![]() ![]() As the skin was stretched, it would lose moisture and absorb the agent. In some variations of the process, cedar oil, alum or tannin were applied to the skin as a tanning agent. Also common were "piss-pots" located on street corners, where human urine could be collected for use in tanneries or by washerwomen. It was this combination of urine, animal feces and decaying flesh that made ancient tanneries so odiferous.Ĭhildren employed as dung gatherers were a common sight in ancient cities. The ancient tanner might use his bare feet to knead the skins in the dung water, and the kneading could last two or three hours. Sometimes the dung was mixed with water in a large vat, and the prepared skins were kneaded in the dung water until they became supple, but not too soft. Among the kinds of dung commonly used were that of dogs or pigeons. Once the hair was removed, the tanners would bate the material (see below) by pounding dung into the skin or soaking the skin in a solution of animal brains. After the hair fibers were loosened, the tanners scraped them off with a knife. This was done by either soaking the skin in urine, painting it with an alkaline lime mixture, or simply letting the skin putrefy for several months then dipping it in a salt solution. ![]() Next, the tanner needed to remove the hair fibers from the skin. Then they would pound and scour the skin to remove any remaining flesh and fat. First, the ancient tanners would soak the skins in water to clean and soften them. Skins typically arrived at the tannery dried stiff and dirty with soil and gore. Around 2500 BC, the Sumerians began using leather, affixed by copper studs, on chariot wheels. The ancients used leather for waterskins, bags, harnesses, boats, armor, quivers, scabbards, boots and sandals. ![]() Indeed, tanning by ancient methods is so foul smelling that tanneries are still isolated from those towns today where the old methods are used. Stretching/Softening Softening a deer hide on the edge of a concrete pad.In ancient history, tanning was considered a noxious or "odiferous trade" and relegated to the outskirts of town, amongst the poor. I suggest putting the hide in the garage, basement, or shed where no animals can get to it. Although it’s not totally bad (similar to musty wet leather), you’ll want to keep the smell in mind when storing the hide during this process. Keep in mind that the formula has an odor. Leave overnight 12 hours and then open the hide and let it continue drying. Massage it in and fold the flesh sides together again. It’s important to make sure you cover every bit of the flesh with the solution. If you’re wearing gloves, you can simply use your hands. Pour small amounts at a time onto the hide and use a large paintbrush to spread it around. Apply the solution directly from the bottle to the hide. When it’s time to apply the solution, I advise wearing gloves as it’s not necessarily something you want on your skin. You’ll want to warm the formula by setting the bottle in a pot of hot tap water for 30 minutes. Use a sharp knife to get the last few bits off before proceeding to the next step. You’ll want to be particularly careful around the edges of the hide as it’s easy to miss small pieces. All of the flesh-colored pieces should be gone, leaving this side of the deer hide smooth. Make sure the flesh side is clean and white before proceeding to the next step. Your deer hide should be completely clean without any remnants of meat. It can be a little messy, so you’ll want to wear safety glasses. It’s also important to keep the stream of water moving across the hide fairly quickly as holding the water in one spot will result in a hole. I recommend testing the pressure on a corner piece of the hide to ensure that it’s not going to rip. You’ll need one that is 1800 PSI to be able to peel the flesh back, and most household pressure washers will work for this project. Take the pressure washer, and simply pressure wash the flesh off of the hide. Beka Garrisĭrape the hide flesh side up over a hard surface such as a large plastic drum, or tack it to a piece of plywood. If you don’t own one, check your local hardware store for a rental. A pressure washer is the fastest and easiest way to flesh a deer hide. ![]()
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