Recommended reading for leather tanning?

[Dannix]

After reading a post by Rodfac here, I'm planning on giving holster making a go.

Any recommendations on good reading for tanning? Sure, natural finish would suffice, but I really like a good mahogany or dark brown, particularly with some subtle hints of black (russet?).

[monadnock#5]

OK, tanning is the process of turning animal hide into leather. From your post though, I get the idea that you're more interested in how to stain and color leather.

If I'm way off base here let me know, otherwise....I'm a huge fan of Fiebings British Tan stain. Kelly's out of MA makes the best one coat black. Get both. Many a leather project ruined during the staining phase, has been successfully resurrected with a liberal coating of black dye. Please don't ask how I know this!

The black highlights you seek aren't done with black die. It comes from tooling the leather. The deepest depressions from stamping will be dark. It's what gives a design the 3-D effect. Take my word on this. Leather dye is wet, leather is dry and absorbent. Try painting an intricate design with water colors on a paper towel. It's a near impossible task, unless your other hobby is advanced brain surgery.

You can buy some books if you want, but just to get started, get the two colors noted and go at it. The tan for the body of the work, and the black for doing the edges will serve you well until you decide to get really adventurous.

[Dannix]

Hey, many thanks for the post. I was indeed referring, apparently incorrectly, to how to stain and color leather.

If you got any tanning (hide => leather) recommend reading though, I would be much interested in this as well.

[monadnock#5]

Google up "Brain Tanning". You will find a whole lot of information, and even a bunch of YouTube videos. It's a very old, low tech approach. Done well, it gives very satisfying results. Like most things done the old fashioned way, it takes a small cash outlay, but requires a big investment in time and effort. The best part is that you can start with small projects, coon, skunk, ground hog, and work your way up to buckskins. Now you've got me thinking. I'll bet a nice Daniel Boone coonskin cap would make a real fashion statement with the commie/libs in the neighborhood. Hmmm.

[Dannix]

Thanks monadnock#5, I'll look into it.

As for that last idea, I almost surprised they haven't regulated the hide industry, requiring licenses to tan, et al.

[monadnock#5]

Excellent point. The critters I specified were chosen for their nuisance value. They're not likely to be missed when they disappear. A valid hunting license and obeying a few rules present few hoops to jump through. The fur bearing species are in a whole 'nother category. NHF&G requires taking hides within very narrow circumstances, and the sealing of those hides. Sealing means the state gets its cut before the selling price has been established. The rules and regs for the taking and selling of Fisher Cat hides are a perfect example of the hurdles and flaming hoops that have to be negotiated along the way. Another example is road kill. The State owns them. No one else has any right to them. There is no way to make a road kill pelt legal for sale or trade. I expect all states have their own idiosyncrasies.

Indeed, I will freshen up on the latest regs before the corn comes in!