Introduction to Bark Tanning

[@coady-wp3xf]

you knocked this out of the park !! words cant express it. what a great video. you can tell how much someone know by how easy they can explain it.

[@conniefoxx9813]

Wow. WHY don't you have your own television show?! My goodness! THANK YOU for sharing your knowledge!!

[@fredflintstone6163]

Television is mostly propaganda and advertising

[@tomcurran8470]

What's television? LOL.

[@juanoutdoors7824]

Actually through all of my experience I found that a filleting knife works amazingly because all you Gotta do is just run it down and the knife will literally bend to the shape so you’re not gonna cut it like if you had a big tough solid knife so it’ll just cut where it goes easy which is right where the skin well in between the skin and the meat

[@SDKsa1]

Wonderfully done. Covered all my need for information. Thanks.

[@Dovid2000]

Excellent introductory course into bark tanning! Thanks!

[@HalloAmsterdam]

you show us some of the best ideas no one else shares. thank you for that education.

[@HiddenBlessingsHomestead]

Great video! As a vegetarian I don't think I ever imagined I would flesh and tan leather, but after learning that almost all the places I can buy leather are using chrome tanning and finding out just how bad it is to wear not to mention for the environment, here I am learning the process. I have to say your veggie tanned leather is far superior to what I have seen at the store. The added work seems to pay off in flexibility. Again great video thank you!

[@BuckskinRevolution]

I hear you- I was vegan once myself! And yes, home tanned bark tan is way better than commercial!

[@HiddenBlessingsHomestead]

@@BuckskinRevolution I am wondering if you have ever used lecithin and oil, or eggs to tan instead of brains? If you have can you give me some details as to how much, and if you have a video please let me know. I love how detailed your videos are. Thanks for you quick response as well.

[@sharonkasper5126]

Thank you for showing us the bark tanning and making the tea. Your way of doing the steps really makes clear how to correctly get good results, plus you get a great workout bucking hides, hence your strong body. Good for you. Glad to have found your video.

[@pennyraven1222]

Thank you. I have 2 deer hides I fleshed with hair on. I had been wondering if I could bark tan with the hair on. I seen you had one in the works. I know where some logging is going on right now and pretty sure they will let me have all the oak bark I can haul out. Great video. Thank you

[@greglaws9953]

Brilliant video, thank you

[@MaineMagua]

I really enjoy your videos. You are a wonderful teacher! You have a gift for getting your point across in a clear, easy to follow way. It just flows out of you so naturally. Its a joy to watch. Thank you for sharing your hard earned knowledge so freely. Looking forward to more videos and seeing more of you on ALONE!

[@BuckskinRevolution]

thanks so much!

[@YooperCountry]

Thanks...just got a deer hide and I am trying to learn what I can do with it. Great video!

[@tomcurran8470]

Just the advice of skinning the ungulate from the head down was worth watching this. The tanning solution was also great info. I would think Black Walnuts would be good gor tanning. Greatings from "Mayberry," NC.

[@mutabazimoses395]

Thank you for educating us

[@suemcfarlane4199]

I was interest to watch a friend of mine get the hide off one of his sheep using his air compressor he just inflated areas of the hide letting the air tear it away from the muscle it avoided using a knif for most of the exercise it worked really well for the legs as they would inflat like some sort of Michelin man

[@dahmanus2002]

thank you for this good videos

[@stacyswiss307]

Bark WHAt??????? Learn something new everyday I’ve never heard of this type of tanning. Awesome video

[@LaurenceRonayne]

A great insight to a topic I know nothing about.

[@Sam89365]

Grandfather used a six inch section of the antler to "cut" the hide of the deer instead of his knife or just using his hands. Seemed to work well enough.

[@BeSatori]

Great tips Woniya!

[@donaldslayton2769]

Just getting ready to try my 3rd deer hide. First two weren't the greatest. The 3rd will be a little better. Another dozen or so and i hope to have a usable piece of material. Thank you for the video . Those trousers look great

[@catchncookcalifornia1574]

Woniya, thanks so much for the details! I have brain tanned and egg tanned many times, but really have wanted to give bark tanning a try for a while! Much appreciated!

[@BuckskinRevolution]

my pleasure!

[@humanatur2786]

natural tan! thank you so much for sharing! so many ways!

