- Instructions -
The following hide tanning instructions have worked very well for me. I have tanned my first hide in 2000 and have had good results.

- Preparation -
Cut away any pieces of flesh that may still be attached after the hide has been removed from the carcass. Do this as soon as you are done butchering your deer. Let the hide cool overnight this will let the fat harden and it can be pulled or cut off. Trim any ragged edges on the hide, being careful to cut from the skin side.

Next you need to remove moisture to prevent the hide from rotting. Spread the hide, hair side down, on a flat surface. Sprinkle fresh, clean salt over the flesh side of the hide, using a pound of salt for each pound of hide. Be sure to sprinkle salt on all parts of the flesh side; rub the salt into the cut edges, neck, legs, and wrinkles. Remember, any unsalted spot is unprotected. The salting procedure should be repeated after the first application of salt becomes saturated with moisture, usually in two to three days. It should take about 10 days to dry the hide. Now with the hide dried you can store the hide until you are ready to tan. I try to wait until spring to start tanning this way I do not have to find a heated shop or garage. I would not keep the hides over the summer because it may get damaged by insects.

- Soaking and Cleaning -
The next step is to soften the hide and clean it so it is free of flesh and grease. If you plan to keep the tail split it lengthwise from the bottom side. Soak the skin in several changes of clear cool water. Use a large plastic garbage can for all soaking and tanning processes. The salt and tanning chemicals may react with other types of barrel such as metal. While a skin must be soaked until soft, do not allow it to stay wet longer than necessary because the hair may start to slip and fall off. Soaking time depends upon the condition of the skin; some skins require only about two hours, while others need a much longer time.

When the skin is almost soft, put it in lukewarm water containing an ounce of soda or borax per gallon; you may also add soap to this solution. Use a paddle to stir the skin around in the solution. This treatment promotes final softening, cleans the skin, and cuts the grease.

Lay the skin on a smooth board, flesh-side up. Work the skin with the back edge of a knife held nearly flat against the side, a hacksaw blade works as well. This operation is called "scudding" and is very importance. The goal here is to remove a thin membrane and any fat or flesh that is left. Rinse the skin thoroughly in lukewarm water. Squeeze out most of the water, but do not wring the skin.

- Tanning -
Weigh the damp hide or skin and record the weight; use this measure whenever the instructions below refer to the weight of the hide.

Mix the tanning solution. For each pound of deer hide or fur skin, place 5 qt of water (approximately 85 deg F) in a clean plastic garbage can. Add 1/2 lb of technical grade salt for each gallon of water and stir with a wooden paddle until dissolved. Measure 2 1/4 fluid oz of glutaraldehyde (25% commercial solution) for each pound of hide. Pour the glutaraldehyde carefully into the salt solution and stir well. Glutaraldehyde can be purchased from Electron Microscopy Sciences. I have been using the 25% Biological Grade sold in 450ml bottles. Do not worry about using exact measurements just try to get it close. I usually calculate a batch using glutaraldehyde in 450ml increments.

Be careful glutaraldehyde is an irritant. Avoid contact with skin and eyes. Avoid inhaling the vapors. Use rubber gloves and adequate ventilation.

Immerse the hides in the glutaraldehyde solution carefully to avoid splashing. Stir for about 5 minutes with a wooden paddle, and then try to stir for 1 minute three times a day. Cover the container between stirrings and overnight. The skin will become pale yellow as tanning proceeds. Continue the tanning for 3 days.

To see if the hide is tanned cut off a small piece of the thickest part of the skin, usually in the neck, and boil the small piece in water for a few minutes. If it curls up and becomes hard and rubbery, the tanning is not complete and the hides must be left in the tanning solution a day or two longer. Even though tanning is complete when the boiled leather shows little change, a fuller, softer leather can be obtained by continuing the tanning for another day.

- Oiling and Finishing -
Let the wet, tanned leather dry somewhat. Mixing 1/2 neatsfoot oil with 1/2 warm water. While it is still quite damp, apply a coating of the neatsfoot oil/water mixture.

Place the hide on a flat surface hair side down. Apply part of the oil to a portion of the hide and spread it evenly with a paint brush or your hand. Continue until one-half the solution has been applied to the hide. Allow the hide to stand for 30 minutes, and then apply the remainder of the oil in the same way.

Cover the hide with a sheet of plastic and let stand overnight. Next nail the skin, flesh side up, to a plywood board, stretching the skin slightly. I found it works best to stretch the hide on a frame as pictured above. The frame a build is made from 2X6's. I have drilled holes through the long ends of the frame. this allows me to thread the twine though and back around as seen to the right.

I then nailed doubled headed nails on the inside to tie off the twine. Space the nails or twine every 5 or 6" around the circumference and about 1/2" from the edge. Dry the flesh side at room temperature. When the skin is nearly dry but still slightly damp, work the skin in all directions, stretching it from corner to corner and working the flesh side over a stake or a wooden edge. As you work the hide you may hear the hide break stretch. This stretching is what will soften the hide. The skin may also be worked this way through smooth metal rings. Also you can use the scudding technique to remove any hard tissue that was not removed earlier.

Success in producing a soft skin lies in repeated working, which must be done while the skin is drying out, not after it is dry. This process may be repeated several times if necessary; simply dampen the hide evenly and work it again while it dries. If necessary, the skin's flesh side may be smoothed by working it with a sandpaper block. This also helps to further soften the skin. If desired, thicker sections of the skin may be thinned and made more flexible by shaving off some of the skin or hide.

After the skin has been softened and dried, give it a hasty bath in white or unleaded gasoline, especially if the skin is too greasy. To clean and brighten the fur, tumble it repeatedly in dry, warm sawdust - preferably hardwood sawdust. Bran or cornmeal may also be used. Clean the particles out of the fur by gently shaking, beating, combing, and brushing the fur.

Good Luck.