ALIUM FOR TANNING COW HIDES WINDOWS

Generally used to make hair-off leather, but anecdotal evidence suggests it can be used to produce fur-on hides (though they will be stiff like leather) Vegetable tanning: the hide is cured via tannins, often from tree bark, but sometimes other sources, such as tea. Up hard, easily damaged by beetles and other pests, susceptible to water (except tanned fish skins, which typically contain enough fat to resist water), urine-tanned leather shoes are notorious for breaking down faster than their vegetable- and chrome-tanned counterparts

Pros: really easy, can make strong leather, nontoxic.This method is part of the traditional preparation for fish skins, furs, but today is typically the precursor (”pickling” step) for other tans.

Other “pickle” tans: hides are soaked in mild acid (urine, vinegar, etc) of some sort and then left to dry or worked until dry.

Cons: skins often end up hard, susceptible to water (reactivates the sulphuric acid which will eventually ruin the hide), short longevity, tanning bath is considered “hazardous waste” unless neutralized, contains unsafe traces of lead if acid is drained from a car battery.

It is very difficult to neutralize the pH of battery acid tans, and many of them begin apart within a few years. This removes the minerals in the hide, leaving behind springy proteins ( a la squishy skull). The hide is immersed in (or painted with) an acid and salt mixture.

Cons: difficult to learn, extremely labor intensive, easily damaged by beetles and other pests, will turn back into rawhide if any moisture gets into it.

Pros: nontoxic, beautiful white leather.

Some traditional cultures use variants of this method to produce a buckskin-like product, and it can be used with hair on hides (but see Cons) If the hide is stretched well enough, the result is a soft, pliable skin. While drying, the hide is “broken”, stretched constantly in all directions untIl dry.

Misc “fatting” methods (unsmoked brain, egg, lard, oil, etc): fat is worked into the hide, opening up the fibres, “fluffing” them before drying. Cons: skins can be damaged by beetles and other pests, susceptible to water.Pros: good for long-term preservation of bird specimens (eg.The end result is a stiff skin, typically used fur-on (or feathers-on more commonly) The hide is dried with the use of borax as a desiccant and preservative. Cons: rigid, easily damaged by beetles and other pests, susceptible to water.Once rehydrated, rawhide can be reshaped or tanned. Rawhide can be formed into shapes which will hold until they get wet.

ALIUM FOR TANNING COW HIDES WINDOWS

Rawhide can be fur-on or fur-off, and is often used to preserve hides until they can be tanned or used (fur off) for finished goods such as drums, lacing, windows (historically), and can be rendered down into hide glue. This results in a hard, resilient material. Rawhide: the hide is cured by drying (optionally with salt). PART I: Methods that preserve, but do not actually tan the hide Here’s some basic information about many different types of tans and what they’re good for: Since there was some heated discussion regarding my earlier post, I thought I might make a just-the-facts resource for new Vultures interested in tanning skins.

Alium for tanning cow hides