Making Rawhide Start to Finish | LIFE IN THE 1700'S | USES OF RAWHIDE |

Kim, Brad and Memphis visit The Woodland Escape, once again. During their last visit, they tanned the deer hide. This time, they are making rawhide. Peter guides them through the process and talks about its many uses, from lacing to drums. Fred, the owl, watches and snacks on frogs.
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Featuring - Peter Kelly
Cinematography - Catherine Wolfe
Producer & Editor - Catherine Wolfe
Contact Us: [e-mail]
SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook - / the.woodland.escape
MUSIC
The amazing music in this episode is graciously provided by our friends, Richard Fortier and Al MacDonald.
#snowshoe #rawhide #nativeamericandrums
#americanhistory #canadianhistory #1700s #pioneers

[@elund408]

you forgot to mention the repair of the wrist of gunstocks. it was the duct tape of the mountain man.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

It certainly was he duct tape of the era … so many applications.

[@hayward434]

The drum has great volume and must be able to be heard from a good distance away. Merry Christmas to you and all your subscribers.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

It is indeed a deep sounding drum, mostly due to the large surface area. Wishing you and your clan a Happy Holiday Season.

[@beverlymichael5830]

Fred is going to become a KZbin star. What a character He/she is. And a good hunter getting a nice snack. Fred is watching over you Great video. Hide glue. Some of my Martin guitars are made with hide glue as they were done back in old times. Thanks for sharing and keep the Fred videos coming.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Fred is always trying to upstage me, lol. You must have some very old and I might add valuable Martin’s. I have one Martin Guitar but, it is only about 30 years old so I think I can rule out hide glue.

[@SirFrederick]

I'm liking these processing videos. Never hunted before, but I can sew a complete outfit by hand.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

You’ve a lot of patience, sir! It is a relaxing exercise albeit it time consuming.

[@judyjenson2918]

O that. Fred is just adorable. Loved the lesson.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

We’re kinda enamored with Fred as well.

[@petrimurphy6152]

It's good to see younger folks wanting to learn skills that are useful.great job . Mine the fort, merry Christmas, God bless.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

It is indeed and we wish you and your Clan a Happy Holiday Season.

[@richardofsylmar]

Very interesting process, I often wondered how they made rawhide. Thank you.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

You’re welcome 😊

[@jeffgrier8488]

Thanks for taking us through the process, i learn something from every video! I would say that Fred definitely has himself a good spot. Merry Christmas!

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Our pleasure and a Happy Holiday Season to you and your clan.

[@johnt.chambers4204]

I back my bows with rawhide and hide glue. I have a couple that I have painted with traditional Cherokee patterns. Paint applied directly to the wood doesn't last long, but it holds up really well on the rawhide. I have heard that some people would coat them with melted beeswax and pine resin to waterproof it and keep the paint from flaking. Also, I weave my quivers from wood splits and then cover them with rawhide and decorate them with a similar pattern as the bow. I have several bowstrings that were made from squirrel rawhide. Normally I use four strands about an 1/8th to 3/16 wide stretched and twisted individually and then twisted together. I hang them with a weight on them to keep them stretched and let the dry for a couple of days. They are unbelievably strong unless they get wet. I normally rub mine with beeswax to waterproof them.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Amazing, thanks for sharing. While I make traditional bows and arrows, you sir take it to a whole new level.

[@jackmrozinski337]

What a great story about your drum. Thank you.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

It was a very emotional experience for me … thanks for watching.

[@johnlea8519]

Fascinating subject as usual, wishing you and Cathy a very Happy Christmas...🎄

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

And a Happy Holiday Season to you and your clan.

[@greenman4508]

I subscribed from a random video I’d not watched yet. Just checked out a few videos. Enjoying the time and teaching very much so I downloaded basically your whole channel to watch back at the cabin in the holler. Great job and I’m happy I found the channel.🙏🏻

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Awesome, thank you. We’re very flattered with both your interest and your support. Enjoy your stay at your cabin.

[@ianandresen2326]

Excellent video! Especially the recipe at the end! I see a learning center in your future! Thank you! Merry Christmas yo you and your family!

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Thanks, Ian. I do hope you’ll visit someday. Wishing you a very Happy Holiday season for both you and your clan.

