Introduction to Bark Tanning
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ค. 2019
- Bark tanning is an age old technique for turning raw skins into fabulous leather without the use of chemicals or industrial processes- it can all be done by hand in your own backyard with materials from the forests around you. This video gives a nice overview and basic tutorial on the process.
you knocked this out of the park !! words cant express it. what a great video. you can tell how much someone know by how easy they can explain it.
Wow. WHY don't you have your own television show?! My goodness! THANK YOU for sharing your knowledge!!
Television is mostly propaganda and advertising
What's television? LOL.
Thanks so much for sharing!!
You are a wealth of knowledge!!
Appreciate ya!!
you show us some of the best ideas no one else shares. thank you for that education.
Brilliant video, thank you
Excellent introductory course into bark tanning! Thanks!
Brilliant overview - thank you so much
Wonderfully done. Covered all my need for information. Thanks.
Hi.
You are indeed a very gifted teacher. You are clear, inspiring and give a wide overview on the topic. I enjoyed the video (my first) and was left thirsty to study and learn under you. I learnt much and for that, I'm grateful. Thanks.
Great tips Woniya!
Thank you for educating us
Best video on the topic, thanks!
This is so cool thank you for showing this skill
Really enlightening video, thank you for your time! Loved learning that this can still all be done naturally :)
Thank you for showing us the bark tanning and making the tea. Your way of doing the steps really makes clear how to correctly get good results, plus you get a great workout bucking hides, hence your strong body. Good for you. Glad to have found your video.
Just the advice of skinning the ungulate from the head down was worth watching this. The tanning solution was also great info. I would think Black Walnuts would be good gor tanning. Greatings from "Mayberry," NC.
Great video! You really know your stuff. Thanks for sharing.
Good info, always room to learn more .I like your methods, have actually incorporated some of them into my style. I work at trying to create distressed looking hides , lots of people like the old used look. Raybow thanks you. I am having fun making a oak colored buckskin.
that is so cool, thanks for the great explanation.
This is a great video thanks for posting
Wonderful video :) Thank you for taking the time to make it :)
Nice! This is actually really interesting to me thank you!
great video--I'd never seen the process before and much appreciate your explanation and demonstration. One can see the value added by the time and attention to detail required for soft pliable leather. Keep up these videos about life before the chemical revolution.
thanks, that's my plan!
That was a really good video, thankyou.
Sounds good ~ Thank you!
Great job!
Thank you. I have 2 deer hides I fleshed with hair on. I had been wondering if I could bark tan with the hair on. I seen you had one in the works.
I know where some logging is going on right now and pretty sure they will let me have all the oak bark I can haul out.
Great video. Thank you
thank you for this good videos
natural tan! thank you so much for sharing! so many ways!
A great insight to a topic I know nothing about.
Woniya, thanks so much for the details! I have brain tanned and egg tanned many times, but really have wanted to give bark tanning a try for a while! Much appreciated!
my pleasure!
I really enjoy your videos. You are a wonderful teacher! You have a gift for getting your point across in a clear, easy to follow way. It just flows out of you so naturally. Its a joy to watch. Thank you for sharing your hard earned knowledge so freely. Looking forward to more videos and seeing more of you on ALONE!
thanks so much!
Just getting ready to try my 3rd deer hide. First two weren't the greatest. The 3rd will be a little better. Another dozen or so and i hope to have a usable piece of material. Thank you for the video . Those trousers look great
Thanks...just got a deer hide and I am trying to learn what I can do with it. Great video!
Thank you maam!...this video was very helpful...i have braintanned about 10 deerhides and made some awesome buckskin!...but as with any skill like tanning you tend to jump down the rabbit hole and see how far you can get!....i have several cowhides id like to barktan as i find it nearly impossible to get a soft and pliable buckskin out of them...and havin the knowledge of braintanning..i was able to follow and understand your instructions...i will put your knowledge to use ...thank you again!!
Good video.
Thank you!
