Freshly skinned and washed sheepskins
Spread out your hide and cut off the extra bits - legs, tails and nipples
Place your trimmed hide on your curved beam. (I have the hide folded under the log to hold it in place.) I use a curved drawing knife(for peeling logs) you need to get as much of the flesh, fat and membrane off as you can.
Stretch your hide out on the frames to dry. When cutting the holes in the hide make sure you make them parallel with the edge so you don't rip the hide when you pull the strings tight.
Once your hide is dry, you need to scrap and sand the membrane off so the tanning/tawing solution can access the hide. Darryl made the scraper out of a leaf spring from a truck- you don't want it sharp!!! Notice the difference in color, your trying for a sort of suede like finish but be careful you don't go through the hide especially in the armpits.
Next you untie the hide from the frame and soak in it the tanning solution. The recipe I use is - 1 gallon water, 1 lb medium salt, 100 g alum. There are many different solutions but this is what works for me. (This solution can be reused just top up the salt and alum)
The hide stays in the tanning solution for minimum of 2 weeks stirring the hides twice a day. When it's done place it back in the washing machine and tie it back on the frames.
When the hide is just about dry (if it's too dry just moisten with water) paint the flesh side with a small amount of neatsfoot oil and rub in with the scrapping tool. Wipe off the excess with paper towel and add more oil and rub it in again wiping off the excess off. Trim the edges off with an exacto knife and allow to dry for a few days.
Using a dog brush, brush out the wool side, removing any foreign matter and untangling any knots.
Next you untie the hide from the frame and soak in it the tanning solution. The recipe I use is - 1 gallon water, 1 lb medium salt, 100 g alum. There are many different solutions but this is what works for me. (This solution can be reused just top up the salt and alum)
The hide stays in the tanning solution for minimum of 2 weeks stirring the hides twice a day. When it's done place it back in the washing machine and tie it back on the frames.
When the hide is just about dry (if it's too dry just moisten with water) paint the flesh side with a small amount of neatsfoot oil and rub in with the scrapping tool. Wipe off the excess with paper towel and add more oil and rub it in again wiping off the excess off. Trim the edges off with an exacto knife and allow to dry for a few days.
Using a dog brush, brush out the wool side, removing any foreign matter and untangling any knots.