Hide Tanning

For most of the Homo sapiens timeline on earth, humans have been transforming the skins of animals to meet a wide variety of material needs.  One such need is to provide one of the most basic levels of shelter: clothing.  These days the skills of leather-making remain a mystery for most people, regardless of how often we depend upon it. 

In this 3-day workshop you will learn how to transform a fresh deer hide into soft, luxuriant buckskin.  Discover skin from a whole new perspective as you bring the hide through its various states.  We will be focusing on the wet-scrape method, taking participants step-by-step through the sequence of this ancient process. This workshop is an experiential event where participants learn by doing.

Lecture content includes the details of each stage of the wet-scrape process, as well as what to make with the rest of the animal, such as the bone tools, tallow from fat, cordage, glue from hide scraps, and binding material from sinew. We will also look at design ideas for what to make with the beautiful buckskin that you will tan during the weekend.  Students will team up and two people will work on one hide that will be split and shared at the end of the class.

Please remember to bring clothes that can get nice and dirty! Also, please be advised this class requires long hours of hand tool use.