Cowhide is often used to make leather.
Leather is a strong, durable and useful product that can be created from animal hides that remain after animals are hunted or raised for food. Cowhide, equinehide, sheepskin, goatskin and deerskin are all commonly used to produce leather. Though labor intensive, the home leather-making process will produce leather that is less expensive than purchasing the finished product, as well as promote the use-what-you-kill philosophy.
Instructions
Skinning
1. Hang the animal carcass upside down and use a skinning knife to remove the hide.
2. Attach the skin to a stretching frame until it is cool.
3. Lay the cooled skin on a fleshing beam, or other flat surface, and scrape all the fat and flesh off with a blunt kitchen knife or large spoon.
4. Weigh the scraped hide, then spread it out flat again, flesh-side up. Sprinkle salt over the hide, using 1 lb. of salt for each pound of hide. Rub the salt into the skin, working it all the way to the edge of the hide.
5. Fold the salted hide in half with the salted-sides together and roll it up tightly. Prop it up at a slope so liquid will drain away and let it sit for two days. After two days, unroll the hide, shake off old salt and re-apply new salt, rubbing it in thoroughly. Prop it up again and let it remain another two days, then unroll it and let it dry flat, but away from heat and sunlight.
Preparing
6. Prepare a solution of 1 oz. of borax per every gallon of warm, soft water to soak the hide. Amount will depend on the size of the hide.
7. Scrape off as much salt as possible and immerse the hide in the borax solution for three to five days, stirring several times a day with the wooden paddle. Remove the hide and rinse well, lay it flat with the fur side down and scrape it in long sweeping motions with the fleshing knife until all fat, flesh and the membrane that covers the skin is gone.
8. Fill a wooden soaking barrel almost full of warm, soft water and add 8 lbs. of agricultural lime. Put the hide in pushing it down with the paddle until it is completely covered. Soak the hide in the lime solution for anywhere from three days to six weeks, depending on weather conditions. Stir several times a day until the hair comes off.
9. Remove the hide and place it fur-side up. Scrape it with the dull side of the fleshing knife until all hair and layer of skin that hold the roots are removed. Rinse the hide several times and soak overnight, then soak another 24 hours in a solution of water and 5 oz. lactic acid or 2 ½ qt. vinegar, stirring often. After 24 hours, rinse and soak in clear water overnight.
Tanning
10. Fill a large tub almost full of water and add ½ lb. of salt for each gallon of water. Stir in ½ oz. of sulphuric acid per gallon of water, stirring slowly and carefully. Immerse the prepared hide in the solution and soak for one to three days, depending on thickness. Stir several times a day.
11. Lift the hide out of the sulphuric acid solution with the wooden paddle and rinse it several times in a barrel of clean water. While the hide is rinsing, clean and refill the tanning container with a solution of 2 lbs. borax for every 40 gallons of water. Soak the hide overnight, then remove and rinse several times.
12. Attach the hide to a stretching frame and apply a thin layer of Neat's foot oil to the hair side. Wipe off excess oil, remove hide and while it is still damp, work it several times over the wooden stake until it is soft and supple.
13. Mix 1 lb. of melted beef or mutton tallow with 1 lb. of Neat's foot oil to make dubbin and when it is cool apply it to the hair-side of the hide. Let it dry then rub it over the wooden stake again several times to work in the dubbin and soften the leather.
14. Rub both sides of the leather with fine sandpaper to smooth the surface.
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