How To Make A Rug Out Of Deer Hide

The next day there will likely be a pool of fluid sitting on top of the now wet salt.

How to make a rug out of deer hide.

Pour the alum water mixture into the garbage can with the salt water and then put the hide into the solution. Submerge the animal hide for 24 hours stirring it around frequently. Stir until the alum is dissolved. The purpose is to draw out all moisture and dry the hide out.

Moisten a cloth and use it to dampen but not wet the deer hide. The salt essentially preserves the hide but if you aren t going to continue the tanning process now then simply roll the hide up and freeze it until you re ready to continue. Rub the deer pelt with non iodized salt sea salt. The salt method will leave the skin a little hardened but if you use the borax method the skin with be very supple.

The salting process takes a day or two if the proper amount of salt is used. Use a cloth to remove any excess. Rub both sides of the deer hide with a thin layer of warm baby oil. Work only the bare side of the hide as rubbing the fur will break the hair.

Add one pound of ammonium alum in the small bucket and add one gallon of water. Soften the skin by rubbing the hide over the saw horse applying baby oil sparingly. Drape the hide over the rope. Keep adding salt to the hide until it dries out and becomes crispy.

The more you work the hide the softer the skin will become as rubbing the hide breaks down the collagen fibers. Let the water drip from the animal hide. After four days remove the hide and rinse with fresh water from a garden hose. Scrape the old salt off and reapply a fresh layer.

There is two ways to cure a deer skin if you want the hair on it. Leave it in the solution for four days. Remove the animal hide and place it in clean cold water for another 24 hours changing the water at least 6 times during the process. Use 3 5 pounds of salt depending on how large the hide is.

Hold the hide with one hand on each side of the rope and rub the bare skin side of the hide in a back and forth motion across the rope. Leave the hide sit overnight.