4-day Buckskin Hide Tanning Intensive - Saturday, July 6 - Tuesday, July 9

Learn the entire process of traditional brain tanning in this multi-day course. Students will take a deer hide from being a skin straight off the animal to beautiful buckskin. All tools and materials are provided.

Schedule:

Day 1: Class starts at 9am. Plan to work until 5 or 6pm each day, with the potential of some after hours sewing depending on the day. On the first day, we will cover the entire process, select hides, and begin with graining (removing the hair and top dermal layer of the hide). Hides will be taken back to neutral pH for day 2.

Day 2: Class starts at 9am. We will do touch up on both grain and membrane sides of the hide in the morning and brain the hides in the afternoon (we will use pig brains). If we have time, we can sew holes, or students can sew holes in the evening after class.

Day 3: Class starts at 9am. We will do any remaining sewing before stringing hides in the racks to soften and dry. If there is time students can sew their hides together to prepare for smoking, or sew in the evening after class.

Day 4: Class starts at 9am. We will smoke the hides. This is the final step and requires everyone to tend the smoker boxes. Once smoking is completed, we will take a group picture and wrap up.

Possible Day 5: If it looks like we need an extra day to finish, or the weather adds a surprise that adjusts our schedule, we can have a 5th day to wrap up. Please plan accordingly.

Days 3 and 4 require clear weather, so may need to be adjusted.

Students are responsible for their own food and lodging. Please note that this is a very physically demanding skill, will require long days, and will be mostly in the sun. Please be sure that you are physically up to the challenge of this class, that you plan for a lot of time in the sun, that you hydrate well, and take good care of yourself. It will be a lot of work, but the rewards are great!

If you’d like to learn the skill and share the experience, please consider signing up as a team. The price is the same as for one person (only one person needs to register, let us know you’ll be a team), but you share the work and you share the hide. This is an easier way to learn the process if you’re at all worried about the physical demands of the class. If you have any questions, please contact Joshua at info@montanafolkschool.org.