Tanning Beef Hide

[msbraintan]

Might work out okay for a rug. I don't know how 'tanned' it'll get.

Cow skins are good rawhide for lariats as they're nice and even in thickness.

I think a calf skin would actually be able to be tanned soft with this degreasing.

 Some Americnan Indians used longhorn cattle skins for their lodges.. not sure how soft those were but possibly the edges where sewn may have gotten some tannage. Bison and cow tipi's had to have been fairly dark inside.

I think large cattle skins are not shaven but SPLIT.. so there's a thought there.  Don't happen to have one of those machines! maybe the cow skins with the hair on tanned have been split? dunno.

 I'm not so into 'challenges' anymore.. lol. I'm not into tanning coyotes anymore either, way too many of those around. I would take on the project of tanning more calf skins.

Nice to be tenacious Katie H. No one can take away what you've learned! Thanks for asking the question as I've learned a bit from yours!

[Katie H]

Why I like the challenge? Because I'm young and have time on my hands. I enjoy learning this stuff. I don't do it for income whatsoever; it's just a hobby. Braintan, what exactly is different when splitting the hide then shaving it?

[Hartung]

Katie, go ahead, do it! Here are some videos showing how shironameshi is made, an ancient Japanese art of dressing a cowhide hair off with rapeseed oil/colza oil.

http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/1805/Osiyo-A-Gift-from-a-Friend-Japanese-Hide-Tanning-Videos?page=2
See post #23 and follow the instructions.

Some years ago, for a historical project, I’ve dressed a heifer hide fur on with brain and liver. The hide was not thinned and I got it soft. Not as soft as if it was shaved or as soft as buckskin. But perfectly soft to make shoes from it. But expect a ton of softening/staking work.

The fur supports rehydration (flesh side only) for more than 24 hours and another 24 hours for the dressing without any fur slipping. Those hides are very tough if you know, what you do. BUT: I would not recommend starting your tanning experience with a cow hide.

Good luck! And get yourself a good book about tanning.