Tanning Game & Domestic Hides

[Roving Jacobs]

@Roving Jacobs do you make buttons from the horns? I once saw a web site on someone who raised Jacobs and they sliced the buttons, polished them and sold them for buttons. They cut the tips off, drilled two holes and made them into buttons too.

I'm thinking I want a jacket from my gorgeous spotty boys and some Jacob buttons would look so cool on it.

I've made a couple of buttons to try it out but don't make them regularly. I really need to dig through my skull piles and see what skulls have matching horn sheaths and which horns can be used for separate crafts. I think Meridian Jacobs out west has buttons for sale regularly and they really are cool looking.

 

[greybeard]

Have you ever done a beaver hide?

 

[HomesteaderWife]

Been waiting on a beaver to come through- we were supposed to trap some on a friend's pond years ago but that fell through. There aren't any near us, unfortunately- just alot of raccoons and possums mainly

 

[greybeard]

You probably have more beaver around than you realize. They have a history of living in residential areas around here, damming up drainage ditches and even culverts in ditches that run between the street and yards in some hi $$ subdivisions, as well as out here in the rural areas. They don't always build dams, or lodges. Many of them are tunnelers and make their homes in burrows they dig in the side of a ditch or the bank of any other body of water.
The next one I get that isn't full of holes, i'll see if i can bring myself to skin & send to you. They're nasty and stink all to heck even when alive because they spend so much time in the mud.

 

[HomesteaderWife]

We've got a small article out on tanning, hoping to encourage other folks to get involved with it and to learn.

Also wanted to share a photo of a recent squirrel tan (first time I have actually delicately split the bone from a squirrel tail, PHEW.) I normally just cut the tail off and lay it out STRAIGHT, then salt the whole thing- people use them for fly fishing lures or just decoration that way.

 

[Baymule]

The squirrel hide looks very nice. The article is good too.

 

[Baymule]

@HomesteaderWife what do you use to tan hides? I briefly looked at kits online, need to go back and see what's in 'em and what the process is.

 

[HomesteaderWife]

@Baymule - I use the salt and alum method because it is cheaper in the long run, BUT the hides are a lot harder to stretch and soften vs. some of the bottles of tanner you see.

 

[Baymule]

I'll probably take the easy route. LOL I just need to study a little more and call and ask questions.

 

[HomesteaderWife]

@Baymule I hear that the Cabela's Deer Hunter's Hide Tanning Formula is good. Rittel's Tanning Supplies has a kit of things you can use too (some of them require pickling or relaxing steps, so just check your directions really well). Also, here's a big hint- most tanning solutions require "soft" water, so save up some clear rainwater if you can.