Post by shanemoss on Sept 23, 2010 16:24:04 GMT -5
I decided to make me a beaver possibles pouch and here is how i did it...First, get a beaver. Skin it and flesh it very good.
Nail around the edges to dry it and pull it up off the board so it will dry faster...
After its dry, scrape all the epidermis layer and any meat or fat off the hide. Once dry, rough up the leather so the brain tan can penetrate...i used coarse sandpaper. I used the brain from two beavers to tan this. Add just enough water to make the brain mix the consistancy of syrup and cook for 5 minutes or so at a low boil. Then rub it into the hide. I treated this with brains every other day for a week.
Next is smokeing and softening. I drove a hickory limb in the ground and rounded off the end to work the hide over.
After it was broke like i wanted it, its time to smoke it. I used an old smoker body and kept feeding it punky, damp oak to get smoke. You want smoke and not heat so watch it and make sure it dont get too hot...
Here it is tanned, broken, and smoked.
Now its time to sew. Lay out your pattern and nest the pieces best you can to help with waste,. Heres my pattern cut.
Now start sewing. I used bow string material because its tough, and has no stretch.
After it was sewn, i sheared the sides and flap, and added a leather thong and antler piece for closure.
Here is the finished product complete with shoulder strap. If it gets too cold, you can always wear it like a russian hat!
Nail around the edges to dry it and pull it up off the board so it will dry faster...
After its dry, scrape all the epidermis layer and any meat or fat off the hide. Once dry, rough up the leather so the brain tan can penetrate...i used coarse sandpaper. I used the brain from two beavers to tan this. Add just enough water to make the brain mix the consistancy of syrup and cook for 5 minutes or so at a low boil. Then rub it into the hide. I treated this with brains every other day for a week.
Next is smokeing and softening. I drove a hickory limb in the ground and rounded off the end to work the hide over.
After it was broke like i wanted it, its time to smoke it. I used an old smoker body and kept feeding it punky, damp oak to get smoke. You want smoke and not heat so watch it and make sure it dont get too hot...
Here it is tanned, broken, and smoked.
Now its time to sew. Lay out your pattern and nest the pieces best you can to help with waste,. Heres my pattern cut.
Now start sewing. I used bow string material because its tough, and has no stretch.
After it was sewn, i sheared the sides and flap, and added a leather thong and antler piece for closure.
Here is the finished product complete with shoulder strap. If it gets too cold, you can always wear it like a russian hat!
