[TheForge] tanning hides

[Bob Ehrenberger]

I know that this seems a lottle off subject, but it is blacksmith related. 
A couple years ago I had someone give me the wooden pieces off of an old 
bellows. I always intended to restore them but due to time and the cost of 
leather I haven't gotten to it.

This year after skinning out a couple does it hit me that if I could tan 
them they would go a long way toward providing the leather needed for my 
bellows.

So, have any of you used buckskins to make a bellows?

Have any of you made buckskins? I'm following the instructions in a book, 
but have some questions.  To do a vegtible tan it says to use bark off of an 
oak tree.  I doesn't say whether it needs to be a live tree or a standing 
dead tree.  I cut down a large dead oak tree and am using the bark off of 
it, but was wondering if the tannon leaches out of the bark as soon as the 
tree dies or does it stay pretty strong as long as the bark is still on the 
tree?  The first batch of tanning solution looks pretty dark, the hide has 
been soaking for two days and is starting to develope some color.  This is 
pretty much what I have for this time, but I was wondering if next year I 
need to cut down a live oak for the bark, or is standing dead going to work?

Robert Ehrenberger
Shelbyville, Mo.
eforge at centurytel.net