Practical Artifice
Chapter 6

Obtaining & Working Leather

Gutting, Skinning, & Field-Dressing

I am proceeding assuming one has watched all of the Ray Mears videos in the last chapter. These next videos are very much more graphic in nature, and require one to sign-in to youtube before watching them.

 

Brain Tanning

One must have already fleshed the pelt, removing everything that isn't skin from the underside.

  • Step 1
    Combine the animal's brain with 5 times it's weight in water.

  • Step 2
    Simmer for 10 minutes then mash into oily fluid.

  • Step 3
    Divide brain fluid into 3 equal parts in separate containers.

  • Step 4
    Buff the Pelt with sandpaper so it will soak in more brains.

  • Step 5
    Rub 1 part of the lukewarm brains into the pelt by hand.

  • Step 6
    Leave to dry overnight.

  • Step 7
    Rub 1 more part of the lukewarm brains in by hand.

  • Step 8
    cover with very warm wet towel and let sit overnight.

  • Step 9
    Next morning stretch by hand as much as possible stretch and work the pelt until it drys.

  • Step 10
    If the pelt is still not soft rub the last part of the lukewarm brains into the pelt by hand.

  • Step 11
    When pelt is dry (not cool to touch) one can smoke it over a fire.

  • Step 12
    Suspend on sticks in heavy smoke until good and smoked (for moth protection).

 

Leather-Working Kit


This kit actually packs pretty small and light.
  1. Regular Hole-Punch
  2. White-Out & Regular Pen
  3. Needle-Nose Pliers
  4. Folding Hammer Multitool
  5. Leather Hole-Punch
  6. Exacto-Bladed Multitool
  7. Small Needle-Nose Pliers
  8. Super-Glue
  9. Scissors
  10. Crochet Hooks
  11. Reversed Tweezers
  12. Regular Tweezers
  13. Clips
  14. Small Sewing Kit
  15. Small Nails
  16. Measuring Tape
  17. Needles & Thumbtacks
  18. Yellow Sinew
  19. Tan Sinew

I include 2 kinds of hole-punch because the largest setting of the leather-punch isn't large enough for some jobs, and also dispite the relative costs the cheaper smaller hole-punch actually works easier on more tough materials where the leather-punch requires more effort.

Sometimes I'm working on black leather where the regular pen doesn't show up, hence the white-out pen.

The hammer and small nails are included because it is easier to hammer down whatever piece you're working on and make holes ahead of time and then sew with the blunt needle, it's also good for keeping track and being sure you don't sew wrong.

Sometimes the thumbtacks are the only thing you need before using the blunt needle, hence their inclusion.