![]() Without this process, the leather turns out to be whitish and water-sensitive. ![]() To ensure a long-lasting softness of the leather, it was traditionally stored in a special tent over wood smoke, which gave the skin a dark brown tone and also made it waterproof, thus achieving better protection. The brain mass must be pressed into the fibre with considerable effort. This is the only way to ensure the leather gets beautifully soft. The skin layer of the hair side, as well as the fat and flesh remnants of the back, must be carefully and thoroughly removed so that the brain can fully penetrate the fibres. Brain tanning is high on manual labour and the process is not as easy, compared to alternative tanning methods. This method involves 100% natural products, so there is no need for additional "chemistry".īut there are disadvantages. Also, the technical effort is low and it is easy to make the leather soft. The larger the skin, the harder the work.Īdvantages of brain tanning: The brain was always readily available after the animals were killed and tanning with brain is a very fast process. The hides of all mammals are suitable for brain tanning. This tanning process was also familiar to the Zulus in Africa, the Sami in Scandinavia and the different groups of people from Asia. However, some indigenous peoples continued to practice brain tanning as it was a proven method based on the available resources. As a result, vegetable tanning started gaining importance in North America as well. The settlers brought their knowledge of vegetable tanning techniques from their home countries. Vegetable tanning was introduced to North America with the arrival of European settlers. This leather was also called "Indian leather" and " buckskin". Historically, brain tanning was mainly done by North American indigenous peoples who also used smoke as a way of preserving the skins. The tanning of animal skins with animal brain mass is an almost forgotten method and is rarely practised today. ![]() "Absolutely excellent course, exceeded my expectations.Brain tanning - Buckskin - Indian leather Keep up the great work and I hope to see you all again soon." -Joe Merritt She did a great job of passing her knowledge onto the students. Katie Russell is extremely knowledgeable and a great teacher. I really enjoyed the class and got more out of it than I expected (including sore muscles :)). I found everything at Alderleaf above & beyond what's advertised. You can never tell what you're going to get from any type of school. "I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate what you all do. The instructor was very knowledgeable, easy to understand, and broke everything down to easy to follow steps." -Robin Addison She also runs primitive skills day camps for kids and organizes Saskatoon Circle Gathering (Katie is based in Twisp, Washington where she lives with her beloved horse and donkey. Katie started where she sells her raw skins and custom work. A 2007 alumni of the Living Wild School with Lynx Vilden, she has gone on to lead internships in animal processing, deer skinning, brain-tanning, and buckskin clothes-making. Katie Russell skinned her first squirrel at age six, and has been in love with dead things ever since! She loves the alchemy of transforming a stinky wet mass of skin and hair into luscious, durable, sustainable buckskin.
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