Help with a large stiff hair on hide

[Carrieanna1172]

A friend gave me a huge hair on hide he had in his garage it’s really thick fleshy and stiff and I need to know the best way to soften it? 
I don’t know how it was tanned or that makes a difference on treating, softening it but it has a bluish flesh color. 
any advice on it . I don’t want to lose the fur ?

I thought about shaving some of the excess flesh from the back and using it for inlaying scabbards and such so I can cut it into smaller pieces but it’s way to stiff to use for anything now?

any advice appreciated !

[chuck123wapati]

7 minutes ago, Carrieanna1172 said:

A friend gave me a huge hair on hide he had in his garage it’s really thick fleshy and stiff and I need to know the best way to soften it? 
I don’t know how it was tanned or that makes a difference on treating, softening it but it has a bluish flesh color. 
any advice on it . I don’t want to lose the fur ?

I thought about shaving some of the excess flesh from the back and using it for inlaying scabbards and such so I can cut it into smaller pieces but it’s way to stiff to use for anything now?

any advice appreciated !

post a picture so we can see what you talking about. It could be a home tanned, partly home tanned , or just a salted and dried hide with no tanning. 

[tsunkasapa]

The bluish color indicates chrome tan. And most of these are meant for rugs, hence the thickness/stiffness. You could try skiving down the back, but it seems like a lot of work.

[Carrieanna1172]

Here’s a pic idk if you all can see this very good but I cut pieces off of it and soaked one to just experiment it got a little softer for now until it dries I suppose but I think removing some of the flesh might be the only way to make it pliable ? Skiving ?I guess since I’m just gonna cut it up and use it I could slice the smaller pieces one a time as needed ? Hate to waste it 

It was all black I lightened it a bit in some spots with hair bleach 

Edited August 1, 2022 by Carrieanna1172