experiment....

[ThunderHeart]

I got to wondering what would happen  if i took a gallon of hot water and washed all the smoke residue outta the skirt i use when smoking hides  I use an old leg from a pair of jeans  and just like the hides it gathers smoke and quite well After smoking two hides last week it wasn't all the blue anymore but rather a dark ugly brown. So i have this gallon of what amounts to liquid smoke  I had another hide finished and ready to go into the Brains  but this time  i added that liquid smoke to the mix....I figure if some folks like to presmoke their hides before they brain em  why wouldn't this work  to some degree  without building a fire and the all that goes along with smoking a hide  I mean after all your gonna smoke it properly when it's finished anyway  And you have a skirt full of smoke after you do so  Why waste that smoke residue  why not use it and save some time while doing so ...Reckon it will work or have i flipped my lid ..Again...

[Red Badger]

I don't know - but don't see where it can hurt

[graybear]

Only way to know is to give 'er a shot, 2 or 3 iffn ya kin git the jug away from these cearicters. Let us know how it works.

[Micanopy]

No reason at all not to do it. Seems to me that the residue from the smoke will help carry the brains thru?

[ThunderHeart]

No reason at all not to do it. Seems to me that the residue from the smoke will help carry the brains thru?

Thats what I'm Thinking we are about to find out as i have started to break this hide as of 20 minutes ago  It took me 30 minutes of heavy twisting to get all the liquid out of the hide  normally don't take me that long  So i think it did soak up more than it normally would on its own i also noticed it seemed to be a bit more plump which would also suggest it drank up . Color seems to be fine turning white as its stretched and pulled And it has a light smoke smell that it much better than the normal hide/brains and water smell ...Let yall know how it worked out here in a while ..

[Micanopy]

Hmm, doesnt seem to be that humid today either, at least here. I very interested in hearing how this works out, I have read about pre smoking but never tried it. I think yer on to something here.

[Red Badger]

could be... waiting for a report on how this turns out!

[ThunderHeart]

Ok   Hide broke well  But even with being wrung very well  which in itself took a bit longer than it normally seemed to .. and the humidity being in the low 20's which is pretty dry for these parts  It took forever to completely dry  I was working it from 1:45 yesterday afternoon till i went to bed at 10 and it could have used 30 minute maybe a an hour more of breaking.. But i was pooped  and it still turned out good  i will most likely wash this one after it is smoked and will do a little stretching and pulling on it as it dries which should take care of the one small spot in the middle that is a little stiffer than  i want it to be. Now without the "liquid smoke " added  That hide would have been dry in a matter of a 2-4 hours  So my thinking is not only does smoking a finished hide help to water proof it  adding "Liquid smoke residue" as i did to the brain solution helps it soak up the brain solution and holds that moisture  in longer then it would without it .. which aint all bad   Would  be good to do when your tanning in the summer might help keep a hide drying so fast you dont have time to break it . But when the weather is cooler yesterday it was 58   it does add drying time and therefore breaking time to the hide..Least that has been my experience with this hide and these weather conditions .. I wanna try this again when it gets into the 85-95 degree range and see if it does help like im thinking it will..... The color of the finished hide wasn't as white as normal either  so if your making buckskin with idea of it being left white  don't do this.. The color was more of an off white  I will try to get a pic.. But not sure when  Having some camera issue's !!!

[Red Badger]

sounds like a winning plan... with the heat we get up here any help is extending the drying time is appreciated!