| Topic: |
Religions > Bible |
| User: |
"Jesse Gomez" |
| Date: |
11 Dec 2003 02:28:21 AM |
| Object: |
81 P&P&P&P&P PREPARATIONS |
The Materials for
Tanning Skins
Every "How To" book needs a list of materials. This is ours. A big
advantage of tanning (dressing) your skin with brains is the minimum of
expenditure required for materials. Most, if not all, will be on hand in the
average home.
Knife - a pocket or paring knife is all that is necessary. The only
requirements are a thin sharp blade and a good point.
4 2x4's about 8 ft long and nails. Cedar or pine poles lashed and/or nailed
securely will work fine. It must be a good solid frame.
125-150 feet of 1/8 inch nylon cord in 25-30 feet lengths--or whatever else
that you can come up with. Nylon is easy to work with and long lasting.
Sandpaper - #50 coarse grit works well for medium and larger skins. Use a
finer grit for smaller, thinner skins.
Brains - I have heard tell of others using liver, pancreas and other oily
organs. I have never used anything but brains. The brain from the critter
was used "back then". Mine comes packaged neatly in one-pound plastic
containers from the local supermarket. Get yours where you can.
Bucket - something in the 2 to 3 gallon size is convenient. Material doesn't
matter.
A wringer from an old wringer washer. Certainly not very primitive or
natural but sure does work well. (The stick is the natural way).
15-20 ft. of good tight heavy rope. The best that I have found is a lariat.
Definitely something that won't unravel as you rub the skin back and forth
across it, and at least 1/2 inch in diameter.
Scraper - The Indians used a section of elk antler with either a flint or,
in later times, steel blade attached to work their skins and hides. I used
one once and found it ideal. With no access to elk antlers in northeast
Kansas I used the next best, Osage orange. Any hard wood will suffice, the
heavier the better.
I used a dead piece about 2 inches in diameter and 18 inches long with a
limb protruding at 90 degree angle at one end. After debarking, scraping and
sanding smooth. I sawed into the knot at a 90 degree angle a platform on
which to tie the blade. The blade was made from a section of old file (any
hard steel will work, a file is usually handy) about 3 inches long, rounded
on one end and a 45 degree angle edge applied. This is tied to the handle
and you're ready to go.
The first two skins I did were done with a well rounded, heavy skinning
knife. And several were finished using a hog scraper, well rounded. I have
even used an old hand-held flint scraper I found in an old campsite-once.
Taken from: Primitive Wilderness Living & Survival Skills
Authored by: John & Geri McPherson
Published by: Prairie Wolf Publications
Distributed by: www.3RiversArchery.com
Copyright: Original 1993
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