Hide Tanning Class

A hands on, minimal equipment class geared towards the preservation and transformation of animal skins into useable crafting materials. Students will be provided with all necessary tools for the course including a fur they will actively tan. The various species will be drawn in a lotto style. In addition to chemical tanning of fur, students will be introduced to the brain tanning of buckskin.

Student Max: 12 Student

Class Length: 4 days

Includes FREE Cabin Rental

*Class is geared towards practical and expedient tanning of furs for personal use, not commercial grade tanning*

Equipment to be available:         

• “Green” fur per student
• Fleshing beams
• Fleshing knives/scrapers
• Stretchers
• Tanning solution Fur combs
• Sisal rope Deerhide Pig Brains
• Buckets for cleaning/washing Degreasing detergent (Dawn)

Student Gear:

• Personal Items
• Small Sharp Knife
• Snacks/Water Canteen

Class Flow

Day 1

0800-0900 - Meet up, welcome and intro

0900-1200 – Fur lotto, Fleshing/Washing/Stretching 1200-1230 – Lunch

1230 – 1300 – Fur (Hair On) vs Buckskin/Leather (Hair Off) discussion

1300- 1600 – Deer Hide Fleshing and Dehairing soak (Wood ash or bleach etc.) 1600- 1700 – Equipment and work area clean up

1700-1800 – Salting/Pickling discussion (when and why)

End of Day

Day 2

0800-0900 – Tanning methods (chemical, egg, brain, bark/veg) 0900-0930 – Fur storage (pre and post tan)

0930 –1000 – Stretched Fur assessment (degrease if necessary/tan if ready) 1000-1100 – Deer Hide Stretcher Construction

1100-1300 – De-hairing and stretching deer hide 1300-1330 – Lunch

1330-1430 – Care of Fur post tan

1430-1600 – Identifying problems/when to abandon a hide 1600-1700 – Hide thinning how and why

1700-1800 – Equipment and workspace clean up

End of Day

Day 3

0800-0900 – Marketing Furs

0900-1000 – Stretched fur assessment (Tan if ready/turn tanned furs) 1000 -1200 – prepare Brain tan solution and apply to deer hide

1200-1230 – Lunch

1230-1330 – Fur Grading Basics

1330-1500 – crafting with fur and buckskin (basic stitching techniques) 1500-End of Day – Continue work on existing furs/clean up

End of Day

Day 4

0800-1100 – stretching/breaking of furs and buckskin

1100-1200 – buckskin lotto and parting instructions for unfinished furs/hide

Due to property insurance restrictions: There will be NO camping on the school property prior to the start of the class or after the class concludes. 

 Disclaimer:
Please make sure you take all gear with you at the end of the class. If gear is left behind, we will not be able to ship it to you, and will be considered abandoned. Minimum age 16 years old. Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult student registered for this class.