Rawhide tutorial

[JSaddlery]

Howdy Rob

How hard is it to get the fat and meat of after ya soak it in lime, because I got most of the fat and meat of but than had to run and just through it in the lime is that going to work or does the lime make so it does not want to come of.

Thanks for your help Rob. Thomas

[rgerbitz]

It should come off though it may take a little longer. The Leather Chemist's told me that lime works at removing the hair from the flesh side, so the better job you can do taking the fat and meat off the better and quicker the lime will work. If you through in some soap with the lime it will help some.

Rob

[barshoe]

Anyone de-hair w/hot water? I would like to know how hot and how long you soak. Also what the best heat source would be. Any other steps to be careful of.

[rgerbitz]

Read through this.

[Blastedcelt]

Thank you so much for this post! With the pictures and your description, it's helped me immensely. I was gifted a beautiful elk hide, and in looking at your pictures finally was able to reassure myself that there really wasn't any fat on it, and very little meat. I'm pretty sure I've taken off all the flesh that needs to come off, and it's currently in a lime bath in the shop. I'm in Canada, and it's about zero here, so it will take longer for the lime to work. I'm being as patient as I can checking and stirring daily. It's a big freakin' hide, so I really don't want to ruin it as it's destined for spirit drums. I suspect it will be more than a week of soaking in the cold water before I can do any hair removal.

The rest of the pictures are really helpful too. I think I can rustle up a couple drums and 2 x6's or 2 x 8's for the de-hairing part of the job. My fingers and toes are crossed anyhow.

Thanks for a great job, and for sharing what you know with us newbies...I'd be lost, lost, lost without ya!

[tboyce58]

When I was a kid I used a solution of alum. It seemed to really help take the hair off. You obviously know more than me about this so I'm wondering why you didn't use it.

[Stowkeve]

What are the steps that one goes through once the rawhide is cut and dried into a strand? I bought a 100 feet of 1/4 inch wide rawhide. Do I need to soak it in water first to soften it and then what about all the soaps and tallow and stuff like that? i want to start braiding with it to make a rawhide honda for my rope.

Steve