Uses of the Deer: Skinning and Drying Leg Skins (hock skins), Primitive arts

No video

Uses of the Deer: Skinning and Drying Leg Skins (hock skins), Primitive arts

Рет қаралды 14,963

Күн бұрын

How to skin and dry hock skins, the lower leg of the deer. These are used to make bags and stuff. Sorry I don't have any pictures of the bags I've made in the past. I'll have to start saving leg skins again.
Support on / skillcult has been critical in keeping me experimenting and making content. If you want to help me help others, this is probably the best way to do it. Thank you Patrons for supporting the mission!
Buy less, but buy it through my links! Shopping through my affiliate links generates revenue for me, at no extra cost to you, click links here, or go to my Amazon Store page: skillcult.com/a... But seriously, buy less, do more.
Standard gear I recommend. I either use or have used all of it.
Council Tool Boys Axe: amzn.to/3z0muqI
Bahco Farmer's File: amzn.to/3Hbdhij
King two sided sharpening stone: amzn.to/32EX1XC
Silky f180 saw: amzn.to/3yZzM71
ARS 10 foot long reach pruner: amzn.to/3esETmM
Victorinox grafting/floral knife: amzn.to/3Jki1E9
Wiebe 12” fleshing tool: amzn.to/3sB0qSl
Atlas Elbow Gloves: amzn.to/3FwB5g6
BOOKS:
The Axe Book, by Dudley Cook: amzn.to/32kx7sN
Bushcraft, by Mors Kochanski: amzn.to/32q2rpT
Subscribe to my channel for more insightful Self Reliance related content: www.youtube.com... Click the bell icon to be notified of new content. Subscribing doesn’t mean that much on it’s own.
Blog and website: www.skillcult.com/blog
Instagram and Facebook @SkillCult
The lower legs of deer contain many useful and fun parts. Skin, sinew (tendons), bones, hooves. Extra skin, tendon sheaths and sinews can be cooked into glue as well. The skin is thin, but very. tight fibered and tough. It is sometimes used to make bags, where 4 or more are sewn together. Most commonly they are dried as rawhide and not tanned, but they can be tanned as well, though they will never be very soft and flexible just because of the tight fibered nature of the skin.
Typical approach is to skin from the top and tack out to dry on a board. A little borax will help to prevent damage by insects during storage.

Пікірлер: 44

@pfcaraujo Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for this amazing knowledge. Working 4 deer legs tomorrow. I feel excited and inspired from your videos. True gift to our world. What the internet should be used for. We need more teachers like you

@madisonroze7611 4 жыл бұрын

Literally every project I've needed help with in the last couple weeks is expertly explained on this channel. You are awesome, thanks so much for posting these and sharing the wealth of your knowledge.

@SkillCult 4 жыл бұрын

That's so cool! Thank you Madison :)

@KyleMerl 7 жыл бұрын

That's a cool idea cutting the spiral to make cordage. It's amazing to me how back in the day (and it actually wasn't that long ago if you think about it) people would waste as little as possible, finding uses for everything. Today we are so wasteful as a culture.

@SkillCult 7 жыл бұрын

I can't remember who taught me that about the spiral. People used what they needed and worked. There is a sort of mythology that people used every part of the animal, etc, but that is pretty divorced from reality. People were creative and figured out what to use stuff for, but plenty went to the vultures too. Our concept of waste now is totally different.

@DevaJones03 7 жыл бұрын

The flies dance as earth wind and fire's September plays. I doubt I'd ever do this but as I am a person that often uses the finished hydes to make things it makes me appreciate the artform that is tanning and everything involved with the process.

@SkillCult 7 жыл бұрын

Their dance is most annoying. Soon they'll all be dead. Can't wait.

@markdudley3831 5 жыл бұрын

SkillCult u cant wait .. maybe so ! but their kin will be back next year .. to annoy you ....

@trollforge 7 жыл бұрын

That one you split between the dew claws, might make an interesting wrist guard.

@SkillCult 7 жыл бұрын

Yeah, maybe it would. I actually think the other one might work too. I might try it sometime. I don't shoot much anymore.

@aparke539 7 жыл бұрын

I've read mat Richards book deerskins into buckskins, I would really like to read yours as well. I have 2 salted hides stored in my garage just waiting on me to get around to it.

@SkillCult 7 жыл бұрын

Hopefully we'll get it back in print soon. Tamara has been working on scanning the photos and I need to go through and do text revisions.

@Soviless99 4 жыл бұрын

holy shit... I just realized... you wrote the book that's sitting in my fucking lap right now. wtf yo. trying to learn how to tan, I hate seeing deer legs wasted and especially after reading the chapter about deer hocks in your book. experimenting tanning using the hocks first while the hides are salted. I really want to try hair on method. also at the end you mentioned using the deerskin as a wrist guard, that's exactly what I was thinking in the beginning of the video! or a really cool rawhide bow backing!!

@SkillCult 4 жыл бұрын

Awesome :). It's out of print right now, but I'm hoping this is the winter we get it back out and into digital form too.

@Soviless99 4 жыл бұрын

@@SkillCult I am very new to deer processing and really would like to use as much of the animal as I can as deer are my favorite animal. I'm actually going to my friends today to try brain tanning the big hides with hair on. I think I successfully tanned four hock skins using eggs and water mixture as they are yellowish now. I worked the skins everytime I applied the solution but they ended up pretty stiff anyway as well as removed membrane as I worked the skins over a sharp wood board edge. you have taught me a lot concerning using the legs as well I'm very appreciative. I hope to use hock skins to leatherwork some archery tackle like a bow shooting glove so the fletching doesn't tear my hand! sorry for being repetitive haha

@SkillCult 4 жыл бұрын

@@Soviless99 well, it's an honorable idea to use as much as you can, but it's not that practical always. Don't feel too bad about "wasting" stuff that could potentially be used as long as it is going back into the environment. The most important thing is that animals are harvested sustainably and hunting doesn't represent a threat to populations. otherwise we all end up dispersed back into the environment. Hock skins are very thin and flat with very tightly woven fiber structure. They will never really be very fluffy and with the grain on especially they are just going to be flat feeling period. So just use them for what you can the way they are.