[@jamesfirehummer3216]

Hey, just to let you know, I have only been deer hunting once, but the guy that taught me used these flint knives, and they were perfect for skinning, without cutting into the hide or the meat. they just scraped easily and perfectly.

[@BuckskinRevolution]

thanks James, i have skinned and butchered with stone tools before, usually flakes not finished knives but heck yes, stone tools are great. obsidian flakes are sharper than surgical steel

[@jamesfirehummer3216]

@@BuckskinRevolution I appreciate the feedback, and am impressed with your channel.

[@2scrimble9]

Best video on the topic, thanks!

[@missymcdee]

Brilliant overview - thank you so much

[@kullcraven]

This was an awesome video. I know the process of brain tanning but wanted to check out brain tanning. Love the way you share knowledge, natural. Maybe one day, we will have an ALONE reunion. lol

[@BuckskinRevolution]

Thanks Wayne! That would be fun

[@johnbryan9743]

great video--I'd never seen the process before and much appreciate your explanation and demonstration. One can see the value added by the time and attention to detail required for soft pliable leather. Keep up these videos about life before the chemical revolution.

[@BuckskinRevolution]

thanks, that's my plan!

[@patrickkabuki7049]

Hi. You are indeed a very gifted teacher. You are clear, inspiring and give a wide overview on the topic. I enjoyed the video (my first) and was left thirsty to study and learn under you. I learnt much and for that, I'm grateful. Thanks.

[@dustinschrock7803]

Thanks so much for sharing!! You are a wealth of knowledge!! Appreciate ya!!

[@richardbyerssr5057]

I've staked my hides down in a small creek with the hair pointing against the waters flow and it will slip the hair all off with in two to three days if the water is warm enough! But you have to be sure to stretch the hide to keep under the water so that oxygen is starved from the hide to keep any bacteria from getting to and rotting your hide! To remove the hair an loosen any flesh missed by the fleshing process!

[@michaelpcooksey5096]

Have you ever tried using a sort of barrel tumbler idea for some of your steps? Old washing machine motor or perhaps a simple windmill for rotating action. Barrel sits at an angle or made so it can be sealed up. Add hide, solution, round fist sized beach stones and let it go to town for a day or two. Interesting experiment for softening to break those fibers. Saw it done, never tried it.

[@halisidrysdale]

Really enlightening video, thank you for your time! Loved learning that this can still all be done naturally :)

[@dawneabdulal-bari9313]

Sounds good ~ Thank you!

[@bushcraftbaxter]

Nice! This is actually really interesting to me thank you!

[@eclipsearchery9387]

Wonderful video :) Thank you for taking the time to make it :)

[@royhudson8416]

Cool! You showed me what to do to my buckskin I let dry to quick and not worked enough

[@rodneyreiter4026]

I'm so glad that I found your channel. You are a good teacher. Does the shumack hide carry the shumack smell?

[@royhudson8416]

Hi again….got update and couple questions if you dont mind. Update on my leaf tanning attempt: I put my stiff as board buckskin in tub of warm water and got it completely limbered up after about 2-3 hours….I wrung it out good (couple times) and started working it over steel post (1x2” no sharp edges). Most all of the darker chocolate color went away as I worked it and it dried (almost….honestly, I got worn out…I can see why you are very healthy looking…lol). I may have messed up large but I rubbed mink oil and vaseline into the flesh side. My thought was…only 1 side so any moisture has way out. Questions: Is a hide doesnt have enough tannin in it….does it shrink up most than one that does? Idk….it looked like buckskin should look in my mind…wished I had took pic and sent it to you some how. Question #2: using egg yolks….how does it not get funky smelling?

[@neilhassanali316]

Great video! You really know your stuff. Thanks for sharing.

[@williamhutson1383]

Imm looking to keep the hair on the pelt, should I just skip the bucking step?

[@raykemry954]

Good info, always room to learn more .I like your methods, have actually incorporated some of them into my style. I work at trying to create distressed looking hides , lots of people like the old used look. Raybow thanks you. I am having fun making a oak colored buckskin.

[@branni6538]

Made furs, rawhide, braintan and eggtan.......but never barktan leather. I have a batch in now. I'm super excited. Thanx

[@PetersonFarmstead]

This is awesome, do you have to smoke the hide after? Just curious and thx in advance.

[@ehatley]

This is a great video thanks for posting

[@clayhayeshunter]

Great info!

[@BuckskinRevolution]

Thanks Clay, glad it was helpful!

