Hide tanning

Lynn · Post by **Lynn** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 2:07 pm

Hi, I don't know if anyone can help, and I may sound really naive. We are having our first steer slaughtered next week, and we would like to keep his hide. We saw a cow hide rug once and the children really want to have one made from Sir Loin. We have spoken to a tanner about having his hide treated but they are only willing to do this if we supply them with 250-300 hides. We wondered if there was anyone out ther willing to do just one, or are we mad for even entertaining the idea.

wagra dexters · Post by **wagra dexters** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 3:44 am

Lynn, if you can get a Leidreiter's tanning outfit, and plenty of brawny willing helpers to flesh & break the hide, for a one off it might be worth tanning the hide yourselves.

Only a masochist with nothing else to do in their lives would want to do any more than that.
Margaret.

PS. If you can't make arrangements soon enough, be sure to salt down the hide with loads of good pure salt, no lumps, and don't be tempted to use anything that could make the hair slip. The salted skin should then be worked and tanned within a month.

Edited By wagra dexters on 1207277672

Anna · Post by **Anna** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 9:47 am

Isn´t there some firms that prepare sheep pelts around? I left a heifer hide to be turned into a rug last autumn, but I haven´t got it back yet. We (Sweden) have a few companys preparing sheep hides and they also accept cow hides. The cost will be around 30£/square meter.

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 11:07 am

There is someone called Nicki who does sheep and goat hides but I'm not sure if cow hides are done. Google 'tanning hides' for the phone number. Met this person at a show but to be honest couldn't work out his/her gender. Some of the sheep skins looked very good indeed though.

groubearfarm · Post by **groubearfarm** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 2:49 pm

If you are anywhere near the west country Exeter Skin and Hide will send it out to Italy, and yes we have often just sent one at a time. It costs in the region of £150 plus VAT and the skin has to be properly salted immediately, you must warn your abattoir as they will expect to sell your skin as part of their profit and ask them to deal with it appropriately.
Fiona Miles

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 5:41 am

Look at WikiHow to see how to do it yourself maybe?

http://www.wikihow.com/Tan-a-Hide

One of the first things you do is soak the de-haired hide in a mixture of brains and water!

Edited By Broomcroft on 1207376954

Louisa Gidney · Post by **Louisa Gidney** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 7:38 am

Broomcroft, I think a skin rug with the hair on is required, rather than a dehaired skin for leather.
A friend of mine who is a taxidermist did cure a hide for me once, but it was a one off because of the amount of work involved. I wouldn't recommend starting off with home curing a cattle skin unless you had done some large sheepskins first, so had an idea of what was involved in the actual curing process and the time and effort involved. I have in the past done lots of sheep & goat skins, and one calf, and I wasn't going to embark on a cattle skin single handed.

Lynn · Post by **Lynn** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 4:08 pm

Thank you for all your help, I have spoken to Exeter Hide & Skins and they will take his hide. Just hope the abbatoir will be careful with it. The boys are over the moon that Sir Loin will be finally gracing the kitchen floor (they have had to meet us half way though, they originally wanted his head on the wall). I have decided Dexters are a lot easier and nicer than boys.
:laugh:

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 7:16 pm

You had a lucky escape Lynn my son tanned a rabbit skin in his bedroom once! - I found out by following my nose.

So your boys could have had a worse idea.

Stephanie

Duncan MacIntyre · Post by **Duncan MacIntyre** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 7:59 pm

While I was still at primary school I had a go at skinning and curing a stoat skin in the house. Probably less popular than the rabbit. The badger did not happen till uni days and the skin adorned my University Hall of Residence wall for a time. It must have been stolen, I can't remember what happened to it. Nor the stoat.

Duncan

Anna · Post by **Anna** » Sun May 11, 2008 9:22 am

Yesterday we got our hide back and it looks absolutely beautiful. It almost looks like an enormous cat skin, black and shiny and soft with semi long hair – a true item of luxury. She was slaughtered in mid november when she was beginning to get winter fur but was not yet shaggy.

Edited By Anna on 1210539741