@Soviless99 4 жыл бұрын

SkillCult gotcha thanks for all the advice

@Animeherokamina 7 жыл бұрын

Have you done any videos on stitching? I learned simple stitching but I have real problems with stitching rawhide and leather

@SkillCult 7 жыл бұрын

I'm not that great at it. I really like Ian Atkinsons' channel kzfaq.info/get/bejne/j5Z1f5p8l7TMiac.html

@fhorst41 7 жыл бұрын

Would that be easier if you had removed the hooves as I have seen done use in a large hook driven under the top edge of one hoof and a little force to pull it free, then the same one the other? Hooves are useful for glue making anyway...

@SkillCult 7 жыл бұрын

I haven't ever seen that done before, but it sounds interesting.

@fhorst41 7 жыл бұрын

kzfaq.info/get/bejne/o9lyqMZ3pq3eiI0.html This is similar, but not my own recording. I've seen 18th & 19th century hog butchering demonstrations with simpler looking tools used.

@npandck 4 жыл бұрын

Excellent videos! I am learning a lot. Are you treating the hock hides in any way prior to sewing a bag or pouch? What about softening? I am familiar with, and fairly proficient at, making buckskin and tanning furs. My concern is deterioration, hair loss and/or insect damaged. Pictures of your finalized bags would be awesome too. Thanks for all you are doing.

@SkillCult 4 жыл бұрын

No, I've never treated them except for a dusting of borax. Hair stays in fine except with heavy wear, but in storage insects could be a problem You can veg tan them really easy, but it will probably color the hair. I haven't made one of those bags for a long time and don't remember if I have any old pics. Maybe someday.

@npandck 4 жыл бұрын

@@SkillCult I don't want to take a lot of your time as I know the challenges of keeping up a homestead and having numerous varied interests, but if you have time, I would like to know more. Anything you can offer on the process from here would be appreciated. Brief description is fine, I am good at figuring things out. I just can't find much info on making the pouches. I assumed you are softening these in some way prior to sewing? Again, many thanks!

@SkillCult 4 жыл бұрын

@@npandck No, they are usually just flat rawhide. But you certainly could tan them if you wanted. I've just picked matching ones and I use a buckskin welt in the seam and sew it with buckskin thong so the seam is invisible. Buckskin bottom and a drawstring buckskin top. My ex used one as a purse for about 10 years until it wore out. I learned to make those from Jim Riggs.

@npandck 4 жыл бұрын

@@SkillCult Steven, thank you so much for your time and explanation. I think I can take it from here. Can barely wait for them to dry so I can get started!

@chongrobertjones 7 жыл бұрын

Hey Steven, I've never processed a deer but I do have culinary training. Would dislocating the joints prior to knife work help with maneuvering around the hooves with your knife? It's a trick that's used by a lot of butchers when processing beef joints.

@SkillCult 7 жыл бұрын

I don't know., Maybe it would. Never heard of that. Thanks.

@northcountryrich9611 7 жыл бұрын

Great info Can you give me the names of books you wrote and ones you recomend all self reliant stuff as i agree in your words we need to be more strong and well rounded in the old ways witch really aren't that old, i think people miss under stand progress and consumerizum for they are setting them selfs up for a rude awaking with a blind eye so with out skills it will be harder for throughs , Be Well and god bless

@SkillCult 7 жыл бұрын

My only full length book is the buckskin book, Buckskin, the Ancient Art of Braintanning. I don't know about other new books I'd recommend. Larry Dean Olsen's Outdoor Survival Skills is an old classic. I'm sure there are lots of others now. I have some stuff half written, but nothing published.

@jacobtenace9327 7 жыл бұрын

What kind of boots do you wear? Did you make them. Great video by the way!

@SkillCult 7 жыл бұрын

Whatever I can get at the thrift store until I make a little more money, then I'm going out and buying new boots! These boots suck. They are shop boots, smooth soles, no tread. I haven't tried making shoes yet, but it's interesting idea for sure.

@stronglikemonkey 7 жыл бұрын

SkillCult - Hey Steven is that knife a Falkniven? Looks like a good one.

@SkillCult 7 жыл бұрын

Don't know what that is, so I guess not. If you mean the knife, it's an old vintage Western brand.

@markdudley3831 5 жыл бұрын

Is it raining ! or are u sweating on to those skins as your tacking them out ?

@SkillCult 5 жыл бұрын

yep, drizzling.

@richardjreynolds6166 7 жыл бұрын

Could you use a stapler to pin it ?

@SkillCult 7 жыл бұрын

I doubt it, just because it would be hard to get the stretch. I like to get that nail through the skin and use that to pull it out. If you can stretch it though, probably would work.

@emlillthings7914 7 жыл бұрын

I watch these deer-hide vids of yours, but there are no deers around here. ,,, but my cat has brought 8 mice last 2 nights, 4 each, +1 ~30mins ago. They're routinely given a dignified coal-burial, but these vids make me start thinking "pity to waste all that mouse-hide",,, How different of an approach do you think it is? I imagine the legs are rather difficult to flail, but apart from that, it's cut, gut, flail n' nail.