Egg Tanning Hides

[voyageur1688]

  I have tanned many hides with the egg tanning method. The proteins in eggs are the same as in brains.an average sized deer will require 1 -1 1/2 dozen egg yolks.
For a deer hide, once the hide is ready to be tanned--either hair on or hair off, you just scramble the egg yolks together like an all yolk omlet. The hide has to be moist--not wet but moist in order for the egg to fully saturate it.  Stretch the hide out flat and just smear the egg yolks onto it and rub it in as much as you can, then you can either turn it over and do the same to the other side or you can just let it set. Leave the egg on the hide for 24-36 hours to do its majic--cover it with plastic or roll it up and bag it until its time is up. Then take it out and rinse it off with water until the water runs clear.  Once it is rinsed, take the hide and stretch it to let it dry somewhat. While it is still damp and flexible, you can connect it by one end to a raised rack on the back of a pickup truck and go out for a drive for about 8-10 miles each way. Drive just fast enough for the hide to flap pretty good and by the time you get back with it the hide will be pretty white and will be broken. The hide will be nice and soft. This method is alot faster than using a beam or cable to break the grain. However it is not good to do it this way if it is done with the hair on.
Voy

[beaudro]

I've used eggs when I ran out of brains, and for some people who can't handle the messy stuff ivory soap will work well. But in the end I can't say it's braintanned if I don't honestly use a brain. Pork brain can be had much cheaper and it works the best. Providing that you buck the hide properly and work all your steps right, there is nothing like the real braintan and smoke to a perfection it's a one of a kind leather. Most grocery stores can order pork brain for you, I've got it from almost any store except walmart. The brand I get is John Morrell , I probably go through 2 cases each year. If anyone is in my area of Oklahoma I put on demonstrations , free, or can email you with help to get started in braintanning.

[Micanopy]

1 dz eggs to a gallon of water is what I have used. Gives the finished hide a slight yellow color, but if you are going to smoke them it wont matter anyway.
Pardon me for asking, dont mean to sound weird. But why arent we using the brains of the animal we are tanning to brain the hide? After all, its already included in the package, it's free, and works. I tan many many hides each year and have none that have smelled bad. If they smell bad the brain or the hide is rotten. The only time they smell bad is during the dehairing and graining portion of the operation.

[Red Badger]

Stupid question time   .....

For those of us who have hunted in areas affected with Chroic Wasting Desease, would we want to use the brains from these animals for tanning?  or would the disease agents be wiped out in the tanning process?

[gru556]

   The brains don't always come with the package My friends will save a good clean hide for me and the best ones don't have brains left when you pull out your skinner.
   There is an Indian in my part of the country that will tell you you how to tan and in that conversation he will also warn you about the bacteria in those brains and how bad it is to rub them in bare handed.
   I cannot remember my hands being cut free since I realized I had hands

[Micanopy]

   The brains don't always come with the package My friends will save a good clean hide for me and the best ones don't have brains left when you pull out your skinner.
   There is an Indian in my part of the country that will tell you you how to tan and in that conversation he will also warn you about the bacteria in those brains and how bad it is to rub them in bare handed.
   I cannot remember my hands being cut free since I realized I had hands

Ah, I see, you get the hides from them but not the brains, which would exclude using the same animals brains. Understand now. I am lucky I guess, the ranch were I get most of my hides from saves me the brains as well, unless the animal was shot in the head. I usually have plenty to use from other sorces, ie, from hides that have been skinned wrong and what not.
What kinda bacteria would be in the brain that aint in the meat? The same blood flows thru both of them so anything thats in the brain would be in the meat, no? The only way to brain them properly is to use ones hands.

[Micanopy]

Stupid question time   .....

For those of us who have hunted in areas affected with Chroic Wasting Desease, would we want to use the brains from these animals for tanning?  or would the disease agents be wiped out in the tanning process?

Well, Texas has no CWD so we have never had to think of that, but its a good point. In a case like that you could use the egg method, which is a good way to do them, nothing wrong with that at all. I only heat the brains up to about 140 degrees max so I dont think that is enough heat to kill anything off. Dunno?

[voyageur1688]

  The advantages of the egg tanning is it is faster and cheaper. The hides come out nice and soft like with braintanning if ya work em right.
Voy

[NW Wildman]

You guys are awsome.  This is a great way to get started in the traditional muzzle load. 

[beaudro]

Other than a slightly yellow color, i don't see any difference in using eggs. I've used cheap eggs before and no color at all shows up.. I might even have that backwards I don't know. Some eggs are sterodial born that might be the difference I seen. But it still worked fine, it's the emulsified oil that were after, lecithin. Then finally a good smoking emits formeldehyde (and more) into the skin and it's officially tanned.
   A few hides I've been "re-doing" after they have been smoked prove to be much easier, many of my tanning buddies swear by the pre-smoke method. I've only inadvertenly done this but it does seem to have something to it. Next hide I do , after neutralizing I'll probably smoke it and see what the end results are. You can search for the Dinsmore method on google, I believe they started it and give free instructions on nativetech.
   If one looks for pork brain at a local butcher shop, it can usually be ordered by the case. Just ask, Morrell is the common brand.

[Da Backwoodsman]

at what stage do you pre smoke the hide?

[KHickam]

after acidifying but before braining