[@wfldfire]

that is so cool, thanks for the great explanation.

[@justinmiller8249]

Thank you maam!...this video was very helpful...i have braintanned about 10 deerhides and made some awesome buckskin!...but as with any skill like tanning you tend to jump down the rabbit hole and see how far you can get!....i have several cowhides id like to barktan as i find it nearly impossible to get a soft and pliable buckskin out of them...and havin the knowledge of braintanning..i was able to follow and understand your instructions...i will put your knowledge to use ...thank you again!!

[@BradBrassman]

Interesting! I was taught to skin by a master and after the initial cuts to achive the traditional hide shape, skin, not with a knife, but with your knuckles!

[@PotionsMaster666]

Whaaaaa... !! 😮

[@beckbushcraft5444]

This is so cool thank you for showing this skill

[@henryshearman5550]

That was a really good video, thankyou.

[@TerrysWiredLife]

Bark Tanning is just another term or word for Vegetable tanning? What other types of vegetable matter would you use for tanning instead of bark?

[@edgarbradford]

If you wanted to do a hair on bark tan, would you pickle it first so it won't slip?

[@billbatch3699]

This is awesome! I do leather tooling mostly small projects. Im hoping to offer natural dyed colors. This has been a lot of help. Thank you

[@BuckskinRevolution]

awesome!

[@bobby-joesmith681]

Great job!

[@terryoconnor1744]

Great video! I'm wondering how long an average deer hide would have to sit in the bark solution to get tanned?

[@WestTennessee]

Good video.

[@Lady_Le_Fae]

Can you set aside the bark and store it on a shelf, or does it have to be freshly cut off the wood? Also, is it better if the wood is green or dried?

[@BuckskinRevolution]

You can store it, as long as it is out of the weather so it doesn't get wet. Water will leach out the tannins. You can harvest it fresh or dried, but it is infinitely easier to harvest it fresh!

[@lasaraungbakri7386]

Thank you Ma’am

[@dysay]

Thank you!

[@magnusosmond1835]

Very informing

[@quintond.7888]

Awesome, thank you. On your fur skin, do you skip liming? If so, does it slow the absorption of tannin due to the keratin fibers still being so tight and not swollen?

[@BuckskinRevolution]

yes, liming is done partly to make the hair slip so you definitely want to avoid it on furs. And they are a bit slower to tan as the bark liquor can only get through from the membrane side. Grain is fairly waterproof- it's the outside layer of our skin and is what keep us from swelling up like a sponge when we go out in the rain!

[@quintond.7888]

@@BuckskinRevolution thanks!

[@trek4554]

did you study chemistry or chemical engineering, you're very knowledgeable in what your'e talking about, thumbs up to you

[@BuckskinRevolution]

No, but I have a Masters in Environmental science so have taken higher level courses in chemistry, biochemistry, organic chemistry, etc.

[@Hy-Brasil]

Question.... i hope someone can answer.... i have a pond that is full of natural tannins due to leaves falling through the years...and an entire oak tree at one point.. would that be a good solution for bark tanning? i'm not worried about anything eating or carrying it off... except maybe some crawfish. but i don't think they would be too much of an issue in colder months... i'm more concerned with the hide putrefying.

[@BuckskinRevolution]

Hi Emily, that amount of tannin is probably very insufficient to actually thoroughly tan a hide. You could try it with some thing that you weren't worried about risking but as you say the hide rotting rather than being tanned would be a real risk and I think the most likely result. If there are Cray fish or anything else living in the water, that's a sign that it wouldn't be tannic enough.

[@pwnyou2295]

Very informative video. Gonna go deer hunting for the first time next hunting season, and I want to make use of every part possible. One question, though, how do I know when the tannic acid concentration is high enough?

[@BuckskinRevolution]

not sure if you mean the strength of the solution or in the finished hide. this is just an intro to a complex process. For specifics i have online courses and mentoring.

[@magnusvikas3255]

hi. the hair on hide, are you doing all the steps without scraping of the hairs?

[@ramoutdoors6415]

What parts of the sumac is best to use to get the most out of it? We have lots of sumac where we live in north central Kansas. Richard from Kansas;)

[@BuckskinRevolution]

i havent used it myself/ this was my friends tanning set up, but i have mostly heard of people using the leaves. It takes a lot of leaves as they are lower in tannin than most barks

[@jaalacuno8500]

Hi! Thank you! This video helped clear up a lot of tanning questions for me. I want to try tanning for the first time this fall. The primary reason I want to do is is to make my own shoes. The problem I have is that I have absolutely no idea which process to use to get leather suitable for shoemaking. Can you inform me? I will be using deer hides, if that makes a difference. Thank you!

