Old moose hide with hair/flesh still on it

[builderman1928]

A friend of mine has offered (sell?) me an old moose hide that still has the hair on it and it looks like some dried flesh from the skinning process. The hide is 15-20 years old and was folded up. From the outside it looks like it is in good shape but it is so stiff that I can't unfold it.

Several questions -

Is this something that could be worth fooling with?

What would I need to do to get it unfolded and then how would you tan it? I am guessing brain tanning or alum. I also assume that if I were to soak it and then unfold it I am committed to doing something with it or throwing it out. I has no sign of rot so it must have been dried some before being folded up.

I have worked with a small amount of commercially tanned deer and elk hide. Would this end up being similar leather?

Years ago I helped in a class where we brain tanned some deer hides and I remember it being hours of work. I don't mind the work if the end product could be of some value other than to say "been there, done that".

Any ideas or suggestions would be great.

[itchaguide]

The first thing I would do is confirm that it is actually tanned and not just salted and dried.. Any home tanning I have done included scraping the flesh side well enough that there was no flesh left.

Home tanning is a lot of work and many people with good intentions quit before finishing the job but it is not uncommon to see salted and dried hides in hunters garages and sheds :-)

If it is tanned and has dried out for 20 years my guess is that it might not be salvageable but I would still try, soak in water to soften and expand the fibers, let it dry partially and oil while still damp..

good luck.