Gunnison news-champion., 1921-04-22
TAN HIDES THAT CANNOT BE
SOLD WITH CEDAR BARK MAX
INC NAII-ARIE LIE AIuER

II. l.. spencer Ot Dlatbs, was IN inc
city the first Of the week and told OF
tanning some hides that could not be,
old and Of the subsequent leather
that can be worked up INTO any kind
Of leather goods. He told Of making
over half a dozen first class halters
from = fourth Of bull hide that he
could not sell at all. These haltcrs
were Of the very best and sgWCd with
strips OF the leather taken from
calls hide which he tanned. MT.
ten years and has had considerable
experience in tanning hides. He says
there Is q great opportunity for farm
Crs to dispose Of the hides which they
cannot eel by tanning them ut home
and having . local shoemaker manu-
faCture shoes or harness.
Mr. Spencer found that the ordin-
an. cedar bark, Of which there is an
abundance in this western country Is
4 very good article for tanning.
Mr.. Spencer wrote out the following
relative 10 tanning the hides:
To Make Use OF Hides
A very simple method Of making
use of the COW hides, calf hides, etc,
that accumulate around every farm
or ranch every year is herewith given
for the benefit Of those who 1t the
present time cannot sell such hides
for sufficient to pay for the work Of
skinning them, but who have to pay
an eNorbitant price for hame string
OF any other piece Of leather when
they 20 to shop and purchase one.
Taking on the Hair
Put your hide or hides in a tub or
barrel, large enough to contain them,
and hold water sufficient to wet them
thoroly, after laying them down, hair
side up and spreading layer of wood
ashes over them. A couple of gal
Ions TO medium sized hide is about
sufficient, but more can be used. Now
wet the hide thoroly with warm water
and leave soak for couple of days
and it can be laid on smooth floor
and the hair scraped off with a hoe
You now have "raw hide" which can
be used for many useful purposes
around ranch.
Tanning for Leather
Any hide to be tanned should be
"feshedr thoroly, that is all meat par
ticles scraped off the skin, and the
best time to start tanning is when
you take the hide off the animal, since
il can be heshed and handled much
better at this time.
Peel the inside bark off green cedar
trees until you have one or even two
gunnysacks full; put into a good
water-tight barrel and fill the barrel
two-thirds full of water. Mix in 25
to 30 pounds of salt, put in your hides
after the hair has been taken off,
leave it in the solution for q month
for the light hides, and up to even six
months for the heavy bull hides. Ex-
anime and stir the hides around a
little once in whiie-eyery week or
two-and they viii tan in this simple
solution of salt water and cedar bark
By the inside bark" of the green
cedar is meant to throw away the
grayish outside dead bark and pull
the live bark from next TO the living
wood, using few thicknesses of the
bright yellow bark along with the
white peeiings.
There is no danger Of the hides
spoihng in the solution and the longer
they stay in it, the better until they
are thoroly tanned.
Thin hides, such as calf hides, make
excellent leather for sewing leather
and for harnesses, halters and many
other uses. while the heavier skins
can be used for halters, any part of a
harness or any part where heavy,
reliable leather is required.
The neck parts of COW hides are ex-
cslIent for sole leather and other
pnrts Of ihe same skins are just