Actually through all of my experience I found that a filleting knife works amazingly because all you Gotta do is just run it down and the knife will literally bend to the shape so you’re not gonna cut it like if you had a big tough solid knife so it’ll just cut where it goes easy which is right where the skin well in between the skin and the meat
Great info!
Thanks Clay, glad it was helpful!
This was an awesome video. I know the process of brain tanning but wanted to check out brain tanning. Love the way you share knowledge, natural. Maybe one day, we will have an ALONE reunion. lol
Thanks Wayne! That would be fun
Thanks you helped me much
I'm so glad that I found your channel. You are a good teacher. Does the shumack hide carry the shumack smell?
This is awesome! I do leather tooling mostly small projects. Im hoping to offer natural dyed colors. This has been a lot of help. Thank you
awesome!
Made furs, rawhide, braintan and eggtan.......but never barktan leather. I have a batch in now. I'm super excited. Thanx
Bark WHAt??????? Learn something new everyday I’ve never heard of this type of tanning. Awesome video
Thank you Ma’am
Have you ever tried using a sort of barrel tumbler idea for some of your steps? Old washing machine motor or perhaps a simple windmill for rotating action. Barrel sits at an angle or made so it can be sealed up. Add hide, solution, round fist sized beach stones and let it go to town for a day or two. Interesting experiment for softening to break those fibers. Saw it done, never tried it.
Cool! You showed me what to do to my buckskin I let dry to quick and not worked enough
many thanks
That was great
Awsome.
Very informing
Grandfather used a six inch section of the antler to "cut" the hide of the deer instead of his knife or just using his hands. Seemed to work well enough.
Thanks queen
Thank you so mush👍👍👍😘😘🤩🤩
good vid
This is awesome, do you have to smoke the hide after? Just curious and thx in advance.
Great video! As a vegetarian I don't think I ever imagined I would flesh and tan leather, but after learning that almost all the places I can buy leather are using chrome tanning and finding out just how bad it is to wear not to mention for the environment, here I am learning the process. I have to say your veggie tanned leather is far superior to what I have seen at the store. The added work seems to pay off in flexibility. Again great video thank you!
I hear you- I was vegan once myself! And yes, home tanned bark tan is way better than commercial!
@@BuckskinRevolution I am wondering if you have ever used lecithin and oil, or eggs to tan instead of brains? If you have can you give me some details as to how much, and if you have a video please let me know. I love how detailed your videos are. Thanks for you quick response as well.
Great video! I'm wondering how long an average deer hide would have to sit in the bark solution to get tanned?
Nice. I've heard that Tasmania had a huge tanning industry in the old days and Black Wattle is what they made the bark liquor out of. Thanks for the Vid!
They sent the Black Wattle from Tasmania to Sydney and that's where they did a lot of bark tanning.
interesting
I like to use a wooden wedge like spatula like tool to help getting the hide off
Hi again….got update and couple questions if you dont mind.
Update on my leaf tanning attempt: I put my stiff as board buckskin in tub of warm water and got it completely limbered up after about 2-3 hours….I wrung it out good (couple times) and started working it over steel post (1x2” no sharp edges). Most all of the darker chocolate color went away as I worked it and it dried (almost….honestly, I got worn out…I can see why you are very healthy looking…lol). I may have messed up large but I rubbed mink oil and vaseline into the flesh side. My thought was…only 1 side so any moisture has way out.
Questions: Is a hide doesnt have enough tannin in it….does it shrink up most than one that does? Idk….it looked like buckskin should look in my mind…wished I had took pic and sent it to you some how.
Question #2: using egg yolks….how does it not get funky smelling?
I was interest to watch a friend of mine get the hide off one of his sheep using his air compressor he just inflated areas of the hide letting the air tear it away from the muscle it avoided using a knif for most of the exercise it worked really well for the legs as they would inflat like some sort of Michelin man
Hi! Thank you! This video helped clear up a lot of tanning questions for me.
I want to try tanning for the first time this fall. The primary reason I want to do is is to make my own shoes. The problem I have is that I have absolutely no idea which process to use to get leather suitable for shoemaking. Can you inform me? I will be using deer hides, if that makes a difference.
