Acorn tanning

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BerdanSS

New member
Anyone here acorn tan pelts? Read about this method in a magazine. Sounds like something fun and different to try. like to idea of just using what nature intended.
 
I like the way you think !!!

like to idea of just using what nature intended.
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Even when I was deep into "BuckSkinning", I did not do this but have old buddies who did and still, to a certain extent. Always thought it was pretty neat and with good results. Basically you are talking about "OAK" (vegetable) tanning process and there are books out their on how to do it as well as "Brain" tanning. I use to have an old Herter's book that explained the process. You need to do some "Frontiersman's" research. My compliments on your "Old-School" endeavors. ...... ;)


Good luck and;
Be Safe !!!
 
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Old school endeavors ? That's the way everyone around here who does it still does it. We got a extra credit in junior high here that's Brain Tanning Class.
 
Tanning leather comes from the word tannic acid, this is the chemical does the trick. It is found in oak :) trees and makes water dark.

Geez, early boy scouts in the 60s.....
 
Ran into a man at the reptile show ( Went to protect the family savings from the crazy woman I'm married to, a endeavor I was mostly successful in as we left with only one new animal, a tarantula. ).......anyway, there was as guy there who had a couple of vegetable tanned gator hides. They smelled real good, were soft and the color was a beautiful dark brown.

Resolved on the spot to try it.......
 
Thanks for the responses guys :cool:

Going to try it one of these next couple weekends on rabbit skins for practice. Don't want to do the first run on (hopefully) this seasons deer hide.
 
Tannic acid is in several common trees. It is in the green leaves, new green bark of Red oak, not just the acorns. White Oak acorns have very little Tannic Acid. Stag-horn Sumac has a lot of Tannic Acid, I have used both to dye traps in my trapping days.
Tannic Acid is very water soluble. So, if you boil the green twigs, green leaves in water, and then reduce the amount of liquid by boiling, it will concentrate. However, inasmuch as trappers use it to dye their traps, just go to Gander Mountain and buy "Logwood Crystals", and get it ready to use without the trouble.
FYI: White Oak acorns have very little Tannic Acid, therefore may be eaten right off the tree. Red Oak acorns on the other hand have a lot of Tannic Acid, making them to bitter to eat. I have actually read that Red Oak acorns are posionous...which just is not true. Tannic Acid makes Red Oak acorns too bitter and astringent to eat as is. The Native Americans would take the Red Oak acorns and bury them in sandbars of rivers and the water would leach-out ("water soluble" remember), the Tannic Acid in a few days and then they would use them as food.
 
Acorns

Another thing that is good use for acorns is to boil them and dry them out and then crush them to make a flour. Good thought for survival.
 
Another thing that is good use for acorns is to boil them and dry them out and then crush them to make a flour. Good thought for survival.
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High in protein. They were regularly harvested by the Indians. I have sampled White Oak acorns from the tree...they are quite pleasant tasting.
 
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