[@pyrofful]

You definitely want to do a bark tan then since shoes get more wear then clothing which would only need brain tanning. Deer will work and is a decent in between leather option. It's not to thick (like elk) but not too weak as for wear (like elk). Bull hide from cattle has really tough wear properties that would be nice for the sole although you deer would work to. Just use several layers for the sole. I'm not an expert on this but do a quick search on the properties of deer skin. The sex of the animal does matter to a little. Male animals such as buck or bull have a little tougher more wear resistant properties than the doe or cow hides. Not a super significant amount but it's worth noting. I would not hesitate to use bark tanning for shoes but first find some road kill and practice on its hide. You will mess up along the way to learning and don't want to put a big cut in your prised hide or have it rott on you. Fresh road kill collected legally (check local DNR rules each state is different) is a good thing to practice on. Something with a thicker skin like a coon or something. Watch out for fleas and parasites though. Don't bear yourself up if it's not perfect that sounds like a cool thing to make.

[@fenrir324]

​@@pyrofful what would you recomend for car seat ?

[@cattledogmommy1964]

i was wondering about something. after you get the bark tea can you freeze it until you need it. say you cut a tree down and collect all the bark and made the tea for tanning but your not ready to use it. would it sour if you let it set in a bucket or can you freeze for when you're ready for it?

[@BuckskinRevolution]

Prelims the bark and storing it dry works and is a lot easier than making and freezing a lot of tea but if you had a lot of freezer space and we're ambition you certainly could freeze it. The acidity of the tea means it won't "sour" per se, but it can go moldy if stored long term

[@cattledogmommy1964]

@@BuckskinRevolution thank you

[@bobmiller4383]

I like to use a wooden wedge like spatula like tool to help getting the hide off

[@gerardomelgoza666]

Hi, my name is gerardo, Im from México, I'm interested in this method of leather tanning, do you know about another material to use to replace the bark?, I've heared about vegetal tanning, but I cant find information enough to tann cow leather in home, I live in the city in a small house, and its harder to find some materials, thats why Im asking you for another method, well, if you can help me I will really apreciate it, greetings!!!!

[@runnersyoga6258]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge! Is removing the membrane or scudding the same as removing the grain that you spoke of at the end of the video?

[@BuckskinRevolution]

you're welcome. No, all 3 are different. Scudding is pushing out the liquid, membraning is removing the membrane, which is on the flesh side, while the grain is a different layer that is on the hair side

[@kirstianwhite6331]

Hi, If you want to keep the hair on the hide do you skip the Hydrated Lime process? Great Video!

[@BuckskinRevolution]

yes, the hair will slip right out of the follicle if you lime it! Don't lime it if you want to keep the hair!

[@stephanpopp6210]

Sorry I didn't get how long the hide needs to be in the tanning solution. I've watched an old video (of 1962) about a tannery in Germany that still did bark tanning. They left the hides in the tanning pit for a year and a half, adding ground bark from time to time.

[@BuckskinRevolution]

There is no set amount of time as there are so many variables- how big and thick the hide is, how strong your hide liquor is, how often you change it out to fresh liquor or strengthen the solution, the ambient temperature, etc. Understanding the process and how to check the status of the hide and judge when it is done is the key part, and not letting it sit too long in too weak a solution as that lengthens the process and weakens the hide

[@uiop545]

many thanks

[@bethechangeme2233]

So if i keep the hair on does that mean I just leave out the step of soaking in the burnt shell solution? Seems that it was this step that caused the hair to slip

[@BuckskinRevolution]

Correct, you don't want to buck the hide in an alkaline solution if you're keeping the hair

[@fenrir324]

​@@BuckskinRevolution i think if I can get some hide from one of my friend I'm gonna skip it just to take less time. Also do you have recommandations on how to preserve the raw hide ?

[@davidayotte9697]

Can you use Black walnut

[@kilenlkr1400]

Terminalia chebula fruit is it oky for tanning

[@UN100Andrew]

To do a hair on hide would you just skip the hydrated lime solution altogether?