Thank you!
You definitely want to do a bark tan then since shoes get more wear then clothing which would only need brain tanning. Deer will work and is a decent in between leather option. It's not to thick (like elk) but not too weak as for wear (like elk). Bull hide from cattle has really tough wear properties that would be nice for the sole although you deer would work to. Just use several layers for the sole. I'm not an expert on this but do a quick search on the properties of deer skin. The sex of the animal does matter to a little. Male animals such as buck or bull have a little tougher more wear resistant properties than the doe or cow hides. Not a super significant amount but it's worth noting. I would not hesitate to use bark tanning for shoes but first find some road kill and practice on its hide. You will mess up along the way to learning and don't want to put a big cut in your prised hide or have it rott on you. Fresh road kill collected legally (check local DNR rules each state is different) is a good thing to practice on. Something with a thicker skin like a coon or something. Watch out for fleas and parasites though.
Don't bear yourself up if it's not perfect that sounds like a cool thing to make.
I think I love you!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge! Is removing the membrane or scudding the same as removing the grain that you spoke of at the end of the video?
you're welcome. No, all 3 are different. Scudding is pushing out the liquid, membraning is removing the membrane, which is on the flesh side, while the grain is a different layer that is on the hair side
Very informative video. Gonna go deer hunting for the first time next hunting season, and I want to make use of every part possible. One question, though, how do I know when the tannic acid concentration is high enough?
not sure if you mean the strength of the solution or in the finished hide. this is just an intro to a complex process. For specifics i have online courses and mentoring.
I've staked my hides down in a small creek with the hair pointing against the waters flow and it will slip the hair all off with in two to three days if the water is warm enough! But you have to be sure to stretch the hide to keep under the water so that oxygen is starved from the hide to keep any bacteria from getting to and rotting your hide! To remove the hair an loosen any flesh missed by the fleshing process!
If you wanted to do a hair on bark tan, would you pickle it first so it won't slip?
Imm looking to keep the hair on the pelt, should I just skip the bucking step?
Hey, just to let you know, I have only been deer hunting once, but the guy that taught me used these flint knives, and they were perfect for skinning, without cutting into the hide or the meat. they just scraped easily and perfectly.
thanks James, i have skinned and butchered with stone tools before, usually flakes not finished knives but heck yes, stone tools are great. obsidian flakes are sharper than surgical steel
@@BuckskinRevolution I appreciate the feedback, and am impressed with your channel.
Awesome, thank you. On your fur skin, do you skip liming? If so, does it slow the absorption of tannin due to the keratin fibers still being so tight and not swollen?
yes, liming is done partly to make the hair slip so you definitely want to avoid it on furs. And they are a bit slower to tan as the bark liquor can only get through from the membrane side. Grain is fairly waterproof- it's the outside layer of our skin and is what keep us from swelling up like a sponge when we go out in the rain!
@@BuckskinRevolution thanks!
Can you use Black walnut
Bark Tanning is just another term or word for Vegetable tanning? What other types of vegetable matter would you use for tanning instead of bark?
hi. the hair on hide, are you doing all the steps without scraping of the hairs?
Hi, my name is gerardo, Im from México, I'm interested in this method of leather tanning, do you know about another material to use to replace the bark?, I've heared about vegetal tanning, but I cant find information enough to tann cow leather in home, I live in the city in a small house, and its harder to find some materials, thats why Im asking you for another method, well, if you can help me I will really apreciate it, greetings!!!!
Terminalia chebula fruit is it oky for tanning
Hi, If you want to keep the hair on the hide do you skip the Hydrated Lime process? Great Video!
yes, the hair will slip right out of the follicle if you lime it! Don't lime it if you want to keep the hair!
Interesting! I was taught to skin by a master and after the initial cuts to achive the traditional hide shape, skin, not with a knife, but with your knuckles!
Whaaaaa... !! 😮
Can you tan that skin without removing the hair?
did you study chemistry or chemical engineering, you're very knowledgeable in what your'e talking about, thumbs up to you
No, but I have a Masters in Environmental science so have taken higher level courses in chemistry, biochemistry, organic chemistry, etc.
sumac what, leaves or bark?
