I didn't smell the brain scent that had impregnated my skin (and hair) until tonight when the hot shower released the stench and washed it down the drain, along with the sandalwood soap and the residual wood ash from the fire and a little sand from the creek bank. I was too jazzed up and working too hard to notice. In case you are wondering, I brain tanned* a deer hide today by a fire on the banks of Spring Creek. I worked alongside a motley posse of friends, stretching and working the hide with hands, stones, and a pumice stone as it transformed from a wet, slimy brainy mass of skin, to a soft, white, piece of leather. The work on one of these projects is unthinkably sizable, but somehow it keeps me coming back again. Tonight my knuckles are raw, my muscles are sore, and I still smell faintly of wet hide and brains, but that's the price to pay for attempting to learn a pre-industrial revolution skill in this modern world. The hide is dry, not as soft as I would like it, and I'm sure I will be sore in the morning, but I have decided, after some Rebel Yell whiskey and hot carrot soup, that it was worth it. I had a blast with Rachel, Jason, Jeff and Josh (with Mom and Jenna as the on-lookers), and I got to spend the day outside by the creek, laughing and working on something I consider meaningful. I am going to take the partially soft/ partially stiff hide down to some local primitive tanning experts and see where they would suggest to go from here. Enjoy pictures from the process:
Stretching the hide
Wringing the hide
Lots of group stretching of the hide (and laughing) occurred
Sometimes you got to bleed into it a little, for good measure...
Git it, Jeff!
Rub the pumice on it, JL!
Alternate pulling of the hide on a nylon dog leash looped around a T-post for abrasion purposes* Brain tanning a deerhide is a primitive technique of using the brains of the animal to condition and soften the hide, in combination with a sequence of other steps, to yield a soft, suede-like buckskin leather, suitable for clothing, bags, shoes, or other crafty and useful items.
4 comments:
i love yew.
this post solidifies the deal, after all these years.
I cannot believe you finished the hide and had time to post it! You are a force of nature Dane! Thanks so much for the lesson on traditional technique. It was super fun. J and I sat around after our showers last night, and swore we still smelled brains. It may be something the nose will never forget! Thanks again!
JEALOUS! I've only salt tanned, but read wistfully about brain tanning...How did you acquire your critter? Of all the people in all the world, you are one of whom I admire and envy most:)
Dusti, my friend Beth has a boyfriend, Terry, who has a cousin, whose name is also Terry, who is a wild game butcher somewhere in East Tennessee. They went over there and got me a sack of hides and a sack of heads one time. There is a post somewhere on here that shows me getting ready to "harvest" the brains from the heads. I'll try to find it and add a link.
Post a Comment