Selfsufficientish.com

Having popped over to the new place last night and seen what seemed like hundreds of rabbits scarpering down tens of rabbit holes, there is going to have to be some culling of the local population to allow veg production to occur.

Given the surplus of rabbits and that their meat will go to good use; does anyone have any small scale instructions for tanning their skins leaving the skin soft to work into blankets, rugs and fishing flies and other asorted items?

I know the theory, but I think Jack has first hand experience.

Nev

Gidday

This is what I have used in the past:-

http://www.outdoorsupplies.co.nz/tannin ... .htm#leder

I have always had abso-bloody-lutely brillianyt results. Really worth the effort.

Hi Jack thanks for the link.

Do these kits have instructions with them?

Have you tried the Rittel's one?

Anyone bark tanned?

Gidday

Hey mate I missed that question. Sorry about that. Yes they do have very detailed instructions. Follow them proper and you are almost guarranteed to get a professional result.

No I haven't done any bark tanning. I believe acacia trees are the best.

The Society of Primitive Technology, www.primitive.org/ has some interesting stuff, including how to weave a rabbit-skin blanket.

Cheers for that guys, now ive just got use my crossbow to nail those F****** rabbits that are eating teh sheep's grass in the orchard
Note: bowhunting = Legal in New Zealand, but not in most parts of UK i believe, sorry - blame the govt!

Crossbows are illegal in Aus too!

Nev

which is of course insane since any madman whos a good actor and has 1/2 credible mates to use for references can get a gun license and buy a highpowered rifle OWHU which has a greater range, accuracy, lethality and is better able to be conceled - which is what one assumes "they" (THEMAN) is concerned about *shakes head*

I'm reposting a tutorial that I wrote for another group on this same topic:

(Please pardon my american accent)

Converting hide into buckskin

This method uses no salt or manufactured chemicals:

Step 1: Remove hide from animal.
The less you have to use a knife, the better. Trying to cut the
membrane between skin and meat generally makes the hide harder to
remove, not easier. It also leads to knicks in the hide and large
chunks of meat that have to be scraped off.

Step 2: Flesh the hide.
Scrape with a dull edge to remove meat and fat. Don't be too nitpicky
about this part, you don't have to remove the membrane itself.

For tools, a dull knife sometimes works but is hard to hold (and I've
cut myself trying this with even the dullest knife). Try a rib, or a
leaf-spring from a large vehical. A 90 degree edge works well. Taping
up a handle on each end makes it easier to hold.

Step 3: Remove the hair (optional)
There's a few ways to do this.

Hair removal method 1: Soak in ash (Wear rubber gloves, this is caustic!)
This is your excuse for a nice bonfire. Get some clean wood ash and
mix it in a 5-gallon pail of water. If you're using softwood ash, you
can't make it too strong, just mix it to the consistancy of a thin
milkshake. If you're using hardwood, float an egg in it. When its
strong enough, the part floating above the water will be about the
circumference of a quarter. If its floating too high, add water. If
too low, mix in more ash.
Soak the hide, stirring occasionally, until the hair in the middle of
the hide pulls free easilly. This may be 1 hour for small hides, 12
hours or more for very large hides.
Use your scraping tool again to scrape away the hair and top layer of
skin completely. Be thourough, make sure that outer skin layer is
completely gone.
Rinse hide completely, until all the lye is out. There will be a
slight color change when this happens. This may take a few hours for
larger hides, a good way is to sink the hide in a kiddie pool and keep
the hose running slowly into the pool.

Hair removal method 2: Retting
Let the hide sit in an airtight container for a day or two, until the
hair in the middle pulls free easily. Scrape as above.
Yes, this one stinks.

Hair removal method 3: Dry-scraping
Build a frame larger than the hide by at least 50% in both directions.
Make several small slits in edges of the hide, parallel to the edge.
String the hide up into the frame, stretching until taught but not
tearing. Allow the hide to dry in a shady area. (one trick is to use
hog-rings in the holes. That way if one tears out you don't have to
re-string the whole hide.)
When completely dry, scrape the hide, using a razor-sharp scraping
tool with the edge held perpendicular to the hide. DO NOT PRESS IN,
you're trying to shave the top skin off, not dig it out. Using too
much pressure will punch a hole right through your hide.
This can also be used to thin part of the hide, such as the skin on a
moose's hump.

Hair removal method 4: Freeze-scraping (best in winter)
Tie hide into a framework, as above, but instead of drying it let it
freeze. Scrape as in method 3.
This method has the advantage in that it can be used to flesh and
scrape the hide at the same time. However, frostbite can be a serious
concern (for you, not the hide).


Step 4: Braaaaaaains!
This is where the hide gets soaked in a tanning solution. For
buckskin, there are several options:
1) Brains. Every animal has enough brains to tan its own hide. (I mean
this in every sense of the term.) Squish the brains up with enough
water to make them smooth and runny.
2) Eggs. There is some debate concerning the quality of an egg-yoke
tan vs. and egg-white tan vs. a whole-egg tan, but generally speaking,
just whip the eggs with some water to make a somewhat runny solution.
Hosestly, I have no idea how much egg is needed per hide, but make
sure you have enough to coat the entire hide generously.
3) Ivory soap and veggie oil. Grate 1/4 bar of ivory soap, mix with 1
cup of vegetable oil. Purree until smooth, you really don't want any
lumps or pockets of oil in this one, as either could ruin the tan.

Coat the hide with your chosen tanning solution. If tanning a fur,
just coat the meat-side, then fold once so it doesn't dry out too
quickly. If tanning without the fur, coat both sides, then place in a
5-gallon bucket with just enough water to cover. Soak overnight. If
using very large hides it may require 24-48 hours, but a deerhide
generally takes 12 hours.

Step 5: Rinse and stretch
Rinse the hide just enough to get the excess solution off. Squeeze as
much water out as possible, and begin working the hide. Stretch it
gently in all possible direction, paying careful attention to the
edges. Continue stretching until hide feels warm and dry when rubbed
against your cheek. Put on a good movie, this part takes a while.

Step 6: Smokin'
Build a slow, cool, smokey fire. Suspend the hide in the smoke, using
a teepee frame, sewing it to a stovepipe, or whatever method you can
come up with that doesn't result in your hide catching fire (it will).
If tanning without the fur, smoke both sides thouroughly. If tanning with
the fur, only smoke the meat side, but smoke it twice as long. This is
where the color changes from apasty-white to a soft tan. This "sets" the
tan, so it won't get ruined by water, and incorporates natural preservatives into the hide.

After tanning, your buckskin can be washed using gentle detergents,
like Ivory. If it stiffens after washing, rub it briskly against a
coarse rope, and stretch as in step 5.