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Bugout_Boy
128 posts
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in 6 months
Deer to Wallet?
Just shot my first deer (whitetail) ever a few weeks ago. Kept the hide thinking I’d make something out of it. Quickly learned it’ll need to be a leather goods, as opposed to a fur good, because the hair is pulling out anyways.
So far I’ve power washed all the organic material off the inside (leaving a clean white membrane), then left it outside in the weather for about two weeks (with a weak attempt at salting it in the process) now I’ve pulled some of the hair out and now I’m giving it more time in the elements for the rest of the hair to clump up for falling out.
So tell me- my first ever attempt at any leather working or tanning for that matter. Am I delusional for hoping I can make a decent looking wallet for myself?
So far I’ve power washed all the organic material off the inside (leaving a clean white membrane), then left it outside in the weather for about two weeks (with a weak attempt at salting it in the process) now I’ve pulled some of the hair out and now I’m giving it more time in the elements for the rest of the hair to clump up for falling out.
So tell me- my first ever attempt at any leather working or tanning for that matter. Am I delusional for hoping I can make a decent looking wallet for myself?
8 Replies
well if you dont get any feed back here try posting on our leather working forum. it's pretty dead but ya never know who may check in ? if your successful make and post it.
working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.
Sounds like you're on the right track. Probably too late now but every animal is supposed to have enough brain volume to use in the tanning of its own hide.
I suggest you either google “how to tan a deer hide” or buy a book, and yes, there are whole books on the subject. If the hair is falling off you may already be too late, that means the hide has started to rot. Removing the hair is also a process if you want it off that is somewhat separate from tanning which is the process of making it leather. You can tan with the hair on or off if it’s done correctly.
-- There is nothing like the sound of a well tuned hand plane. - https://timetestedtools.net and https://diy.timetestedtools.net
As a kid I tanned my first mouse caught in a trap... was so wrapped in the job, I thought about making a coat for mum... hey I was a 10 yo kid.
My friend had a white pet mouse that he let out on our kitchen floor... mum saw it and screamed and panicked and while fleeing, accidentally stepped on it, crushing it... I quickly realised mum would not appreciate a fur coat out of mices... I kept the pelt and it was my first born that destroyed it so many years after... all that time, mum refused to look at it.
My friend had a white pet mouse that he let out on our kitchen floor... mum saw it and screamed and panicked and while fleeing, accidentally stepped on it, crushing it... I quickly realised mum would not appreciate a fur coat out of mices... I kept the pelt and it was my first born that destroyed it so many years after... all that time, mum refused to look at it.
If your first cut is too short... Take the second cut from the longer end... LBD
Update: I messed up tanning it and ruined the thing. I guess I'll have to wait till another deer comes along to try again.
but as long as you learned from this it's not a total loss ?
working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.
Yeah for sure.
I guess it’s worth being honest: the reason I messed it up, I was trying to modify procedures I had seen online, for the sake of appeasing my parents “don’t bring it in the house till it’s finished leather” except by leaving it to salt during on-off rain, I messed up the salt concentrations and let it basically wet-rot instead of salty-wet-cure? Idk.
I guess it’s worth being honest: the reason I messed it up, I was trying to modify procedures I had seen online, for the sake of appeasing my parents “don’t bring it in the house till it’s finished leather” except by leaving it to salt during on-off rain, I messed up the salt concentrations and let it basically wet-rot instead of salty-wet-cure? Idk.
being honest with your mistakes is how we here can help you get better ?
working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.