[@dhession64]

Every time I watch one of your videos, it's over much too soon. This has been some wonderful instruction, and I've not been out to hunt deer at all this year because I'm lazy lol I look forward to your next installment. Thank you for what you and your dear wife do for us all.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Wow, thank you! We appreciate your continued in.

[@ryanstottlemyer5698]

As always, a fascinating, educational video ,thank you. Merry Christmas and happy holidays.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Happy holidays to you and your clan.

[@TomCramer-xu8tx]

Thank you for sharing some very interesting information. Merry Christmas!

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Happy holidays to you and your clan. Thanks for your interest.

[@antjelambers7248]

It is always a wonderful Episode. Thank you. Also merry Christmas and a Happy new year from Germany

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

And a very Happy Holiday Season t you and your clan from Canada.

[@dennismac2939]

pretty amazing what our ancestors did to make clothing with what was available, great video as usual, Happy Holidays to you and your wife.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Happy holidays to you and your clan. Making the material then making the clothes makes Xmas shopping look pretty darn easy, lol!

[@marieleopold1625]

WHAT a LOT of work 4 clothing, drums etc. SURE must make one appreciate his goods after the labor is done an' also make a man/woman cry if something gets lost or ruined (my take anyway). I thoroughly enjoyed learning the 'hows' behind the items made. Wuz a time people opted 4 'store bought' gifts...but when U C the kind of effort an' beauty of these items...YIKES! Just no comparison. Lovely family of visitors in this vid and I thank dear Empress Catherine 4 her fine eye and hand at filming. Luved seeing the outfit of Madison...truly a sharply dressed young man. And doesn't Fred know how 2 scoop up a frog from 'his' pond? He even seemed 2 'hop about' on the log after his catch (LOL)! I particularly liked your 'wee bit' on the drum and it's 'initiation rite'. I wonder if this is where the term; 'pulsating beat' comes from? And here is Peter's secret..."There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward." (Khalil Gibran.) Thank you 4 sharing dear ones...health and blessings and a very Merry Christmas! :)

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Your kind words always tickle me pink, Marie. Cathy and I wish you and your clan a very Happy Holiday Season.!

[@glenmacneill6935]

Merry Christmas ( Boone ) aka Peter Kelly

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

And a Happy Holiday Season to you and your clan.

[@1951shelby]

Another awesome video, you impart a grand amount of wisdom in a short period of time. Thank you and Merry Christmas to you and your family. How about a 1700's Christmas video.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

That is a grand idea, perhaps next year but, thanks for planting the seed. While on the subject of Christmas, we wish you and your clan a very Merry one.

[@michaeldouglas1243]

Great as usual. Learned some things there. The egg with the wood ash solution I will recall for rest of my life.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Glad it was helpful!

[@douglasgatian1401]

Glad Fred got a snack!!

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Fred is getting more than a simple snack, he/she seems to be gorging on aquatic live, lol.

[@rogerclyde2720]

So very interesting, I was in the process of learning how to make Rawhide before my health got in the way, I wanted to use it for Roping Saddles and lacing.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Well Roger, now you know how … no excuses.

[@earlshaner4441]

Good afternoon from Syracuse NY United States and Merry Christmas and A boxer day and a Happy New Year everyone

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Hey, Earl … wishing you and your clan a very healthy and happy holiday season!

[@earlshaner4441]

Thank you my friends

[@robertcurns3845]

another great vid. Say hi to Fred for us in Va.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Will do!

[@ashleyanderson2859]

Appreciate your efforts and dedication. Merry Christmas and may next year be as prosperous as this year has been. Thanks again and keep your powder dry!

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Happy holidays to you and your clan as well and a thank you for the interest you e shown in our endeavour. Watch yer top knot!

[@melissacoty91]

I love that owl !!

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

As do we!

[@sheilam4964]

Nice to see Fred again. Thx for doing this, filming it and sharing it with us. 👍👍👍👍👍

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Our pleasure, glad you enjoyed it.

[@8626John]

Another excellent video. Thanks for keeping these skills alive and sharing them with us.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Always a loyal follower, thank you.

[@brentbrown8393]

Nice video Peter, I enjoyed watching it👍.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching.

[@Eyepealer]

Well done, and happy holidays at Kelly’s Station! Thank you

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Happy holidays to you and your clan as well.

[@kingrafa3938]

Happy Holidays Peter and Cathy!

