# Whitetail rawhide with hair on



## punkafunkadelic (Aug 2, 2013)

Is this possible? I'm looking for that old school cow hide look with the intention of using them outdoors or in the sheds. I figured flesh em, salt em and hang em. Or possibly skip the salt. Will the hair stay on?

Thanks


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## scrapewatcher (Apr 14, 2009)

no. as soon as the humidity gets to it it'll slowly come out. more than likely not all at once. that is if its in a shed. ur not that far from finishing it out if u salt and fletch it out. tanning kits aren't that expensive. (salt draws humidity.) if u don't get all the salt out when u wash and clean it this summer when the humidity gets high it will smell and get an oder to it.


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## punkafunkadelic (Aug 2, 2013)

I figured there was more to it. I just always think of butchered cattle out west and the skins just thrown over a fence and voila.


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## M.Magis (Oct 2, 2003)

Those are air dried, in a dry environment. But they're still raw skins, and once exposed to moisture can fall apart and/or become bug infested. Can you ellaborate more on what you want to do with them? A tanned skin will still dry hard if certain steps such as breaking are skipped. It may give you what you want, I'm not sure.


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## punkafunkadelic (Aug 2, 2013)

I guess I'm looking for a tanned skin that will dry hard. I just hate giving these things away when I could potentially use them in the future. I was thinking for the kids treehouse or dog house insulation. I'm just trying to put everything to use.


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## punkafunkadelic (Aug 2, 2013)

So, if I just want a tanned hide that will dry hard, at what point do I stop the tanning process? I'm looking for the easiest way to preserve a hide. Any suggestions?


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## dorkbuck33 (Sep 12, 2011)

Fellow cheesehead . I will speak to the point as i have done taxi work b-4 .
First is fleshing the hide. This is very time consuming and tedious with out a flesher or a fleshing beam and a good fleshing knife . It must be cleaned of all thin tissue , fats .
Next is lay hide on an incline , say a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood at say 30 deg. and use canning pickling salt rubbed in well . The angle allows the moisture and fluids to run off and drain flesh side up .
Reaplying salt and repeat next couple days. Salting and drying the hide sets the hair for tanning.
After hide is rock hard , dry it needs to go to the pickle bath - large plastic trash barrel works well .
Mind you this is all done indoors 65 deg. or so - basement . Pickling consists of lutan f and pickling crystals etc. - Once the process is done it is tanned and will dry rock hard with hair on .If you want a finished leather product that is soft and supple more steps are then taken . There is no short cut to just having a hide that is preserved as it seems you want. I spent $80-$100 to have this hide done but it is soft and beuatiful that will last forever . Check e-bay or Van ***** taxidermy supply for a kit to make it easier with the directions how to . Lots of chemicals available do the same thing.
Taxidermist stop at the point you want to be with doing capes for shoulder mounts so they dry hard.
Hope this gives a little more insight what is correct , google it , you tube etc. - just saying .


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## dorkbuck33 (Sep 12, 2011)

OP , gone to church or have a bloody or both ? Packers @ 3:25 today .


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## punkafunkadelic (Aug 2, 2013)

GO PACK!! Should be a good one, just cracked a Miller for the game after blowing all the snow. Thanks for the advice... That's exactly what I'm looking for; salvaging the hide with minimal cost. I already have a professionally finished unit from the W.B.Place, which no longer exists.

Thanks a bunch....
I don't wanna work, I just wanna bang on this drum all day!!


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## punkafunkadelic (Aug 2, 2013)

I was actually skinning and quartering the deer in question. We got a doe last weekend in the U.P. Probably the coldest bowhunting I've ever experienced.


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## dorkbuck33 (Sep 12, 2011)

Sweet , hope it turns out ok for you .


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