Braintanning the simple (or overcomplicated) way

[Levi]

If you are putting the hide in a container of brain mixed with water the hide being damp when it goes in does not matter does it?

If you are rubbing in a brain paste then having it just a little damp might help spread the mixture.

Tanning is the removal of oils you do not want and the replacement with oils you do want, then braking down the cell structure to make the hide soft.

You can actually do a hide with no braining in the traditional manner. Many Indian tribes tradition was that the women processes the hides by fleshing and then chewing the hide to softness with no additional treatment needed. It takes days to chew a deer hide soft.

That is how age of the women in prehistoric burials is determined. Processing hides for a lifetime left their teeth worn down to the gum line by late middle age. You can look at the wear on their teeth and determine their age.

Yeah, I don't think my wife would take too kindly to me suggesting that she sit there and chew the cow hide till it's nice and soft. I'd probably be sleeping out with the dog.

[crashdive123]

....and using a stiff cow hide for a blanket.

[kyratshooter]

And see there, you guys thought that men invented agriculture and settlement living.

It was the women that finally said "Hey, there's wheat growing here and cotton so we can eat bread and make fabric and quit chewing hides. Lets settle down and build a house with a little white picket fence and be farmers."

The men said, "Me hunter, you gatherer."

And the women said "Me gather right around the house here, and you can go hunt when the farm work is done!"

Guess who won that argument?