so here we go.
bark tanning-
i learnt this method from dad, (ironically the way it's been done for 1000's of years) it's simple and it works.
dad used to strip wattle bark for coonan's tannery in toowoomba years ago.
i have fond memories of time in the bush stripping bark and learning bush skill from dad and a late friend who dad stripped bark with. basically you strip the bark from what we call black wattle. not the Acacia implexa or melonoxylon you guys are thinking of, we call that hickory wattle. i will try and get the botanical name of the wattle we use for you later.
we make cuts and the trunk like you would for ring barking and with the right technique and weather conditions, (periods of dry or dought weather makes the bark cling to the sapwood, in wetter weather it comes straight off) one can remove long sheets of bark up to the crown of the tree. this bark is bundled and dryed on big flat rocks that we have here in the granite belt. after drying it would go to the tannery. however if i want it for myself i chip it up into 2" lengths with an axe while still green then allow to dry.
so now you have a supply of bark and some skins to tan. we need to make a tanning liquor for the skins to soak in. the bark contains tannins which will tan the hide when it's left to soak in the liquor. other species of acacia and perhaps other types of bark may work to. this is just what i know works. i suspect that many wattles would be suitable, yielding varying amounts of tannin for a given amount of bark. brigalow comes to mind.
right, now 1st you need to start your liquor. you need a suitable plastic or stainless steel vessel to contain the liquor. steel will corrode badly with contact to the liquor. i use a plastic 44 gallon drum with the top cut off. also you need a plastic bucket with holes drilled in it. this is what you place the bark in. this bucket goes in the drum so the bark can soak in the water without going all through the mix with the skins. it also allows easy removal of the bark when it's lost all its tannin to the liquor and requires replacing. that's about all you need in regards to making the liquor.
to make it- i fill a 10L bucket with holes full of bark and put enough hot water in the drum to cover it. don't drown your bucket as the bark might float out and go everywhere. it may help to suspend the bucket. you need enough water in the drum to cover the skins you have to tan. you don't want the skins tightly packed. the hot water helps speed up the release of the tannins. in a few days you'll have what looks like a huge pot of tea. when you have that it's ready for some skins. throughout the process i agitate the bucket daily so it leaches out the tannin more effectively. just lift it out and let it drain and put it back in is enough.
here's my bucket about to be loaded up with the 1st load of bark. depending on the thickness of hides to be tanned it may take 4-6 weeks of tanning. during this time the bark will need changing as it loses its tannins to the liquor. the main reason i use a bucket is so you can just tip it out and replace the bark with no fuss.
then just place it in the drum of hot water and the process has started. now you can tend to other primitive tasks......
by the weekend it should be ready for some skins. on saturday i plan to flesh some deer hides ready to go in the liquor to tan. primitive quiver anyone?........i have 2 chital skins and a fallow skin to do.
i'll update this with the fleshing of the hides etc.
sit tight, updates will come. it's a slow process as most primitive ways are. patience young jedi........