[@BuckskinRevolution]

You wouldn't do the lime step, but there are other differences as well. Also, deer hair is scratchy and sheds a a lot and is fragile, so not the kind if hide once would generally wan to tan with the hair on

[@KorvidRavenscraft]

Am I understanding correctly, that it goes from liming to the bark tea, there's no need to neutralize any basic/ alkaline balance in this process?

[@BuckskinRevolution]

Because lime has solids as well as alkalinity it is best to rinse it thoroughly and scud it out (squeegeying it out with light pressure over a scraping beam) before putting it in the bark liquor. Also, the initial tannin solution is weaker in acid than later baths so less likely to neutralize the pH. This is a brief overview and introduction to a complex process, isnt meant for instructional purposes, so necessarily leaves out a lot of details

[@konstantinbodin9936]

Thanks you helped me much

[@erikwestrheim804]

Awsome.

[@claired7339]

Tried to read through the comments before asking this but, what ratio of lime to water did you use for how big or a hide?!

[@BuckskinRevolution]

You can't over lime something like can over lye it, just add powered lime til no more will dissolve and you have a layer of white solids on the bottom of your container. If the solution gets weak, the solids will dissolve into solution. Too strong g and the solid will settle out. that's the beauty of lime. I have a video about Hide prep on this channel that explains this, kzbin.info/www/bejne/bqbChJuejMiem5o

[@felixmikkialmosttoasted3911]

I think your heated barrel looks to be a beer keg with the top cut off and a valve welded on. How much bark in the heated cooker to get 1 gallon of tan liquor ? How long did you soak the hide in bark tan? Can cedar that is bought for mulch or landscape chips be used ? I think some are dyed black or red. Not sure if thats good or bad either. I come from the prairies and not alot of wood choices here. Poplar Maple Ash Elm Pine Willow Birch I was thinking on buying a tree shredder and running branches through when i go north in the Parkland areas. As you mentioned tasting tannins. Have you ever ate a berry called a chokecherry. I bet it would have tannin in it as it curls your teeth when you bite it. They have a dark purple color and stain your fingers.

[@BuckskinRevolution]

Hi Paul, a shredder is a great idea. landscaping bark/chips usually are not a good option as the tan is have usually already been leached out through being wet. it's very water soluble so one good rain on shredded bark and you lose a lot of the tannins. I am familar with chokecherry but never heard of anyone using fruit. The pucker factor can be astringency from other factors, it doesn't always indicate tannins.

[@BuckskinRevolution]

You've got a lot of great questions, more than i have time to answer on this platform. That's part of why i partnered with sage.fm so I have a platform to connect with folks looking for more detailed skills mentoring. check out my profile at www.sage.fm/woniya-buckskinrevolution if that's something you'd be interested in

[@jackherbic6048]

You have to soak the hide in liquor for a long time, at least a month. You can tell if it is tanned through by cutting it, and looking at the penetration. There should be no white. I would tan it for at least another week after the white is gone. Also at the begging you will need to replace the solution or strengthen it very often, because the hide will absorb all of the tannins.

[@jimdownhour5224]

Would black walnut hulls work for this?

[@BuckskinRevolution]

not very well, they have more dye type tannins than tanning type. I know folks who have used them and gotten a leather that is hard and brittle and prone to cracking

[@Scarecrowking]

Thanks queen

[@SkillCult]

