Thread: Deer skin tanning

A skin from a recent trip but my Mum wanted it for the floor. But with a couple of small windows in it that didn't seem to worry the old one
Pic #1 & #2 tanned skin tacked out drying .



Pic's #3 , # 4 & #5 Dry skin ready for breaking .




Now the breaking & softening starts ,haven't done a skin for a while but the finished shape isn't too bad ?

Nice,what method did you use?
I wouldn't bother working the skin unless to use for clothing, stiff is good for a rug or wall hanging.
As a rug put it in a low traffic area as deer hair is hollow and snaps easily.
You could trim up the shape with a very sharp knife from the skin side so as no to cut the hair .

Is that a red skin Chris?

That was done with the cure I gave you VC .Will break the skin just to whiten the under side more than to soften it

Originally Posted by Rushy

Is that a red skin Chris?

Was a red hind Rushy ,winter skin

Originally Posted by Chris

Was a red hind Rushy ,winter skin

That is interesting. I wouldn't have thought the hair would stick around with a winter coat knowing how easy it came out when handling them in the shed

Started it with the knife then punched it off,still created a couple of little windows though.

Spent most of the morning finishing it off . 1/2 way threw breaking the skin

Almost done skin coming up quite white ,pretty happy with it now .

Finished skin on lounge floor ,what I'm going to do with it I have no idea .

Cool to see others also having a crack at the tanning. I've got my second sitting in solution now. What was it that you used? looks quite brown on the underside? I'm using hte leder stuff (from H&F) which gives it the blue grey finish. I have a fallow stag skin covering my coffee table (for interviews without coffee) and this one I might wall hang.

Great job there Chris

I'm using a recipe the local Taxidermist gave me Feral,I forgot to wash the skin before tanning .The brown is only surface & cleaned off when I broke the skin .

Just a tip, when applying the leather softening lube (if you use it) as the skin starts to dry go over it with an orbital sander with a really coarse paper, it gets the skin all fluffy then apply more lube, go over it again when its dry, you will get a very soft/supple and fluffy leather.

apparently Hamills sell tanning kits

Originally Posted by Dynastar27

apparently Hamills sell tanning kits

and MacDonald' sell hamburgers

And gun shops sell firearms

No shit, you fellas are so sharp .