Softening Cable

A cable will allow you to work a hide harder and more efficiently than any other softening tool. It’s a real life-saver if you get behind on a hide and a spot or two starts to stiffen up, though we ( and just about every brain tanner we know of), use it throughout the softening process.  Even folks who frame soften their hides will cable them when they take them off the frame.

Use: Used in the process of softening wetscrapes, dryscrapes and furs.

Specs: Made from 3/16″ thick, five foot long, aircraft cable. Comes with cable clamps.

Cons: After working numerous hides on your cable, it will start to exude a gray dust that can stain your hide. At that point, if you wipe the cable down with a damp cloth it will solve the problem. If you don’t, it will go away on its own, but takes longer.

Bottom Line: You could save a couple bucks and buy all the parts for this yourself at the local hardware store, or you could pay us to get the parts and put it together for you, your choice. Either way, you want this tool! One cable lasts a very long time.

Other wetscraping resources:

• Deerskins into Buckskins by Matt Richards. The best step-by-step how to.
• The Tanning Spirit Video by Mel Beattie. See how each step is performed.
• Wetscrape Braintanned Buckskin by Steven Edholm & Tamara Wilder. An excellent reference work.
• Pre-Smoke Braintanning, a video by Joe & Victoria Dinsmore. Learn the popular “pre-smoke” method.
• Pumice, for removing excess membrane, blemishes and softening the surface texture. .
• Wetscraper/Flesher, for all of the scraping steps.

Other dryscraping resources:

• Blue Mountain Buckskin by Jim Riggs. The best book on dryscrape.
• Dryscraper, for removing the hair and grain.
• Pumice, for smoothing out tool marks and other blemishes; as well as removing excess membrane.
• Wetscraper/Flesher, for fleshing on a beam (recommended by most dryscrapers).