could see it!!!

:barf: :barf: :barf:


Is 'home tanning' something I should avoid? I only opened the doors to get out of my truck and drop the hide off - and my truck stunk for about 2 days afterward! I am not lying about any of this either!

In any event my moose hide will not be ready until summer next year! Any input and comments from our scholarly black powder geeks and buckskinners is, as always, sincerely appreciated.

Hope Christmas was good to y'all - have a safe and happy New Year!

 

[Black Hand]

Hair-on or hair-off? Commercial-tan or Brain-tan?

$300 really doesn't sound all that expensive to do a moose-hide (This assessment is based upon the amount of work I've experienced doing a few deer hides and an elk hide). I am by no means an expert, but just the weight and size of a moose hide would make this a daunting task (If I was brain-tanning the hide).

 

[Sperit de bois]

Never tanned a moose hide but I did help drag/flop/flip on once I'am paying the money,,,,heavy slippery,wet and that is the good part,after it soaks for awhile in the solution,,,,, now that would be a joy,,,,,,

 

[Little Wattsy]

I paid $250.00 for a deer hide hair on and was quoted $1000.00 for a buffalo, to rich for me. Id spend the #300.00 for a professional job UNLESS you are wanting to get "into" taning as a hobby....

 

[Rev_William]

A local place here is charging 85 for a single coyote figure the moose is bigger than 4 coyotes sounds good to me

 

[smo]

I did a deer hide hair on about 25 years ago. I did it with salt & alum. The leather turned out a nice white color. The hair is still holding good after all these years. But I never was able to get it flexable and it will rust anything metal that touches it for anytime at all.I'm having a deer hide done now by a professional and I was told it would be a 6 month wait. I should be getting it back soon. :thumbsup: Tanning hides is a lot of hard work and something large as a moose
:shake: :shocked2: I'd pay the 300 Bucks. :wink: By the way the deer hide I'm having done now, was 100 Bucks. So 300 is not to bad for a large hide.