Leather Tanning

Homesteading & Country Living Forum

Help Support Homesteading & Country Living Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
1. “Naked into the Wilderness” “Primitive Wilderness Living & Survival Skills” by John & Geri McPherson. This book covers much more than primitive tanning. I’ve seen countless statements in blogs and forums like this one give the book rave reviews. I’ve never tried tanning but have used it for knapping and basket weaving reference.

2. “Deerskins into Buckskins” How to Tan with Natural Materials by Matt Richards. I seen this book reference in forums also.

I have a 3rd book on the subject also.

3. ”Tan Your Hide!” Home Tanning leathers & Furs” by Phyllis Hobson

Hopefully one of these might be helpful.
 
I know you dont want videos.

Steven Edholm has a Youtube channel called Skillkult and he has a few play list devoted ro tanning.

See here for his playlists.

https://youtube.com/c/SkillCult
You get an idea of his approach to tanning as a preview. He has a primitive approach and will teach how to make your own lime and collecting bark for tanning if you want to go there.

He spent some time with an old school tanner learning what he could and has done a lot of research on the topic.

He has written 2 books on tanning. See this search.

https://www.google.com/search?q=ste...-wiz-serp#scso=_A2GcYLGTDIak5NoPgd-s8AQ14:136

Ben
 
I was going to say Tan Your Hide also. Nuts.com has bulk alum pretty reasonable. I have only done two hides - with hair on. Turned out pretty good for a first timer like me. For hair off, I think it's a bit more entailed. I'm interested in leather too but run out of time to do everything I like. I'll be watching the thread also 😊
 
Jim Riggs wrote a book called Blue Mountain Buckskin. The method used in this book is called dry scrape. Basically string a hide in a frame and let it dry, scrape the hair off.I have also strung a hide and let it freeze in the frame and then fleshed it and scraped the hair off.

The Mcphersons method is also
dry scrape

I prefer the dry scrape vrs wet scrape. Wet scrape is soaked in a bucket of bucking solution (ash water) i like the dry scrape because I can walk away from it. A hide in bucking solution cant be left to long but if time is there,thats ok too. I have also wet scraped fresh hides, no soaking.

There are as couple books from Fur Fish.Game. they sell historical books and they have a couple on tanning.


I have also tanned furs using a battery acid mix. Also have used a paste using alum and oatmeal. Those books have that info.
 
1. “Naked into the Wilderness” “Primitive Wilderness Living & Survival Skills” by John & Geri McPherson. This book covers much more than primitive tanning. I’ve seen countless statements in blogs and forums like this one give the book rave reviews. I’ve never tried tanning but have used it for knapping and basket weaving reference.

2. “Deerskins into Buckskins” How to Tan with Natural Materials by Matt Richards. I seen this book reference in forums also.

I have a 3rd book on the subject also.

3. ”Tan Your Hide!” Home Tanning leathers & Furs” by Phyllis Hobson

Hopefully one of these might be helpful.
Book 1 is great. I've had it for years. Can't speak to the tanning question. Never tried it.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top