How to Prepare Hides for Tanning
Tanning hides is actually a very difficult and time-consuming process. Many people think that ancient cultures were primitive and barbaric, lacking in both skill and finesse. But try and tan a hide to the same quality as the ancient Native Americans, and you will soon discover the expertise and knowledge that went into this seemingly simple process. Preparing a hide for tanning was one of the keys to the success of this process, and knowing how to do it is the key to a soft, attractive hide, versus a stiff and unfinished one.
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Instructions
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Preparing Hides for Tanning
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1
Skin the hide from the animal in such a way that all areas are split -- lips, nostrils, ears, legs and anus. The entire hide must be able to lie flat. The animal must be skinned properly as soon after it dies as possible, as decomposition sets in immediately.
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2
Using your scraper, flesh the hide of every bit of fat, meat and connective tissue. It is critical to do a good job on this, as these parts will rapidly decompose and cause damage to your hide during the tanning process.
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3
Salt the hide thoroughly. Use a fine salt and completely cover every inch of your hide with a thick layer of salt. For smaller hides, 25 lbs. or so will suffice. For larger hides, you should use at least 100 lbs. or more. Salt is a cheap investment and can make the difference between a good hide or a bad hide, so use a lot of it.
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4
After 24 hours, shake the used salt off the skin and spread it taut on a piece of plywood. Peg it down at the corners, apply another thick layer of salt to the hide and allow it to dry for a couple of days.
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5
Remove the hide and carefully fold it, hair side in, and store it in a cool, dry place until you are ready to tan the hide, or box it and ship it to the tanning company.
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