Tanning/Pickling A Fallow Deer Hide With Alum

In this video I bring you through my process of tanning a deer hide from fleshing to stretching for use as a mat for my bushcraft camps in the future.
The tan, or pickle is based on alum, a traditional product used as a fixative for art applications, it provides a white hide with plush, set hair providing you follow each step carefully.
The recipe is as follows.
1 lb of Aluminum Sulfate
4 ounces of Sodium Carbonate
2 cup of salt
1 Gallons Water
Scale accordinly.
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[@ElaineyPainy]

Hello, I used this video to tan my first deer hide and I couldn't be happier with the outcome. Very easy step-by-step directions on how to start the process. The end result is just like the video shows, soft hide and fur. I would recommend this video to others wondering how to tan deer hides. I live in the pacific NW, USA. I started my process at the end of October, it is finally finished mid-December. Had to dry it using a fan.

[@PrimalNomad]

That is the best news! I'm so glad to hear that you had such a successful experience, even in the colder and damper seasons. I really hope that you continue to enjoy your hide and future ones as much as I do. Thank you for watching and for such a great comment. 🙏

[@ashleysmith7572]

Hi Liam, thank you so much for taking the time to publish this. I have now tanned several hides using your method and guidance, I do pop back from time to time to check the recipe 😉 Thanks to this I now have some beautiful hides that I treasure that, without this knowledge, would of been thrown away. Many thanks, keep up the good bushcrafting videos coming

[@PrimalNomad]

Thanks so much Ashley! That's the best news, I love keeping an animals hide going and the memories with it. I'm going to be doing a mini tanning series I think in the future to give people a better understanding and do it in the woods over a camp. So glad this has become a useful guide for you :)

[@owbyoutdoors]

Loved that you've shared this whole process with us! Thanks mate

[@PrimalNomad]

No problem at all Owby! Thanks so much for watching, hope you're well 🙏

[@dannygawley]

That was really interesting Liam.thank you for sharing this.i was gripped from start to finish 👊👊👊🙏♥️

[@PrimalNomad]

Thanks Danny! I'm so glad you enjoyed it

[@lonewolf352]

Well done mate great video enjoyed watching the process great.

[@PrimalNomad]

Thanks so much it's really good to know you found it interesting

[@Gunslinger-1962-martin]

What a brilliant insight into how to tan a hide liam 👏👏👏👏👏👍

[@PrimalNomad]

Thanks Martin, really happy you found it interesting

[@altonguis8870]

I really liked your video, sometimes when/if we string up a hide like you did to dry out, once it is dry take a wooden oar (boat paddle) and press into the hide working it up and down and sideways while it is strung up, this will stretch it out some.

[@PrimalNomad]

Thanks so much! That's a really great bit of advice, that would really stretch the fibres alot easier than just breaking over a pole. Appreciate your comment!

[@PeteR-tx5sh]

Hi - I have my skin pickling away at present - 4 days at present - if there’s any bits of fat left on the skin - how do ya get rid of that ? I have screw top wine bottles full of water on mine holding the skin down !

[@PrimalNomad]

Great news! Excited to hear the progress & finished result. I'd suggest when you're a day or two before the end of the pickling try pulling them gently off (with gloves) sometimes that really loosens it up, if not after drying you can sand those areas back 😉. Good luck!

[@PeteR-tx5sh]

@@PrimalNomad- ah good job - mine will probably stay in the pickle till next weekend - that would be 10+ days ! I presume the neatsfoot oil is too strong to put it on straight - and they is why you mix it with water ? If you get oil on the hair side - will it dry in or does it leave the hair side greasy ? Any other source of alum powder rather than eBay / Amazon - surely you could buy it cheaper somewhere as it’s used as a water softener ?

[@PeteR-tx5sh]

Is there any way I can PM ya here - need some advice please ! My hide has been oiled but there’s certain areas that are extremely slow to dry ?

[@robertauld2242]

Caught you Liam; you broke cover. You said aluminum; but changed in a heartbeat to aluminium.

[@PrimalNomad]

Haha you did 🤣🤣

[@janvanuk]

Thanks for sharing the process Liam, fascinating to watch 👍🙏

[@PrimalNomad]

Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it

[@freddyoutdoors]

Well done mate very interesting stuff enjoyed watching thanks

[@PrimalNomad]

Thanks mate! I'm glad

[@johnkilcer]

A big polished river stone works great for break in

[@PrimalNomad]

Thank you! I'll put that into practice on my next hide.

[@johnkilcer]

@@PrimalNomad ive used round ones and a large flat one turned up on its end buried in the ground or the size of a plate shoved in a stump or held between the legs. Boath work well but it depends on the technique and location you like.

