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Post by longtrail on Aug 13, 2008 16:11:48 GMT -5
We were curious to see just how long it would take us to soften out a thick mule deer hide so we took a clock and pen and paper and kept time. It was not as hot today as it has been,, only in the 70's but still dry, no humidity. Normally it would have taken about 4 to 5 hours to get this hide dried and soft from when it was put on the frame until it was soft and dry.. Here's how it went for anyone who might be interested: 9:55 started wringing 10:07 began lacing the hide on the frame 10:12 finished lacing the hide on the frame 10:13 started sewing holes 10:15 started working hide on flesh side 10:20 stopped to let hide dry some 10:35 worked hide again on hair side and edges 10:40 Stopped to let hide dry some 10:55 Worked hide for a bit 11:03 Stopped to let hide dry some 11:13 Worked hide a bit 11:20 Stopped to let hide dry some 11:32 Worked hide some 11:35 stopped to let hide dry some more 11:58 Hide dry and soft, worked once over, tightened laces and put in shed until tomorrow morning. Total drying time for hide from when it was first worked with the paddle until finished, 1 hour 45 minutes!! Total hands on time during the 1 hour 45 minutes, only 30 minutes !!!!!! So freaking awesome!!!! ;D
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Post by Buckskin Billy on Aug 13, 2008 19:43:59 GMT -5
pretty cool dlt. is there a purpose for leaving the hide in the frame till morning? does it help the hide to lay flat?
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Post by longtrail on Aug 13, 2008 23:15:56 GMT -5
Its flat already. Dont know exactly why we do it. Just a carry over from our past way of doing hides I guess. Really not necessary I suppose. Long as your for sure it is dry it can come off anytime. lt
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Post by Cody ( The Patriot ) on Aug 15, 2008 8:24:02 GMT -5
Add Louisiana humidity and thats still going to be faster than what we've been doing
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Post by brainsoft on Aug 15, 2008 15:28:35 GMT -5
darn!...nice hide. Never had one go that fast. Do you always sew holes in the frames? Maybe bucked hides take longer...lol. Starting some non bucked now finally and all according to your writeup. No more of this ****ing bucking nonesense.
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Post by brainsoft on Aug 15, 2008 15:32:00 GMT -5
Last note, all the bucked hides I was refering to in the last post are thick buck hides. Some are thick capes and all are stiffy to stiffer.
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Post by longtrail on Aug 15, 2008 18:10:56 GMT -5
It seems folks have luck with using the bucking. How ever that cat gets skinned, is ok with me!!!!!! Cept for piss tan if I gotta stand next to it!!!! I was around a woman who had a set of piss tanned clothes on and jeez louize!!!!!!!!! It was nasty!!!!!!!!! And else where, people have used dog poop. Can you imagine! The only reason our hide dried that fast is because we have a nice hot sun, steady breeze and ZERO humidity. But we're still getting finished faster than before. lt
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Post by paweaver on Aug 15, 2008 21:23:36 GMT -5
Here's one I softened today- using the pre-smoke method, no bucking. I did it this way so I could save a little hair on the back legs, which likely would have slipped in the buck. (One customer likes them this way.) It did have a different feel when softening, not as much stretch, maybe, but came out fine. I can't see a difference in drying times between the methods, having done them side by side a couple times now, but I don't know longtrails secret yet... Never used any kind of urine tan, but have used chicken manure for a bate and the way I did it, smell was minimal and normally gone by the time the hide was soft. Bates seem to make the hide stretch easier, but I no longer use them as it's an extra step and I see little difference when using it on my bucked hides. One thing I've noticed is that usually by this time of the year, my hides soften just a bit easier, with whatever method, probably due to aging, even though they are salted. BTW, this is paskinner......not weaver...
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Post by redthunder on Aug 16, 2008 4:45:35 GMT -5
Here's one I softened today- using the pre-smoke method, no bucking. I did it this way so I could save a little hair on the back legs, which likely would have slipped in the buck. (One customer likes them this way.) paweaver, that hide are marvelous done, the little hair on the back legs are something i like a lot as your customers way, do you still have the tail on with hair? thanks for posting this beauty., Rt
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Post by paskinner on Aug 16, 2008 9:20:35 GMT -5
Red Thunder, I thought you might like that one. ;D No, no tail. I've done them that way, but with much fresher hides. For anyone who wants to try and keep some hair on, it's much easier with a fresh hide and you don't want to soak them any longer than absolutely needed. You could also cut the tail off and dry it, maybe work it just enough to make it flexable and sew it back on. The parts with the hair never come out very soft for me.
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Post by longtrail on Aug 16, 2008 9:49:57 GMT -5
Beautiful hide. Love the hair. When we get an order for tail on, we take a zip lock bag and put it over the tail, then secure it with a strong string, when we soak the hide we make sure the tail is toward the top of the hide and up out of the water. lt I saw a beautiful dress made with two hides, the butt of the back hide folding across the shoulders and forming the yoke in the front. Who ever made it had left a strip of hair on the hide following the natural shape of the butt of the hide. Pretty sweet. We picked up 40 hides yesterday, $320 but will make that back soon. lt
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Post by Buckskin Billy on Aug 16, 2008 10:56:02 GMT -5
i think that hair would look good, if used on a colar of a coat or maybe the cuffs on a shirt sleeve. neat idea pa
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Post by longtrail on Aug 16, 2008 12:23:40 GMT -5
As far as our "secret" goes, there's probably lots of tanners who do it, it's just new to us so we think it's pretty cool.
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Post by Cody ( The Patriot ) on Aug 16, 2008 13:21:48 GMT -5
LT when we getting the video
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Post by longtrail on Aug 16, 2008 16:52:35 GMT -5
backoff Cody! haha. Seriously, soon, within the month. Making the dvd seems much more involved than our old vhs tape. Not as much fun either for some reason. Kind of like Paulette's barn, it just seems to be taking forever. Sorry. lt
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