Brain Tanning a Deer Hide

[@billgraham4127]

Great video. I have been brain taning for 30 years doing it for the same reason you are. I soak the hide in wood ash or hydrated lime to temple the hair and skin layer. I found the hid can stay in hydrated lime 3 weeks and not hurt the hid. I now use eggs rather than brains . I use a dozen eggs. It works. I put the dry hid right in the tan solution and it soaks the solution right up. Another thing I found helps get tan solution in the hid is after soaking put hid on fleshing beam and go over one side of the hid. It will ma m e the hid super stretchy. Then put it back in tan solution . You should be able to squeeze air through hid which indicates you have tan solution in the hid. Try a hair on sometime for a sleeping mat..

[@calebchristian404]

Hydrated lime is definitely the best way to go

[@thedeerskindiary]

Awesome info! I have hair one hide in the freezer that I want to try. Can you offer some advice on that one? If you want to email it is [e-mail]

[@joearceneaux9854]

*hide

[@charlespartak2435]

Hide

[@Rootflare]

I just started traditional brain tanning hides and have been enjoying it, but have been “rushed” with the timing of it all. Your tip about sealing the hide in a bag and keeping in the fridge/freezer is going to be a life saver.

[@thedeerskindiary]

It was for me!

[@littleriver8859]

Glad you're wearing gloves just in case. A friend in Alabama almost lost a finger because he forgot about the cut on his hand which got infected from the brains.

[@thedeerskindiary]

Great point. No one needs their hobby to set them back!

[@brysonbutler8942]

Romans 10:9 King James Version 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

[@TurkeyCreek-ek8mj]

Always enjoy your videos Compadre! Btw, I'm still using the old draw knife. Lol TC

[@thedeerskindiary]

You are clearly handy with the steel then sir!

[@lyonforge3077]

Good video, tried brain tanning a couple deer hides years ago with a mentor, they turned out some hard and soft spots, usable. Might have to try again sometime. Keep up the good work.

[@johnkeck1025]

Best simple brain tanning video I've seen. Straight forward and easy to comprehend. Thanks!

[@thedeerskindiary]

Awesome thank you!

[@Braintanman]

Pretty good video. I brain tan for a living and am always curious to see what folks out out there. I would like to mention just a couple things in hopes of making the working of hides go easier. It is of great benefit to ones self to boil the brains in the water. It helps break the brain fown and leech out whats it the brain to help soften a hide. Boiling also kills bacteria that like to cause problems for a person hands. Boil the brains and either let them cool or add cold water until cool enougj to leave your hand in. 115-120°f. After the hair/grain removal one should hydrate hide and go over flesh side again to remove membrane that you cant get with the hair and grain on. Wringing works the absolute best when the hide, when rolled up in the donut has the grain side facing out. Water travels through the hide so much better this way. Its nice to stetch the hide a little bit in between wringing but it doesnt need to go white. For smoking hides its saves one smoking time to smoke hides in pairs if you can get ones to match up.if not fair enough. Staples work great to seal up the hide for smoking.

[@thedeerskindiary]

That’s great advice. Thank you and I will try it out the next hide.

[@calebchristian404]

Once you get the hang of brain tanning it’s a great skill to have. You can ask local butcher shops to save some deer hides for you if you are unsuccessful during hunting season. In my opinion using hydrated lime is the best. It’s very forgiving, doesn’t stain the hide, and you can’t add too much. After you remove the hair and grain it’s very important to rinse the hide and neutralize it. You can use water and a bit of vinegar. One of my favorite ways to soften is to lace it up in a frame. You do lose a bit of material from putting in the holes but it’s a very efficient way to soften the hide. Keep up the good work!!

[@thedeerskindiary]

Brother I want to use a frame one day soon. I am just so pressed for time and so fidgety that stretching works well.

[@calebchristian404]

@@thedeerskindiary Matt Richards has a really good dvd on brain tanning. Its called Deerskins into Buckskins

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Ok, Anthony, you’ve done gone and motivated me. I have 6 hides ready for tanning and another 5 raw ones in a freezer that I’ve been procrastinating on finishing. Going to try a sew a pair of knee breeches .

[@thedeerskindiary]

Oh man. That project will be epic! You are indeed the man of all trades.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

@@thedeerskindiary Don’t know about epic, but certainly a break from log peeling, lol.

[@dillonhouseholder7163]

I love that you mentioned the Skinhouse Branch incident from Rinella and Newcombs new book. They say the hair was buried 6’ deep!! Thank you for making this video it’s very well explained and motivational. You’ve got me wanting to take out my frozen hide and get to work!

[@thedeerskindiary]

Awesome! Good luck on it and keep going!

[@jessemains2725]

Great video!!! What I wouldn’t have gave for one this clear and succinct 25 years ago man. Well done Moose. Speaking of half drest hides, I half dressed about 35 hides in the 2000s trying to figure out how they did it and to end up with a couple hide bales. Based on the few interview descriptions in Draper, Nathan Boone’s description, and others. Was fleshing and just slipping the hair leaving the grain intact. Racked them up tight and worked hell out of them with a 3’ stick as they dried. Was able to fold and bale them that way figuring with the grain intact the tannery could do whatever with it depending on the market. Once again good job brother, you’re doing a great service with these and getting better at it with each one.

[@thedeerskindiary]

You are a treasure my friend.

[@adampotraffke2134]

I learned a lot about brain tanning. Keep up the great work!!!

[@thedeerskindiary]

Thank you!

