leather tannage

[jasontn]

ive been making some bags lately and people have asked me how they were tanned i couldnt tell them till today i went back and bought from the tannery instead of the guy i had been getting it from its alum tanned to a medium brown, alum/chrome tanned black and veg tan medium brown and tan. ive heard of chrome, brain, bark and veg but never alum. is there any disadvantages or advantages to this tannage? i know some people hate chrome tan, just wondering about this new kind. its pretty nice leather in huge chunks that will yeild about 1 and 1/2 pouches per chunk second part of my question is price. ive already found a good cheap source for veg tan pigskins and am wondering about this stuff i bought it by the pound for about a dollar is this good or did i get ripped? they have huge amounts at the tannery i got it from i picked up bout 150 lbs today

 

[chipper]

I've tanned coyote hides with alum. Using brains is a bummer. I would stretch, scrape the hide, and rub in alum. Let it dry for a couple of days, wash the alum off, cable the hide to soften while it was wet, then smoke. A local guy here said once it's not the brain or alum that tans the hide, it's the smoke. I belive him. If you stop at the alum, the hide needs something to make it into leather. I've oiled the hides with neetsfoot oil at that point to soften them up but the smoke is way better.
That's just my experience with alum, I hope it helps.
Regards
Loyd Shindelbower
Loveland Colorado

 

[paulnfld]

FYI - Alum tanning in not waterproof, and will wash ot if the leather gets wet - check out Readers Digest - Back to Basics book for info on this method.

 

[barebackjack]

You bought tanned pigskin for a buck a pound?

If its good large workable pieces and good and thick you made out like a bandit.

 

[jasontn]

thanks for the replys guys ive used this leather for a while now but never knew how it was tanned. when im done with it i use neetsfoot oil or sometimes a baby oil/ vaseline mix to soften them up been experimenting some with various bees wax methods too. this materisla is all cowhide that i got for a dollar a pound the pigskins are like 10 to 15 depends on the color of them