Finally got around to try to make some rawhide for my bows. Here are some deer I killed. I found out what happens when you don't demembrane a hide. This one, on the right, I did demembrane after rinsing. Hopefully braintan this spring. Messy job. Don't know how you do it so much kent (burnie)
Looks like you got your raw hide. As for membrane, I never worry much about it until I dry scrap it. I have found that is the easiest way to get the membrane. And even if you dont get it all, it just makes it a little harder to break. But since you are looking for raw hide, you shouldnt have any problems.
I was hoping to rehydrate in the spring and braintan one. I guess I could remove that membrane then. What do you mean by dryscrape? Like it is here, dry?
Yup. When I dry scrape, it is after I have salted it (that is if I salt it, I like to salt them just for the reason I can leave them for a while and get back to them when I have time) and I scrape it as it drys. Not completely dryed, but as it is drying. The membrane will lift some and come off in sheets (to a small extent). But looking at what you got going, I’d say there is not much membrane left. And if you are making raw hide, you have it. Your done. If you are making leather, soften/cure it however you want. I just finished some deer leather the other night. I’m going to use it with a hide I just tanned to make a quiver. I scraped the leather, soaked it for about a week in water to loosen the hair, dehaired it, brained it and softened it, then cured it with smoke. I smoked it, instead of pickling it, mainly for the color and to be more authentic.
Now, when you brain it, do you put it on the rack to dry it again? Some places I have read to stretch it again after braining and while drying, soften but don't let it go dry.
It can be done tons of ways. Small hides, I wont rack at all. And after I brain them, I will wrap them around a small post and wring them out, and continue until it starts getting dry. I also use the wire trick. Stretch a tight wire and run you skins over them to stretch. You can also use the back of a chair. If the hide is large (deer or bigger) I put them back on the rack and stretch with paddle or broom stick. Even when they are dry, you can lay as skin on some carpet, hair down (hair side) and stretch with the end of a broom handle. Another trick is to use a wire brush as it gets dry and after it drys. You can make the hide/leather as suple as you want by just working and working.