Your viewers might benefit from a channel that probably literally has the best videos on almost everything you talked about from making lime through the veg tanning process. This is my shorter tanning playlist kzbin.info/aero/PL60FnyEY-eJChUzoIGCqYE20rpjbfOgfc I have too many comments, expansions and corrections for a comment, but the biggest are : No de-liming of the hide, which for me means 5 or more soaks in fresh water between scuddings of both sides, to remove lime and dissolved gunk, until the water coming out is mostly clean and the hide is un-swelled, and back to it's flaccid state. Thorough scudding will also incidentally remove most of the hypodermis before tanning, which is nice, if not necessary. Also, weak liquors all around here. The strongest liquor I saw looked okay for starting hides for a day. The hide in a tub with big chunks of bark, no tannin in that liquor. Leaving hides for any significant period of time in solutions with very little tannin will not make the best leather. Solutions should be keeping up in strength in the beginning and end in liquors strong enough to preserve them. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oJvOnpKrgJWrlc0 I chop bark way finer than that to COOK the tannins out, let alone soak cold with hides. I chop 1/2 inch or less thick, across the bark grain for both layering and cooking. "Layering", or "pit tanning", can keep hides in strong enough liquor for months and traditionally was done for 2 or more months at a time without disturbing the hides at all. But that is when using finely chopped bark. It takes time to chop, but that's what it takes. It is very possible to layer skins in a tub, just be careful to have bark between every hide surface and enough rich, quality bark, finely chopped. Your hides are crunchy and dark from weak liquor soaks. If your hide is like rawhide when dried without oiling or working, it's not tanned well and probably more colored than tanned; color and tannin are not synonymous. Heavy hides are often not worked at all, but instead actually compressed and dried flat after oiling, like we did in the buckeye class. No bark tanned hide should require working to be not stiff and crunchy, only to make it softer if desired and lube the grain a little. It should still seem like leather when dried with out lube. I've been trying to combat the common bark tanning mistakes that I made, and that everyone makes, for the last 6 years on youtube and my blog. Anyone that wants to up their veg tanning game, or get a solid start and prevent the most common mistakes, should spend a lot of time in these two playlists. kzbin.info/aero/PL60FnyEY-eJChUzoIGCqYE20rpjbfOgfc kzbin.info/aero/PL60FnyEY-eJCcE3gKzj0GkadKlSF_8xbj

[@BuckskinRevolution]

thanks so much Steven, I give you props all the time and try to direct folks your way! Haha, so this isn't actually my tanning set up or hides I am walking folks through here! It is my old house and my old brain tanning area, but it is Adam Stolte (do you know him, he mentions you and all he's learned from you all the time. Not sure if any of that was in person or all through your videos. I was visiting the land and filming a bunch if brain tanning videos, so while I was at it I figured I would film and share his bark tanning process while I was at it. All you say makes sense for sure. I did 4 hides this spring with tan oak and they turned awesome and as you say, they required very little softening and weren't crunchy at all.

[@SkillCult]

@@BuckskinRevolution glad to hear your hides are turning out. tan oak is awesome, too bad they are all dying. Many are not so lucky to have access to such great tanning material. I've found that it requires diligence and intent to head people off to not make the common bark tanning mistakes. Most of us make the same ones if not emphatically told otherwise, and sometimes even if they are. Almost everyone uses bad materials, not enough and expects to just put the skins in and walk away or for them to tan and be preserved if there is any color left in the liquor. Even people who watch my stuff still do that, but many are turning out good leather right off the bat too. One way to describe it is that you probably have to have tannin left over that is wasted unless it's used to start a new batch of skins. If the tannin in solution or layering is really used up, the hide can't stay in there very long. There may be ways around this rule of thumb, like frequent agitation, to get more out of the solution without time, but probably not really. this is unfortunate for occasional home tanners, but works into production fine.

[@BuckskinRevolution]

@@SkillCult Totally, i always tell people I am no expert in bark tanning, but I get asked a lot of questions about it anyway, and universally everyone asking is doing exactly as you say- weak solutions and left in for far too long, in the assumption that a little bark or leaves will turn out a lovely hide if just left in there long enough. Perhaps I need to be a lot more emphatic too! (you are better than me at that. I'm too nice and encouraging sometimes!)

[@ekkachaismallfarmandleathe8732]

Thank you so mush👍👍👍😘😘🤩🤩

[@antomanelven]

good vid

[@bljack]

Can you tan that skin without removing the hair?

[@MrStickyIggy]

sumac what, leaves or bark?

[@jackherbic6048]

Great video! I just tanned my first deer skin last year. Do you think it matters if you boil the water too hot? I have heard mixed opinions on this. Some people say boiling breaks down the tannic acid.

[@BuckskinRevolution]

I am not an expert on bark tanning, part of why this is just a brief intro, but no, I have never heard that. I do know some folks that do cold extractions but most of the bark tanners I know boil the heck out of their bark and turn out beautiful hides. The hides themselves, that's another story. You should never let your hides get hit unless you are doing it on purpose, like for boiled canteens it tankards.

[@SkillCult]

Some tannins are destroyed by high heat. apparently sumac is one of them. I think you are safe if you keep it down around 120. Plenty hot to extract.