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

And to you and your clan!

[@crosmas]

Amazing experience for a kid, those are some good parents right there. Love the series Peter, excellent work in education.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Thank you and I must admit I do love sharing knowledge with the young ones. Thanks for your interest.

[@rickcooper6817]

Thanks Mr. Peter. That was the first time I've seen the process of creating rawhide and it was very interesting. Happy Holidays to you and Ms. Cathy, and Fred.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Happy holidays to you and your family as well. Glad you the video.

[@davidcarter592]

Subscribed today thank you for the lessons and really enjoyed your show very entertaining and interesting

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Awesome, thank you! We appreciate your interest and support.

[@craigcook1571]

Merry Christmas Peter and family

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

And to you and your clan.

[@user-yg6jx3oc7e]

So cool learn alot

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed.

[@glenmacneill6935]

Rollin' Rollin' Rollin' Though the streams are swollen keep them dogies rollin, rawhide. Through rain and wind and weather Hell-bent for leather Wishin' my gal was by my side. All things I'm missin' Good vittles, love and kissin' Are waiting at the end of my ride ... rawhide

[@jimf1964]

Did you know the whole series is on KZbin?

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

You got it!

[@juneclary1964]

Great video thank you for sharing looking forward to seeing the next video love and blessings Larry June and Laurie

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Thanks guys and a Happy New Year to you all.

[@smoothvern165]

Very good video! You explained a couple of steps better than any other information source that I’ve seen. Thank you! Have a great Christmas!😃

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Thanks, you too!

[@charlesleblanc6638]

Good that you have some winter meat Peter .. Its a good feeling knowing you provided your own meat and not have to eat Bologna ! I just finished making rawhide as well, that will be made into buckskin. I use the tail hair to make streamer flies, and flank hair for dry flies. Hope all is well.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Always wanted to try my hand at fly tying… too many irons in the fire I guess. Freezers full, root cellars full, wood shed is full …. Bring on winter.

[@charlesleblanc6638]

@@TheWoodlandEscape Yes sir .. Its a good feeling and an important one when your living a self reliant life style.

[@jackcook8613]

Thank you for another excellent tutorial, Peter. I did a deer hide a long time ago. You make it look easy. Will be looking forward to more work on the fort next year. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and Cathy!!

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

You are very welcome and a Happy Holiday Season to you and your clan.

[@jtsterry]

❤😊😊

[@lancehenderson7249]

Your videos should be an hour long, love the lesson on how to make rawhide. Keep your powder dry. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family. May you all be blessed with good health and happiness

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Thanks so much for the well wishes and the same to you and yours .

[@57WillysCJ]

Those snowshoes have some fine babiche lacing. I wore a pair with that and they were nicer than the modern thick lacing. Of course they make canoe seats but you can make a chair the same way. You can also stretch the rawhide and paint it. You can varnish over it to make it last. Yes varnish is old, the Egyptians were well known users of it.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

I love that pair of snowshoes and you point out, so much better than the modern wooden shoes they make. The best flotation ever.

[@tropifiori]

Thanks Peter Merry Christmas Pax vobiscum Frank

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

And a very Merry Christmas to you and your clan, Frank.

[@victortuten4399]

Fred is becoming quite tame! Just hope he doesn't start leaving you "presents" from his hunting trips like a cat will! Rawhide will be the way to go for me! I should be able to handle that by myself pretty easily... I hope! Thank you for teaching us how and sharing your vast knowledge!

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Built Freda nest box, hope to keep him/her around. Thanks for your continued interest.

[@DonWarfield]

and banjo heads... i've made 2 of them, one from groundhog hide and one from deerhide. lots of possibilities. i have a cup-sized jar with a lid that i got when i lived in Burkina Faso, made by stretching/forming the rawhide while still wet.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

There are a lot of uses. Groundhog skins were very common on banjos. I wonder why that is?

[@DonWarfield]

@@TheWoodlandEscape The groundhog hide was just the right size. Seemed tougher/thicker too. But it was more of a chore cleaning it of fatty tissue.

[@jamesellsworth9673]

Fred gets fed!

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Indeed … can’t imagine starting my day with a raw frog but, to each his own, lol!

