rawhide question.

Thinking about keeping some goat hide from a goat I plan to butcher soon and maybe using it for a super lightweight blade cover for an axe or khuk.

I was really impressed with the lightweight cover Lee Reeves mad me for my axe and thought about making some for some of my other stuff. Pic here, you'll have to scroll down:


http://ramanon.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34501
 
Hey...this is a neat thread...

I have done this kinda thing...did my first when I was 12 or so...

I agree with Yvsa on this one...no lye...start with a frame...lace the hide stretched tightly as possible...and dry it hard...then scrape both sides clean...the scraper he mention works great...I used a blade from a hand planer...the angle it is attache to the handle is kinda important...you gotta play with it a bit...you want to scrape the hide at an angle where it wont cut...

If you wamt rawhide...stop when it is scraped and you are there...soem folks polish it a bit with sand paper...

If you want to continue on to tan it ...Angier...or one of the other "Outdoor" writers mentions...a deer...has just enough brain matter to tan its own skin...
bigger animals...

I find that to be true...

...brains work to tan hide...at least the add oils back into the skin...and then you gotta soften it...lots of ways to do this...and the final thing is smaoking it...I believe..this is to seal it...just know it works...

I have some personal feelings on smoking a hide...but not for this thread...

Anyway...as for goat...somebody help me here...if I remeber..Goat is hell for greasy! is that right?

If it is...then I would highly recommend not soaking it in water mixture of any kind...water and grease...= stink...and rot...I say strtch the booger till it's tight...scrap it til it is clean....and makes sure all the grease is off af it...or it will tan...

...and rawhide not will it be...(in his best Yoda voice)

Oh...yes...powerful rawhide you seek...for a drum to pound says he...(cackling)

Shane
 
I've heard that soaking beaver, which is incredibly fat and greasy, in white gas and then washing in dishwashing soap and water, wringing as dry as possible and then framing it helps.
I tried it with unleaded gas on a beaver skin but didn't seem to cut the grease much, but didn't matter as I was gonna tan anyway.
 
Interesting as this thread is, fact is - the bikini sheath can be made out of any suitable material, decent leather, or even wood. Sheet aluminum or zinc might be a simpler, lighter, but less authentic solution. How about a Nessmuk axe with a titanium sheath:D Groan...
 
Yvsa said:
I've heard that soaking beaver, which is incredibly fat and greasy...
Click to expand...

I've seen soaked beaver...but never a fat greasy one.

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Kinda had a feeling you guys were beaver soakers....all the signs were there...

now that you have admitted your problem ...and it's out...maybe you should seek help...on a perfessional level...

as a side bar....if you soak it in gas...and it's still greasy...I'd say leave it alone....

and that is my last word on this matter....

Shane
 
shane justice said:
as a side bar....if you soak it in gas...and it's still greasy...I'd say leave it alone....

Shane
Click to expand...
I'd say that's a dayumed good Idea!!!! ;) :D

And especially if it's roadkill like mine was. I later got a beaver that had been properly trapped and skinned and was fully dressed.
Nice thin skin with no excess fat or goo.:D
No gas involved with this one and is a beautiful, winter skin brown, soft and fuzzy, and as round/oval a beaver as you ever saw.;) :D :cool: :D
 
Yvsa said:
...soft and fuzzy, and as round/oval a beaver as you ever saw.;) :D :cool: :D
Click to expand...

Hmm...maybe I'm confused...most beaver I have seen were not round or oval...more were triangular or rectangular.

:confused: ;) :D

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