Homemade Bark Tan Leather

[Dennis Lanigan]

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to share some bark tan deer hides I have been working on. Tell me what you think! If you're interested in picking them up I have them for sale on my Etsy store (and more pictures too).

And I hope it's OK I'm just showing a hide and not a made item. It took me a long time to figure out how to tan hides and now I am on to the task of learning how to make stuff out of them. Get them before I figure it out!

Thanks, Dennis

Edited November 12, 2013 by Dennis Lanigan

[bland]

That's awsome. Do you have a recipie and instructions? I alum tanned one a long time ago it is a lot of work.

[Dennis Lanigan]

Thanks. Well the instructions are pretty long to do good stuff. Here's a guide to get you started. It is a lot of work that's for sure.

http://braintan.com/barktan/1basics.htm

[petersenj20]

Very very cool. I have wanted to try this but prob never will.

Seems like $22+ a foot is a lot even for such a unique item.

[Dennis Lanigan]

I'm curious. What would you consider a fair price? $25 sq. ft. is the high standard for deer brain tan buckskin, and bark tan done by hand (along with getting most of the extracts from the woods, etc.) is no less easy.

[petersenj20]

I don't presume anything about tanning to be easy. Very long and arduous. Very beautiful work. I don't mean to insult.

Really none of my business what you charge.

[aconstruction]

What type of bark did you use? Is that the natural color or was some kind of additional dye used?

[Dennis Lanigan]

I used Oak Galls (quercus garryana), Hemlock bark, and some Chestnut extract. No dyes were used.

[Jaly]

I think there is certainly a market for naturally processed tanning like you are doing, keep up the good work.