Tanning Deerhide

[paulvallandigham]

A friend softened a fox hide he got trapping, by putting the damp hide in his dryer, in a nylon bag for " delicates", along with old tennis balls, and some old gym shoes that had been washed. The balls and gym shoes broke down the hard cell walls, and the hide was as soft as any you have every felt. He did put one of those fabric softener clothes in the dryer, with the hide, and then combed out the fur when it came out dry. I saw and handled the fur, and it came out as well as all the stretching and rubbing have ever done to any other fur.

 

[Robert Egler]

A friend softened a fox hide he got trapping, by putting the damp hide in his dryer, in a nylon bag for " delicates", along with old tennis balls, and some old gym shoes that had been washed. The balls and gym shoes broke down the hard cell walls, and the hide was as soft as any you have every felt. He did put one of those fabric softener clothes in the dryer, with the hide, and then combed out the fur when it came out dry. I saw and handled the fur, and it came out as well as all the stretching and rubbing have ever done to any other fur.

I read that somewhere on here some months ago (might have been an earlier post of yours :hmm: .) I tried it about a week ago with a red fox pelt and it worked great! :thumbsup:

Although I used a pillow case tied shut rather than a nylon bag. And I might mention that it's best to do this operation in the dryer when the wife is not home. :grin:

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[John Wasmuth]

Yep, wives dont like to hear why their dryer is full of saw dust and fox hair. Havent got a clue as to why this upsets them so, but it will, and does! :grin:

 

[paulvallandigham]

Good advice. SHMBO always claims the laundry as part of her domain, and it doesn't make a lot of sense letting her know that you invaded her "space". A pillow case obviously worked well to contain the fur, and keep it from being broken by the beating action of the balls and shoes.

I don't know how large a hide can be done in a home dryer, but I think a small deer hide could be softened this way, too. Most women would be objecting to the shoes and tennis balls, rather than any smell that might eminate from the dryer, particularly if you put it on its colder cycles. If you use one of those sheets of fabric softener in the dryer, the scent on those things will mask any remaining odor of the hide.

 

[Hawken Dan]

Hi, I got the book: Deerskins into Buckskins How to Tan with Natural Materials, new updated and revised edition by Matt Richards . . . $17.95
from TOTW. Shows you how to do it the old way.

Hawken Dan