how to tan bigger hides

[CedarRiverRedneck]

I was wondering how to get a good tan on stuff like buffalo hides I am going to get about 5 hides a week so I don't want to put alot of time into one hide but I want to get a good tan I need to use the first few for vests and coats and the rest I am looking to sell so I need a universal tan and also I would like the best job cheap so if anyone knows where to get good tanning oil for a reasonable price that also works good

thanks
Boomer

[George Roof]

Boomer, IMHO, for the time you spend tanning a buffalo, a moose, or an elk, you could send it to the tannery and being making money.  They do a much better job of it since they're used to handling that type of work and they have the equipment and the supplies to make it soft and pliable.

[Jims Wildlife Studio]

I agree with George, Buffalo are just to big to handle. If you ever mounted one with prime winter pelt and felt the weight of the cape, you would need a couple of guy's to handle the hides. Not only that a commercially tanned buffalo robe is hard to beat.

[Dean]

I agree with George and Jim. It is way to much to handle. I've talked to some tanneries and they don't even like to deal with them either but they do because it goes with the business. If you ever dealt with them before you will know that the hide is about an inch thick up around the head area. It is not a one man job. I had to use my tractor and loader once just to get a bison head and hide off the top of a suburban. I'm sure they used a tractor to get  it up there also. You couldn't pay me enough money to bust my back to tan one of them myself. Send it to a tannery and spend your time getting other work done, Physically and finacially you will come out a lot farther ahead. A wet tanned cape is bad enough to fight when mounting than to deal with the whole dang thing.

[BlackHawk]

tannery is the way to go.  you will be putting alot of time into buffalo hides w/o large machianrey. fleshing will take forever amd day even on a round knife.

[oldterryr]

i have tanned 3 buffalo hides for mounts - never again - too much work - last one a neutralized in a blow up swimming pool