[@Ilikeit616]

Howdy Peter Interesting ... a lot of work .. little problem mixing the white with water .... did not use 17th century white ash ! LOL Do the birds take the fur off the ground for there nests ? Great to see Fred still around Have a good holidays , another year of great videos . Thanks

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

The bids almost clean up the fur in the spring as nesting material. When I clean out our 70 odd box’s n the spring they are full of deer hair. Never thought f using 17th century ash … great idea, lol! Merry Christmas to you and your clan.

[@SweetClara99]

Hi Fred!

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

I’ll pass on your greetings.

[@greenman4508]

Is that a tricone, or its predecessor? Hopefully there’s a vid on making that. It seems to stick out less in the front then ones ive seen.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

It is a tricorn and from my research a very accurate one for my time period. Like all fashion there are a lot of variations in the hat of the day. Some where almost double in size.

[@greenman4508]

@@TheWoodlandEscape I’ve been looking for that shape I couldn’t quite visualize, in tricones on KZbin. They all seemed a bit costumey except Townsends had some nice ones. I feel like yours matches statues and paintings accurately. I’ll have to knock that off, thanks.

[@MrOj53]

GOD JUL!!

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Merry Christmas to you and your clan.

[@robertsmith9970]

So, Peter, we're able to take a deer with the "Woodsrunner"?

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Sadly no, both deer were shot on days the the weather was so terrible, hunting with a flintlock was out of the question. It will have to wait until next year.

[@mikesherman4565]

Did the native Americans make bow strings with raw hide

[@charlesleblanc6638]

Yes they did, but mostly used sinew.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

I believe that sinew was the most commonly used material. I think raw hide might have a wee bit too much stretch in it.

[@jimf1964]

If there were more lovely gals like Kim involved in in re-enacting, there’d be a lot more guys into it also…..though if you keep working them so hard, they may just run away 😀 The soaking, with it tied that way, would leave the bunched up section less soaked. Wouldn’t it be better to put a small hole in the corner, and tie it there?

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

I don’t tie it at all when in the alkaline solution, it simply soaks and I stir it every few hours. I often put a piece of wood on it and weight it with rocks to keep it immersed… tends to flood to the top.

[@jimf1964]

@@TheWoodlandEscape Sorry, I didn’t explain myself well. I meant the rinsing part

[@jimf1964]

Does anyone do deer with hair on for anything?

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Good for hanging on the wall but, not for more practical uses.

[@glennwilck5459]

Why do you have to remove the grain for rawhide? I just made some and left the grain on it so am curious why thats not good.

[@charlesleblanc6638]

Your right you wouldn't need to remove it for just rawhide, but if you decide to make brain tan skin it would be necessary.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

I’ve found for things like drum skins it is better quality with the grain removed.

[@glennwilck5459]

@@TheWoodlandEscape okay I see so for certain things it's better to have a thinner raw hide, but for lashings and stuff that you want to be strong/stiff it doesn't really matter?

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

@@glennwilck5459 You’re absolutely right.

[@larryreese6146]

You cant buy it anymore but you used to buy Red Devil lye at many places. A plastic trash can filled with water and lye used to be the solution for slipping the hair that i used to use. Ever use it?

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

I have not but I do remember the product. I would have thought it too strong .

[@larryreese6146]

@@TheWoodlandEscape nope. It would slip the hair off in about a week or 2. You did have to be careful, use rubber glasses and safety glasses then really rinse the skin well. In the proper proportions it could be used in making soap. I used to buy the soap from a lady in a privately owned seed and feed store in town. Used to be able to buy homemade candy, fruits and nuts and locally raised produce there for a fair price until first her husband passed. Then she passed. Nice older couple.

[@larryreese6146]

@@TheWoodlandEscape I've thought about trying draino.

[@larryreese6146]

@@TheWoodlandEscape drains. Messed up on my skins. I missed the part in the book about breaking the membrane and tanned the hide with a lanolin soap, using an old wringer type washing machine. It came out like a crinkled paper sack when I tried to make a bag. But then I used sand paper on the hair side of the skin and it came out.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

@@larryreese6146 interesting. As to a dehairing solution, lime is cheap and safe.

[@deanjernstrom3760]

I love how the owl has his own restaurant right there. Great experience for your guest family. Thank you for bringing us along on your adventures .Have a great Christmas and an awesome new year. Thx

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Thanks for watching and a very happy holiday season to you and your clan.