i have a 9 year old son who has an interest in the outdoors. anyhow i figured on teaching him how to trap. it's something that we can do outdoors and it is almost a lost art nowadays here in the pittsburgh pa. area. i used to do it as a kid some 40 years ago. anyhow i figured it would be fun just to get him out in the woods and teach him how to trap fox and things. we have had a great time together making some fox sets. he seems to enjoy thinking about how a fox thinks and how we make our sets according to the wind direction and stuff like that . anyhow we use a garbage bag to kneel on and i was telling him about how you should use a piece of bucksin to kneel on while digging your holes and now the next thing you know were making buckskin out of the deer i got this year. in fact while at the deer processing place i took my deer to i ask the guy if he'd sell me some hides so we can make some buckskin cloths for me and my boy. well i bought 8 deer hides and 2 caribou hides from this guy and here we go were going to make some buckskin cloths and some fur coats. yes i do get a bit obsessive when i do something. anyhow here is the problem i have. i got one buckskin soaked in brains over night and i find out i have tendonitis in both wrists yesterday. i have splints on boths hands for three weeks. (i'm a carpenter here in pa.)what i did was put the buckskin in the freezer , it was already soaked in the brains and my next move was to start the softening process . well i want to wait till i get these splints off before i do this. (this tanning is a hobby carpentry is my job so i want to save my hands for this for the next 3 weeks. was wondering if it'll be all right. one more question--i have a caribou hide in a drum with saftee acid right now for a fur on cape will it be ok for the 3 week wait.
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I have no idea about the the brain hide but as long as you keep the ph level between 1.0-1.5 it will be o.k.
Does "Biting off more than you can chew" have any meaning to you? First off, from taxidermy standpoint, brain tanning is so slipshod and inferior we don't even use the term (www.braintan.com might be more accomodating to you), but making leather and making buckskin are very time intensive and rather entailed processes. You call yourself "obsessive", but I'd describe it more like "sadly misinformed". Taking on multiple hides without the proper chemicals or equipment is a perfect recipe for failure.
have the book deerskins into buckskins but it doesn't say anything about freezing the hide while the brains are on it . it does talk a little bit about freezing it then thawing it just prior to braining . and i did purchase an ez4000 kit from Bruce for the caribou. so i did do a little research . the reason i asked the questions here is i've also found this site to be an excellent source of knowlege.you can't learn everything from books. i'm sure someone here has come across this situation. the real way to learn is by doing it.
I have done it. When you want to finish tanning the hide put it in a plastic trash bag to defrost. It should be fine, I know a gentlemen that does it all the time.
I have done it. When you want to finish tanning the hide put it in a plastic trash bag to defrost. It should be fine, I know a gentlemen that does it all the time.
Sorry for repeat response
thanks for your experience
I'm a fulltime braintanner. Freeze it flat because rolled up it will start to turn bad in the center. You'll be just fine. Thaw it in water and soften as you would.
Its ok to do multiple hides. (I usually have 4-5 buffalo and a few deer going at the same time... By myself, using the "inferior" method. LOL
By the way george: Have a little respect would ya?
Just because we choose not to use chemicals doesn't mean we talk bad about the process or the tanners. Braintan is the softest, most durable I've ever seen.
While not a full time brain tanner,I do a LOT.Don't mean to contradict Trev,but I have frozen many brained skins without any problems,both wrung,and sopping wet.Steven Edholm ("Buckskin,the Ancient Art of Braintanning") suggests wringing them.then freezing them.
I too take some exception to George's attitude about braintanning,I have found the results every bit as good as any other tan,in fact,somewhat easier to deal with than most.It isn't finicky about pH,chemical disposal won't get you into trouble,it surely is no harder to do than any other tan!I have had lousy results with it,sure,but I also have with other tans.
I DO recognize however,that this is NOT the forum for braintanning,but for taxidermy tanning.When I want questions answered about braintanning,I go to www.braintan.com,like many of these good people here have suggested.
You can feed that bullsh1t to people who are ignorant, but we make our livings as taxidermists and we know the truth. ANYONE who'd do ONE buffalo hide with a silly brain tan is certainly someone I'd cast a wary eye at, but then to talk about multiples? You have to be certifiable.
You and Myrna undoubtedly have your faithful yuppie clan that can be convinced on your appropriate website, but don't peddle that tripe on a TAXIDERMY site. I seriously doubt all the ladies wearing mink stoles insist on those hides being brain tanned and as far as "durability", the day when you can have "brain tan" mentioned in the same dialog as a chrome tan, let me know.
He didn't. Why waste your time writing down that crap you said? In other words, if you aren't directly answering his question, then butt-out.