[@kanenorn9671]

Great content, thanks for sharing the info with us

[@mylife6453]

I always dry scrape the hair side to get the suede finish on the grain side. You have to make a hide scraping tool and a suitable frame to stretch and dry the hide before scraping but it is much cleaner and dryer a method than the wet hair removal process. You can sand the hide also with an orbital sander as well to improve finish and tanning that you do later. Most hide hunters did not tan the hides but rather sold them in rawhide dehaired condition to tanneries back east. After you get good at this you may want to try Lutan method as it is quick and makes soft durable leather. You can get it at a taxidermy supply company.

[@thedeerskindiary]

One day I will try dry scraping to see what the magic is all about.

[@neanderthalnonsense]

Great video. I was reading an article on how frontiersman may have used lard and soap for a lot of their "brain-tanning". Which got my brain curious. I understand the soap and oil tanning method but how would one use lard? Would you just keep adding enough soap till the lard emulsifies? All we are trying to do is get the lard oils within the skin fiber network. Also what would 18th century lard look like? Asking as a fellow pre 1812 reenactor. Many thanks.

[@timber123doddle]

Outstanding job!

[@thedeerskindiary]

Thank you very much!

[@lennyshairsalon1313]

Looking forward to trying this myself.

[@thedeerskindiary]

I’ll help you out!

[@hillbillybub6306]

Another great one

[@thedeerskindiary]

Glad you enjoyed it and thank you.

[@kennethreece502]

Excellent! Where did you find pork brains? Checked everywhere around here with no luck.

[@thedeerskindiary]

I use a local farmers market that sells them by the pound in the ethnic section.

[@noahlaribee4216]

I've done a few hides with hair on and always pickle the hide. After I scrape the hair and grain off, do I need to pickle? Thanks!

[@thedeerskindiary]

Many people swear by the pickle process. I do not as I don’t think natives did and I try to stay true to the process.

[@AlecKelsey-g3u]

My friend Ron Nail, has a you tube series you can watch on dry scraping. Also has the whole process from skinning to fleshing to brain tanning,to smoking. I thought you might be interested in trying this method next time. Love your videos 💪💯👍

[@thedeerskindiary]

I want to try dry scraping one day. Maybe this year!

[@bjellison905]

Totally ignorant here so my question is pure curiosity. Can you burn the hair off? Im wanting to tan hides this season.

[@thedeerskindiary]

Not without likely damaging the hide. You would still need to get the epidermis layer off as well and the only way I know to do that is with scraping.

[@rickhaddix6847]

Wondering why you said it's not garment quality? Looks good.

[@thedeerskindiary]

Up close it is streaky from a poorer attempt at dehairing and membraning.

[@seleckt6600]

Those skins are also why we call dollars "bucks"

[@thedeerskindiary]

True!

[@jamesvatter5729]

Really helpful video. "You'll be asleep on the couch." LOL That would explain why so many "18th Century Woodsmen" frequent the local Goodwill for a cheap, dedicated blender. Q. Have you ever tried the egg yolk method?

[@thedeerskindiary]

lol. I have trouble shot with egg yolks where I have worked crunchy spots but haven’t tried a whole hide with it yet.

[@scottrobinson7490]

Thanks

[@thedeerskindiary]

Thank YOU!

[@ronaldmcdaniel3943]

Why not use the deer’s own brains Instead of purchasing pork brain separately? I’m curious

[@TylerPastorok]

One reason is that many people get hides from deer they didn’t kill themselves - from hunters, butchers, etc. They may not have access to the original brains in that case

[@amypayjack6481]

Heads are heavy, and harder work to carry out of the bush. Also skulls are hard to cut into. Unless you hunt yourself, and even if you do. People usually get extra hides from other people who aren't using them

[@mikesherman4565]

Hey do you make everything yourself from your buckskin

[@thedeerskindiary]

I have made leggings, moccasins, and a buckskin hunting shirt with my hides being 4 of the 5. I used a Matt Weatherholtz hide for the last one on that project.

[@littleriver8859]

Very good! Pare-

[@thedeerskindiary]

Thank you sir!

[@DenieseDrake]

The saying is thT each animal has enbrains to tan its hide

[@thedeerskindiary]

That does appear to be true to a point but I would not use just one on larger and thicker hides.

[@robertcurns3845]

yeah, that draw knife isn't the best. thanks for your efforts. I am sure Peter is proud of you.

[@thedeerskindiary]

Thank you!

[@shredpow]

I love your hat.

[@shredpow]

The first one. I commented before I finished the video.

[@thedeerskindiary]

Thank you

[@leonardzydowicz3480]

Try alum tan not as bad

[@thedeerskindiary]

Sounds less work intensive.

[@Braintanman]

Alum can't get wet though so it's not as useful.

[@mrchuck3338]

Fyi every animals brain is big enough to tan its hyde.

[@thedeerskindiary]

I have always heard that but do t have the skills to make that happen myself. I overtrain mostly to cut down on potential redo time.

[@brysonbutler8942]

Romans 10:9 King James Version 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

[@DrakeAllen-x6n]

We need the fur side on vids.

[@thedeerskindiary]

I need to get off my butt and do one then.

[@DrakeAllen-x6n]

@thedeerskindiary That or I will.😁🙂

[@DrakeAllen-x6n]

@thedeerskindiary only Problem I have had is with slipping.

[@HP-fn4bo]

10:10 it took me a minute to get this little non joke but when I did I laughed out loud. 🤍

[@thedeerskindiary]

Haha I try and weave some humor in from time to time.