BEADWORK BY MARGO

Working Hides

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I’ve been tanning hides since the 70’s. I have tried it all, I think.. and when you work hides through the years, you come up with works for you! Here are some current pictures of me working hides. I will show you the different steps I take, to get to this finished, Brain Tan (buckskin) leather. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Brain tan deerskin Smoked

When I get green hides ( skin straight off animals back), if I get more than 1, I will flesh them, dry them in the sun for a later day.

Pole to scrap on (2)

Fleshing pole
Margo Fleshing deerhide (2) tools (2)

I fleshed these 4 Deer hides and now they are sun drying.
4 hides today (2)

I use to soak hides in (burnt wood) ash water to remove the hair. Until I was turned on to dry scraping a hide, in Eagle Butte, SD.

2-9-11 Scraping deerhide
Hair & skin scraped off

<> Deer Hide <>
still scraping

Dry scraping, I get the hair off as well I put the energy into getting all the skin off, so I can make a piece of Soft buckskin.

The better scraped, the better finished product!

After I get my hide scraped both sides real good, then it’s time to get a deer brain out of the freezer...   

cookin brain DSCN0307 (2) soaking in brain (2)

I cook brain till white pasty looking, let it cool and then spread on stretched hide. Then I take it off rack and soak for 2 or 3 days in remaining brains, top with water. Always stirring at least twice a day to keep the air pockets from spoiling hide. Then take out of solution and Now the fun begins!                                                                                            Breaking the hide. Breaking fibers to soften.

hide donut

I make a donut
breakin fibers

Inch by inch I turn hide on main pole and twist breaking fibers and getting as much water out!
DSCN0325 (2)

When I finish this step I personally stretch back onto my rack to work dry and soft, a big prayer! Then to keep soft you must SMOKE your hide or if it gets wet then it will turn hard like rawhide. 

I used my old tipi liner to make smoker this day. Made a good hard wood fire first, to get some good coal to last time to smoke. I had my water hose at my side and I mainly stayed on the ground adding leaves for more smoke, watching for flame to put out. You can’t leave, I was there for about 4 hours, till coal played out and me too!
Gather leaves and set up to smoke Smokin Hide

Front and back view of a cow hide I cleaned to make rawhide trunk    <>            Pattern I made for a trunk       <>
dry scraping cow hide scraping dry cow hide front view cutting pattern for trunk

I cut my pattern now I’m lacing it together   <>     After I finished lacing together I stuffed it with cloth material to help keep shape  <>
2011 sewin my new trunk (2) 2011 trunk

Every animal offers us plenty.

Deer knuckles, hoofs Deer hoofs - Sinew

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Here are the knuckles, which are use to make a game and the dew claws (hoofs) which I use to embellish things I am making.

Sinew

Alligator buttons to embellish things with!
Alligator tail Cook tail pickin buttons out
Cleaned Alligator buttons