Tanning Beef Hide

[Katie H]

Hello, I am thinking about tanning a beef hide and am wondering what the best, low cost, method to use.
I've used EZ-tan 100 in the past with deer and smaller hides, and I really like the results. Will that work with a beef hide as well? Will it penetrate the whole hide? I am going to get it thinned before I tan it. I would prefer to not switch my tanning method, but if I need to I will. Thank you.

[muscle20]

       If it worked well for your deer and smaller hides of course it will work for a beef hide, thin it good though as there is a little more work involved in the finishing than a deer tighter fiber structure, and do not be in a big hurry to remove it from the pickle, after a few days remove from the pickle drain and shave, you can do this as many times as it takes to thin to a manageable state, after shaving return to the pickle, that way you are sure to get good penetration throughout.

[oldshaver]

Dont forget a degreasing step.

Use a solvent based degrease, DURING the pickling process.

Sometimes they dont feel that greasy to the touch, but will be shocked by all the grease you get out of a beef hide!  

That is why you always hear of folks having trouble getting beef hides soft. They didnt degrease them.

[michael p.]

Hello, I am thinking about tanning a beef hide and am wondering what the best, low cost, method to use.

A good commercial tannery....that is the answer.  Cow hides are very hard to shave and handle.  A cow/bull cape tan is average $250.  A rug is average $10 a square foot......YOU CAN NOT tan it that reasonable yourself if your time is worth money.

Not only that, beef hides are VERY prone to slippage......let a professional handle it.

That wouild be my experienced advice.  Been there, done that & tasted that apple.......tannery all the way!

[oldshaver]

Hello, I am thinking about tanning a beef hide and am wondering what the best, low cost, method to use.

A good commercial tannery....that is the answer.  Cow hides are very hard to shave and handle.  A cow/bull cape tan is average $250.  A rug is average $10 a square foot......YOU CAN NOT tan it that reasonable yourself if your time is worth mo

Not only that, beef hides are VERY prone to slippage......let a professional handle it.

That wouild be my experienced advice.  Been there, done that & tasted that apple.......tannery all the way!

Agreed! You will probablly get nothing close to the results you want or expect, doing a cow your self, without ALOT of equipment. All this assuming you send it to a REAL tannery.

[Katie H]

Hello, I am thinking about tanning a beef hide and am wondering what the best, low cost, method to use.

A good commercial tannery....that is the answer.  Cow hides are very hard to shave and handle.  A cow/bull cape tan is average $250.  A rug is average $10 a square foot......YOU CAN NOT tan it that reasonable yourself if your time is worth money.

Not only that, beef hides are VERY prone to slippage......let a professional handle it.

That wouild be my experienced advice.  Been there, done that & tasted that apple.......tannery all the way!

Please understand; I only tan hides for my own pleasure. I will get it thinned by a professional taxidermist and the rest I will do myself. If I don't every try, then I won't ever get better.

[Beltonbanger]

Hello, I am thinking about tanning a beef hide and am wondering what the best, low cost, method to use.

A good commercial tannery....that is the answer.  Cow hides are very hard to shave and handle.  A cow/bull cape tan is average $250.  A rug is average $10 a square foot......YOU CAN NOT tan it that reasonable yourself if your time is worth money.

Not only that, beef hides are VERY prone to slippage......let a professional handle it.

That wouild be my experienced advice.  Been there, done that & tasted that apple.......tannery all the way!

Please understand; I only tan hides for my own pleasure. I will get it thinned by a professional taxidermist and the rest I will do myself. If I don't every try, then I won't ever get better.

You are absolutely right!!!!

[michael p.]

Beltonbanger, since you are the cheerleader to this scenario please tell me how she is going to break the hide?


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[oldshaver]

Katie, as Mike said, cows are VERY prone to slippage, and as I said, you probablly wont get the results you want, ESPECIALLY without a tumbler. Wet tanning a cow cape, is VERY possible "at home", but hides are a different ball game.

If you INSIST on doing this yourself, well, all I can say, is, "you go Girl"

I will make a deal with you. YOU USE the products I tell you to use, and follow MY directions to a "T", and I will provide you with the formulas, and instructions you need, providing you post pictures of your finished product.

I hope this Taxidermist you know can shave worth a damn? Pm me with a phone# if you are interested. I want history on the hide, and the Taxidermist, if we are going to post pictures?

If you agree, I will provide you a shopping list, and you will throw everything you ever thought you knew about tanning, out the window, and listen to me.

[josh s.]

Hmmm..sounds like a good deal....maybe I want to tan a beef hide so I can get some of this knowledge:)

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[bearrug]

Give it a try, what do you have to lose? It will be a lot of work but it can be done.

[3bears]

Katie H. the advice to send it to a tannery is good advice. I hope you know a taxidermist that will wrestle that thing to shave it for less that $300.00. I used that price because that is what I just payed Moyle to tan a cow hide that was 81 square feet. Good luck, 3bears

[msbraintan]

I was glad to hear the advice about tanning it.. but only as reference for working on calf skins I sometimes get from my neighbor.. May see additional positive effects from adding the solvent degreaser to my process. Never gave that a thought. There seems to be a great deal of membrane on the calf skins!

[Katie H]

I am only planning on tanning a small part of the hide. I know that I could not handle a whole hide. The local taxidermist here said he would probably be able to shave it for $20.00. I'm tanning it because I have the hide, and thought it might be cool to have a cow rug on my bedroom floor.
Ps. I like challenges and learning these skills, so please don't tell me to get it professionaly tanned.

[michael p.]

Hello, I am thinking about tanning a beef hide and am wondering what the best, low cost, method to use.

I like challenges and learning these skills, so please don't tell me to get it professionaly tanned.

Why?  It's the CORRECT answer