Tanning deer hide with BRAINS?!

tortoise

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My fiance didn't get a deer after a week of bow hunting, but his dad got a doe for us yesterday. Skinned it yesterday, had the tenderlon for dinner. (Yum!) We (my fiance, his dad, mom, and me) processed it today.

I spent a good chunk of time yesterday and today on the hide. Just a learning experiment. I don't have high hopes for it. Maybe a throw pillow. :)

So I cleaned off the meat and fat. Got that membrane stuff all off it too. (Is that what they call "stripping" it?) I got my future-father-in-law to cut into the skull so I could scoop out the brains.

When I got home, it was a little dry, so I spritzed it with water. I blended the brain with 1 cup warm water and spread it onto the skin side. I folded it up and put it in (multiple) plastic bags and into a veggie drawer in the freezer. (I am so grossed out and keep thinking about CWD!!!)

The instructions I've read online say to leave it from 24 hours to 5 days.

From here I scrape and stretch until it is dry. Not sure how that will go...

Has anyone done this? Successfully?
 

FarmerDenise

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I am working on a deerhide also. I did not get to use the brains, because SO wants the antlers. It's his first deer, so I couldn't blame him.
I came across a Storey's guide and bought it. It had lots of different directions for tanning your hide. I really like it.
I haven't gotten all the meat, membrane and fat off of mine yet though, I am working on it a little bit every once in a while. I want to make moccassins, so I did successfully remove the hair using wood ashes. Once I do get all the stuff of that side of the skin, I will be using another natural proccess to cure the hide. I think it was using vinegar and fels naptha soap.
 

abifae

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I have a friend who did it that way. They turned out beautifully.

Smelled to high heaven ;)
 

journey11

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I'm getting ready to do one and HOPE I can handle the brains. They say it makes the softest leather. *sigh* Hope it's worth it! :p
 

Wifezilla

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You have to be careful though...

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noobiechickenlady

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I have! Well, I made a buckskin anyways, and brain tanned a racoon pelt. Although it's been a whiiiiile and I have no pictures. I don't even have the skin anymore. Got lost in one of our many moves. My nephew does still have the coonskin cap his dad made from the pelt tho :)
Here's a neat little website with really good instructions.
http://www.braintan.com/
 
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