Brain Tanning Buffalo Hides: page 3

Jump to page 1 2 3 4 5 6

The Work Process:

Contents
Introduction
Native American Use
Getting Ready to Tan
Fleshing, Thinning, Braining
Softening
Smoking & Conclusion

Getting hides

Most hides tanned into robes by native women, were the skins of young cows killed at a certain time in the winter for the best fur. (starting November, according to James W. Schultz, who lived with the Blackfeet). In addition, Bulls of a young age were good for robes. On the other hand, Shepard Krech theorizes in his book "The Economical Indian", that: "cow robes with the hair on were lusher than the thin haired bulls." Unfortunately, most of what is available for tanning today are bull hides. Most of these animals are killed at an age of 18 months, and they make nice robes. In general, the older the animal, the harder the skin is to tan. Tanning is an art form. To choose the right animal for the right hide at the right time of the year for a given project was something native people learned to master.

I tried contacting local sources for hides, so that I could actually go to the ranch and look at the quality of the skins and 'meet' the buffalo but it worked out best for me to order them via UPS from the North American Bison Cooperative in North Dakota (701 947 2505). Currently they charge $135 plus $25 for shipping . I also recommend checking the web site www.bisoncentral.com for ranchers near you. These are salted hides, which are semi dry. The best time for getting them is wintertime to be sure they haven't been stored for too long as that might affect the quality of the skin (the hair might start to slip). Some people do not like salted hides, but they work fine for me.

Soaking

After getting a hide, it has to be re-hydrated and washed to remove the salt. Running water would be the best choice for this but a 40-gallon trash can works also. Tap water has the advantage of containing chlorine, which kills bacteria and so prevents premature hair slippage. Sometimes I wear rubber gloves to prevent infection, especially when my hands are bruised or cut. I soak my hides between 12 and 24 hours and change the water as often as possible. I wash the hair side of my skin with soap or shampoo to further clean the fur. A lot of dirt will also drop out of the hide while I work it. In addition, if the water does not taste salty anymore that might be an indicator that I have washed out as much salt as possible. I make sure the hide is thoroughly soaked and limber. The edges especially tend to curl up and stay dry, as well as areas with big chunks of meat on tend to absorb the water slower. An un-fleshed and soaked hide is not a lovely sight but it makes you realize the miracle of transformation that will take place through the work of your hands and nature's master plan. A heavy cold and stinky piece of flesh turns into a, durable, warm and soft robe.

Markus standing next to a huge buffalo bull hide
at Willow Winds in Michigan.

Racking

To be worked on, hides were either stacked out flat on the ground or put in a rack. I use a rack as I work in my basement that has a concrete floor. The rack is a square of 8 by 8 feet. I use 2 by 4-inch lumber with smaller pieces to be put across the corners for added stability. I check the lumber for cracks, as it will undergo quite some stress and if not reinforced, might start to break. A soaked hide might not look that big but once it is being worked on, it will stretch quite a bit. This 8 by 8 -size frame means I have to cut the hide in order to fit it, which is fine, as the hide is usually too big to be used as a robe when left whole. Of course, I could use a bigger frame if I wished to leave the hide untrimmed.

If the skin is trimmed, the front leg and neck scraps can be collected and the hair be twined into strong ropes. Marquis writes about the Crow: "The choice lariat (to round up horses) was one made of spun and plaited buffalo hair". After trimming the hide, I cut holes all around the edge, maybe 5 inches apart, and lace it evenly into the frame. The hide is tough to cut so I use a board to support the skin and then push the knife through. It is not unlikely that I might have to clean some meat and fat away around the edges before being able to cut the holes. So after the hide has been framed, I support it on all four corners with chairs, bucket, or something to hold it high enough of the ground, to be able to hop onto it without touching the ground, as I will do later in the process.