What parts of the sumac is best to use to get the most out of it? We have lots of sumac where we live in north central Kansas.
Richard from Kansas;)
i havent used it myself/ this was my friends tanning set up, but i have mostly heard of people using the leaves. It takes a lot of leaves as they are lower in tannin than most barks
Question.... i hope someone can answer....
i have a pond that is full of natural tannins due to leaves falling through the years...and an entire oak tree at one point..
would that be a good solution for bark tanning? i'm not worried about anything eating or carrying it off... except maybe some crawfish. but i don't think they would be too much of an issue in colder months... i'm more concerned with the hide putrefying.
Hi Emily, that amount of tannin is probably very insufficient to actually thoroughly tan a hide. You could try it with some thing that you weren't worried about risking but as you say the hide rotting rather than being tanned would be a real risk and I think the most likely result. If there are Cray fish or anything else living in the water, that's a sign that it wouldn't be tannic enough.
Can you set aside the bark and store it on a shelf, or does it have to be freshly cut off the wood? Also, is it better if the wood is green or dried?
You can store it, as long as it is out of the weather so it doesn't get wet. Water will leach out the tannins. You can harvest it fresh or dried, but it is infinitely easier to harvest it fresh!
Great video! I just tanned my first deer skin last year. Do you think it matters if you boil the water too hot? I have heard mixed opinions on this. Some people say boiling breaks down the tannic acid.
I am not an expert on bark tanning, part of why this is just a brief intro, but no, I have never heard that. I do know some folks that do cold extractions but most of the bark tanners I know boil the heck out of their bark and turn out beautiful hides. The hides themselves, that's another story. You should never let your hides get hit unless you are doing it on purpose, like for boiled canteens it tankards.
Some tannins are destroyed by high heat. apparently sumac is one of them. I think you are safe if you keep it down around 120. Plenty hot to extract.
@@SkillCult Thanks to the video you made in response to my question on your youtube channel I was able to make some very nice leather and I made my uncle who helped me hunt the deer a wallet. here are the pictures if you'd like to see imgur.com/gallery/JUYxmQc
thank you very much for helping spread this knowledge. I plan to keep learning this skill and hopefully share it with others myself. I really think hunters should start using as much of the animal as possible.
Heat darkens Tannins- so if you are after pale colour you avoid heat in its extraction
Ever done Redwood!? I'm in northern California and we have plenty here
i haven't, and honestly i've never heard of anyone using it. perhaps because tan oaks often grow where redwoods do, so one might as well use them. Plus, you would need to tell a redwood to harvest the bark, most of which is outer bark and it useable as tannins and generally just in the inner bark. So i can't imagine redwood bark would make much sense to use for all those reasons
I think your heated barrel looks to be a beer keg with the top cut off and a valve welded on.
How much bark in the heated cooker to get 1 gallon of tan liquor ?
How long did you soak the hide in bark tan?
Can cedar that is bought for mulch or landscape chips be used ? I think some are dyed black or red. Not sure if thats good or bad either.
I come from the prairies and not alot of wood choices here.
Poplar
Maple
Ash
Elm
Pine
Willow
Birch
I was thinking on buying a tree shredder and running branches through when i go north in the Parkland areas.
As you mentioned tasting tannins.
Have you ever ate a berry called a chokecherry. I bet it would have tannin in it as it curls your teeth when you bite it. They have a dark purple color and stain your fingers.
Hi Paul, a shredder is a great idea. landscaping bark/chips usually are not a good option as the tan is have usually already been leached out through being wet. it's very water soluble so one good rain on shredded bark and you lose a lot of the tannins.
I am familar with chokecherry but never heard of anyone using fruit. The pucker factor can be astringency from other factors, it doesn't always indicate tannins.
