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Thread: First successful brain tan (coyote)

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    Senior Member RandyRhoads's Avatar
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    Default First successful brain tan (coyote)

    First off many thanks to Your Comforting Company. Your guide was amazing. I finally was successful in brain tanning. I made a few mistakes here and there but now I have a good idea of everything and how to not make the few ones I did next time. By the way - good tip on wearing gloves. I didn't heed your warning and ended up with a burning red hand with a few blisters after bucking. I picked some up for next time.

    The coyote
    DSCN0382.jpgDSCN0383.JPG

    Skinning
    DSCN0386.JPGDSCN0387.JPGDSCN0388.JPG
    Last edited by RandyRhoads; 02-02-2012 at 01:18 AM.


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    Senior Member RandyRhoads's Avatar
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    Last edited by RandyRhoads; 02-02-2012 at 01:10 AM.

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    Senior Member RandyRhoads's Avatar
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    After bucking and graining
    DSCN0429.JPG

    The brains
    DSCN0428.JPG

    After braining and stretching dry
    DSCN0432.JPGDSCN0430.jpg



    A few questions for YCC or anyone that can answer.

    I didn't quite get down the stretching until the last parts, so a lot of it is not soft and bouncy but paper like. I was wondering how I could fix this. Could I wet it slightly in areas I need to and stretch accordingly, or is it permanent now? Should I smoke it before wetting and re-stretching or after?


    When I bucked it, just like the rabbit before, it got stained heavily on the flesh side. How can I prevent this so I don't have a black hide?
    Last edited by RandyRhoads; 02-02-2012 at 01:17 AM.

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    Senior Member RandyRhoads's Avatar
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    ....No one knows?

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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    I'm sure YCC will respond when he logs on.
    Tracks Across the High Plains...Death on the Bombay Line...A Touch of Death and Mayhem...Dead Rock...The Griswald Mine Boys...All On Amazon Books.

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    No help from me either, but I'm sure YCC or one of our other members with experience will respond when they see your thread.
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    naturalist primitive your_comforting_company's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by RandyRhoads View Post
    A few questions for YCC or anyone that can answer.

    I didn't quite get down the stretching until the last parts, so a lot of it is not soft and bouncy but paper like. I was wondering how I could fix this. Could I wet it slightly in areas I need to and stretch accordingly, or is it permanent now? Should I smoke it before wetting and re-stretching or after?


    When I bucked it, just like the rabbit before, it got stained heavily on the flesh side. How can I prevent this so I don't have a black hide?
    You really have 2 options. rebrain it and stretch it again now, or smoke it and then rebrain and restretch it. I can't say that I recommend one over the other, except to say that your smoking "pouch" needs to be like a balloon. If it's too stiff to make a pillowcase type shape, rebrain it now. If it's pliable enough to be smoked, then smoke it; this will preserve the softness of the nice places, while allowing the spots where the glues set up (got stiff) to become pliable again.
    You'll save a step if you brain it now before smoking. but if you stop it might still set back up hard. Remember, you have to keep it moving the whole time, from wet to dry.

    Sorry it took so long to get back to you, our computer had some issues, and we had to get a new machine. ugh...

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    Senior Member RandyRhoads's Avatar
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    No problem thanks for the reply! It's definitely soft enough to smoke, just not bouncy and stretchy everywhere. I don't want to use any brains but what the animal came with and I used them all so I guess i'll smoke it and leave it as it is. A spray bottle wouldn't wet it just enough to re- stretch? How do you keep it from getting stained with ash while bucking?

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    naturalist primitive your_comforting_company's Avatar
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    It also appears you aren't cleaning your ashes well enough. The charcoal bits left in there will smudge and really get worked in there. If you can't get your ashes (white fluffy stuff) separated enough from the charcoal (black bits), then be sure you wash the fur really really well. I actually took a deerhide that I did the same thing on, to use as a good example to those folks of bad behavior. Traditionally, baskets of different weaves were used. I use several mesh sizes of screen salvaged from windows and other various places to sift out all the big stuff (including nails and staples!!). I'll try to take a picture of it for you.
    I kept telling myself and the folks at the demo Saturday to slow down, take their time. It goes double for me haha.

    The tatty bits on the flesh side that collect all that ash and charcoal, really is in the overlapping of each stroke. I find that a lot of it sticks to my blade so I clean it pretty frequently, I guess every 3 or 4 strokes. every stroke overlaps the last one just slightly. I wouldn't say it is as much technique as just attention.

    Maybe that will help! Looks like you are getting the hang of it!
    what are your plans for smoking it?

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    naturalist primitive your_comforting_company's Avatar
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    hey.. brains are brains. Those hog brains sitting on the shelf at the grocery store are probably gonna be wasted, and theres no sense in just letting them go to waste when you can use them. brains are cheap and available here and some hunters don't want to part with their heads, so I have no bones about using another animals brains.
    If you do decide to smoke it now, at least consider rebraining it. It will get soft. You are on the right track!

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    Senior Member RandyRhoads's Avatar
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    I'm going to use green cottonwood (only wood around) in my little fire pit. Thanks for the info, I did watch some of your videos after and noticed that they were powdery white, not black and charcoal like.

    I think I did get the hang of it! I got it all down now I just need to refine it. I know where I went wrong in some places and what to do next time. I think my problem with the rabbit, was just the rabbit. This thick coyote hide was wonderful. So easy to see the different layers. I tried a rabbit since then, and it's pretty much impossible to get the flesh membrane off without tearing it.

    I tried finding brains around here a year ago in my wilderness survival class and had no luck anywhere. I don't know why but I think i'd feel wrong using other brains. I have no idea why....

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    naturalist primitive your_comforting_company's Avatar
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    When you hold that soft hide in your hands, my friend, you'll be glad you did.

    The brand I use comes from Smithfield Farms.

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    Senior Member RandyRhoads's Avatar
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    Maybe the air force base has them. They sell snails, so maybe brains...maybe...


    What school are you going to? Some sort of tanning school? Where abouts?

  14. #14
    naturalist primitive your_comforting_company's Avatar
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    I'm teaching a class over at Landmark Park in Dothan on the 11th. We had one class this Saturday, the 4th, but it was really just introductory, observe kind of stuff. Those that wanted to learn more, signed up for a class this coming saturday and we will take turns scraping a hide, and we will soften one or two, which I'll cut into pieces after it's been smoked and let them take it home. The one we made this weekend, I'll smoke at the class next weekend, and probably donate to the interpretive center. The class made it, so it wouldn't seem right to keep it.

    I looked at the smithfield website, but I couldn't find a link that even hinted at them processing brains. I hope you find a source.

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