[@PrimalNomad]

@@johnkilcer that's an amazing idea! I love the utilisation of a stump as a raised platform. Will definitely be trying this out soon & will thank you for the suggestion 🤙

[@Faceofsunflower]

Hello primal, great video, wow what a long process for completion. How did the ancestors achieve this without the minerals ? Or did they have them ? I don't believe in killing animals unless necessary, good that you could use the hide for sleeping on. Good show guv nor. Safe camping.

[@PrimalNomad]

Thanks Darren! I can completely understandstand your view and do share them, I can't see anything go to waste. Traditionally they would have brain tanned the hide, I'll hopefully do a video on that in the future. 🙏

[@Hellbillyhok]

Hi from Scotland mate,great wee video,I'm gonna try n get a deer skin from my gamekeeper pal and try this,I'll do a squirrel or a rabbit first to try it so I don't wreck a deer hide,cheers 🥃

[@PrimalNomad]

Great idea mate, I really hope it goes well for you, I'm available on instagram if you have any questions etc 👍good luck with it & thank you for watching

[@PeteR-tx5sh]

Hi - based in the UK - can you give us an idea where you can purchase the alum and other chemicals you use ? Thanks - great video

[@PrimalNomad]

Hi Pete! Amazon actually stocks all of the supplies needed which is handy, really glad that you enjoyed it & found it helpful. Feel free to drop me a message on instagram @primal_nomad :)

[@PeteR-tx5sh]

@@PrimalNomad - yes I’ve ordered alum and neatsfoot oil of eBay as Amazon won’t send to my location 🧐🧐

[@PeteR-tx5sh]

Thanks for the video as sadly alot of the other ones are based in the USA and it looks like they can get chemicals over there easier than we can over here… and of course their weights and measures are all different

[@PrimalNomad]

@@PeteR-tx5sh ah perfect! I was going to recommend ebay if not. Glad to hear that it's been of assistance, I was in the same boat as you and after lots of research and picking between information I managed to decipher it. I'll likely film an updated and better video of the process and different things I've learnt along the way too in the near future. Good luck & keep me posted with tour progress! Liam

[@PeteR-tx5sh]

Meant to ask ya - is soda crystals the same as baking soda ?

[@sandyflanagan1619]

I am new to tanning and just learning, if I wanted a hide that I could wash would smoking accomplish that? and at what point would I smoke it?

[@PrimalNomad]

Hey! Thanks for watching & the comment. I'd suggest smoking post alum curing but bear in mind that leather tanned with alum will degrade with water (very slowly over years) ! Neatsfoot oil is a great remedy to help waterproof the hide and then I usually leave mine by the fire to smoke when used around camp. I'll include some more of this in my next video! Thanks

[@waynewalsh761]

Did you mean baking soda for neutralizing the pickle?

[@PrimalNomad]

I did indeed! Thanks for pointing it out, ill add a caption ammendment 🙏👍

[@randybeeson3424]

Interesting. I tan a little different and prefer to start breaking on the rack, its easier on my hands.

[@PrimalNomad]

Definitely a great idea! I should likely make a much stronger rack to do this with, I'll give it a try with my next hide. Thanks for the suggestion!

[@PeteR-tx5sh]

Does it really need to go on a stretching rack ?

[@PrimalNomad]

It's not super necessary but does help reduce shrinkage and save some time breaking in! Hope this helps?

[@PeteR-tx5sh]

@@PrimalNomad - thanks for that - by not putting on a stretcher does it cause it to come out all bumpy father than flat - as it it would lie flatter on the ground ?

[@johnkilcer]

Doing a cow hide. Bigest one ive tried before. Its a bear to moove around when wet lol

[@PrimalNomad]

Amazing!! Good luck & definitely keep me posted how it goes 🙏🙏

[@johnkilcer]

@@PrimalNomad its VERY heavy. Definitely a 2 person job. Its approximately 10x6 feet after extensive trimming almost 1/8 inch thick in places. Saltd and hanging in a plastic barrel.

[@j.radventures6654]

Wicked video bro such a great job on the hind bro

[@PrimalNomad]

Thanks so much dude!

[@JasonColeMBCSMIET]

Hello there are you healthy after doing this you need some gloves All that salt and chemicals on your hands Check your levels As a skilled person who know about burthery we had gloves to mix salt water for pigs feet and legs.

[@PrimalNomad]

I did actually have gloves on for the most part of this. I'm not too concerned about the salt compared with the alum as per mbut it's good advice to be careful! Thanks for watching