Articles - Traditional Tanners

Articles & Research

further your skills once you understand the basics

Over 100 Pages of Detailed Articles

Excellent information written by very knowledgeable experts, replete with pictures and illustrations.

There are a few exceptions, but generally these articles are not intended to be complete how-to’s. Tanning is not something you can reasonably learn from an article — it takes a good book, video and/or hands-on instruction to do that. These articles can be used to introduce you to various aspects of tanning, to go further with your skills once you understand the basics, or for research.

Braintan.com Guides

Buffalo Tanning

18 pages of articles and resources for those interested in tanning and learning about this majestic animal.

Bark Tanning

17 pages of articles and resources covering traditional bark tanning, ‘native’ bark tanning, and crafting with bark tanned leather.

How to Brain Tan Furs

There are no good complete books or videos on brain tanning furs, but these two articles, used in conjunction with a recommended book or video, will help you on your way.

Brain Tanning Furs

by George Michaud | 4 pages
A basic description of how to brain tan furs.

Tanning Your Pelts with Nature’s Tools

By Jim Miller | 5 pages
An overview of how to brain tan furs.

General Brain Tanning How-To’s

The quality of your finished buckskin starts with the quality of skinning and storage of your hides. Here are detailed, step-by-step tutorials to help you take care of your hides, right from the start — including how to get hides from hunters, game processors and by mail-order.