You've got a lot of great questions, more than i have time to answer on this platform. That's part of why i partnered with sage.fm so I have a platform to connect with folks looking for more detailed skills mentoring. check out my profile at www.sage.fm/woniya-buckskinrevolution if that's something you'd be interested in
You have to soak the hide in liquor for a long time, at least a month. You can tell if it is tanned through by cutting it, and looking at the penetration. There should be no white. I would tan it for at least another week after the white is gone. Also at the begging you will need to replace the solution or strengthen it very often, because the hide will absorb all of the tannins.
So if i keep the hair on does that mean I just leave out the step of soaking in the burnt shell solution? Seems that it was this step that caused the hair to slip
Correct, you don't want to buck the hide in an alkaline solution if you're keeping the hair
Am I understanding correctly, that it goes from liming to the bark tea, there's no need to neutralize any basic/ alkaline balance in this process?
Because lime has solids as well as alkalinity it is best to rinse it thoroughly and scud it out (squeegeying it out with light pressure over a scraping beam) before putting it in the bark liquor. Also, the initial tannin solution is weaker in acid than later baths so less likely to neutralize the pH. This is a brief overview and introduction to a complex process, isnt meant for instructional purposes, so necessarily leaves out a lot of details
i was wondering about something. after you get the bark tea can you freeze it until you need it. say you cut a tree down and collect all the bark and made the tea for tanning but your not ready to use it. would it sour if you let it set in a bucket or can you freeze for when you're ready for it?
Prelims the bark and storing it dry works and is a lot easier than making and freezing a lot of tea but if you had a lot of freezer space and we're ambition you certainly could freeze it. The acidity of the tea means it won't "sour" per se, but it can go moldy if stored long term
@@BuckskinRevolution thank you
To do a hair on hide would you just skip the hydrated lime solution altogether?
You wouldn't do the lime step, but there are other differences as well. Also, deer hair is scratchy and sheds a a lot and is fragile, so not the kind if hide once would generally wan to tan with the hair on
Hello again 😀, question. Does it matter what kind of bark you use? Or does it have to be "tan oak"
It matters a bit, as some barks have more tannins than others and some have undesirable effects- like alder which also dyes hides red and makes them brittle. Most barks have tannins and can be used though. Tan oak just has a particularly high tannin content, but it has a very limited range. most tanning traditions focus on other species, hemlock, doug for, chestnut, other oaks, lots and lots work well
Could walnut be used as it has alot of tannins?
Would black walnut hulls work for this?
not very well, they have more dye type tannins than tanning type. I know folks who have used them and gotten a leather that is hard and brittle and prone to cracking
Tried to read through the comments before asking this but, what ratio of lime to water did you use for how big or a hide?!
You can't over lime something like can over lye it, just add powered lime til no more will dissolve and you have a layer of white solids on the bottom of your container. If the solution gets weak, the solids will dissolve into solution. Too strong g and the solid will settle out. that's the beauty of lime. I have a video about Hide prep on this channel that explains this, th-cam.com/video/8u_ShhWcke8/w-d-xo.html
Sorry I didn't get how long the hide needs to be in the tanning solution. I've watched an old video (of 1962) about a tannery in Germany that still did bark tanning. They left the hides in the tanning pit for a year and a half, adding ground bark from time to time.
There is no set amount of time as there are so many variables- how big and thick the hide is, how strong your hide liquor is, how often you change it out to fresh liquor or strengthen the solution, the ambient temperature, etc. Understanding the process and how to check the status of the hide and judge when it is done is the key part, and not letting it sit too long in too weak a solution as that lengthens the process and weakens the hide
Can you use cooking oil?
yes, I often do
Can mahogany be use for tanning?
great question, and i don't know as i don't live in an area with access to it
Я очень хотел понять, жаль что английский язык не понимаю. Когда-то я тоже занимался мехом, шапку шил , ваши технология мне интересно. Дымом делаете кожу, у нас тоже было, это потерялось, сейчас этот рецепт мастера не знает.
are your trousers[pants as the yanks say] home made from this leather or other material?
they certainly are!
Oh, wait, this is my bark tanning video, so no, the pants i am wearing are brain tanned, not bark tanned
@@BuckskinRevolution sounds delightful! haha