[@jackherbic6048]

@@SkillCult Thanks to the video you made in response to my question on your youtube channel I was able to make some very nice leather and I made my uncle who helped me hunt the deer a wallet. here are the pictures if you'd like to see imgur.com/gallery/JUYxmQc thank you very much for helping spread this knowledge. I plan to keep learning this skill and hopefully share it with others myself. I really think hunters should start using as much of the animal as possible.

[@veronicasantorum3332]

Heat darkens Tannins- so if you are after pale colour you avoid heat in its extraction

[@Matthlanning]

Ever done Redwood!? I'm in northern California and we have plenty here

[@BuckskinRevolution]

i haven't, and honestly i've never heard of anyone using it. perhaps because tan oaks often grow where redwoods do, so one might as well use them. Plus, you would need to tell a redwood to harvest the bark, most of which is outer bark and it useable as tannins and generally just in the inner bark. So i can't imagine redwood bark would make much sense to use for all those reasons

[@NorthernWoodsmanElite]

That was great

[@maxhearld1035]

I live in la grande Oregon do you know anyone around me that deals with leathers i want to build a pair of boots and need leather and knowledge

[@BuckskinRevolution]

Hi Max, I don't know of anyone near La Grande, but there are people elsewhere in Oregon. There is a boot making teacher in Portland who is a great resource for classes, Oregon Leather in Portlnaf has leather and tools, and there is a new barn tannery starting up in Ashland that will have naturally tanned leather for sale soon In guessing, if they don't already. you can find them on Instagram at @traditional_tanners

[@barbarapisetta3646]

he couldn't find anywhere to tan sheepskins with bark... can I use the bark while keeping the hair?

[@BuckskinRevolution]

Yes, but the wool will probably change color a bit as the bark dyes as well as tans

[@barbarapisetta3646]

@@BuckskinRevolution thanks a lot for the answer! Perhaps the color will also depend on the type of bark used, right?how long should a lambskin remain in the bark liquid?

[@BuckskinRevolution]

@@barbarapisetta3646 yes, the color will depend on the bark. There are too many variables- type of bark, how strong the bark tea is, aitr temperature, sizer and thickness of hide, etc , to answer how long it takes. When its done it's done. anywhere from weerksd top months depending on all factors and how often you stir, squeegee, etc

[@johnygoodman6659]

Hello again 😀, question. Does it matter what kind of bark you use? Or does it have to be "tan oak"

[@BuckskinRevolution]

It matters a bit, as some barks have more tannins than others and some have undesirable effects- like alder which also dyes hides red and makes them brittle. Most barks have tannins and can be used though. Tan oak just has a particularly high tannin content, but it has a very limited range. most tanning traditions focus on other species, hemlock, doug for, chestnut, other oaks, lots and lots work well

[@kirbyroad5743]

Could walnut be used as it has alot of tannins?

[@MindbodyMedic]

are your trousers[pants as the yanks say] home made from this leather or other material?

[@BuckskinRevolution]

they certainly are!

[@BuckskinRevolution]

Oh, wait, this is my bark tanning video, so no, the pants i am wearing are brain tanned, not bark tanned

[@MindbodyMedic]

@@BuckskinRevolution sounds delightful! haha

[@skylerarroniz4204]

Can you use cooking oil?

[@BuckskinRevolution]

yes, I often do

[@anthonyjasper630]

Do you have any idea how to make hard dry leather to soft flexible .

[@BuckskinRevolution]

There are too many variables to be able to say, it may or may not be salvageable depending on its age, the type of leather- both the kind of animal and how it was tanned, what made it so stiff, etc

[@anthonyjasper630]

@@BuckskinRevolution it is bear dry skin. I think it was tanned by salt . Still have rough hair on it. So,still need to remove the hair and it was tanned about a year I think. Thanks for your reply . I didn't expect that you will reply me. I really appreciate it. By the way,you are very beautiful women.

[@BuckskinRevolution]

@@anthonyjasper630 Salting is a preservation method, not a tanning method, so that would explain why it it is stiff. I try to reply to legitimate questions as a general rule, but to be honest, mentioning my appearance makes me less likely to reply. My aim is to keep these correspondences professional and to be judged for the quality of my content, not my appearance.

[@anthonyjasper630]

@@BuckskinRevolution ok, I was just asking about the knowledge of leather making. It's not because if your appearance. I thought that sentence could make just a conversation, nothing more. U are really good at what you are doing. So I did make a comment. So, let's get back to what I ask . I think the leather is not tanned. Just dry skin .