Fantastic Purchase

[Oldetexian]

One of my priority projects is making myself a pair of good buckskin leggins. I have a nice wool set, but really feel the need for a buckskin set. I only had one tanned deer hide and try as hard as I could I could not figure a way to get both leggins from that one hide...

I started shopping on Ebay and Etsy for hides. I finally found what was described as a large Mule Deer Hide for a ridiculously low price (even adding in shipping). It was false advertising...The hide is not large. It is huge!

In fact, I am not sure it is actually deer hide. It is thick enough and heavy enough to be elk or even moose. All I know for certain is it is large enough for two pair of leggins or a warshirt, or possibly even a leather frock.

Any of you pilgrims able to tell me how to determine if it is deer, elk or moose?

[Nessmuk]

Why by the horns, of course.



 

[Spotted Bull]

DNA test?

[Ohio Joe]

I know elk is a heavier leather, I've used some of that to make a shooting bag for my neighbor 20 or so years ago. 'Course it was his elk leather. In my neck of the woods Mule Deer is obviously bigger then White Tail, and their hides are very pliable - a bit bigger then WTail, but not that much bigger.

I don't know about Moose - I would assume it's rather heavy, similar to a cow's hide.

Heck, I wouldn't worry to much about it and go with your good fortune. 

[Oldetexian]

DNA tests are beyond the limited scope of my meager budget, and unfortunately no antlers came with the hide in question...but thanks for the suggestions

The hide is at least twice the size of a typical whitetail hide, and it isn't all that pliable(probably due to thickness). Looks like it will make great moccasins.

Now, my decision is what to do with it. A leather frock, leggins, moccasins are all possible. I have to admit I am much like a blind dog in a butcher shop...don't know what to grab first...

[Spotted Bull]

I would make patterns of the items you want to make and lay them all out to get the most from the hide and keep waste to a minimum.

[Oldetexian]

Thanks, Bull. That makes a lot of sense. Now, I just need to decide what I want the most. I bought the hide for leggins...but it be a little heavy for that, plus it is so large It seems I need to do something bigger with it.

I know most frocks (if I am not off base) were made of linen or linsey-woolsy. How PC/HC is a hunting frock fashioned from leather?

[Nessmuk]

Tex,
    All kidding aside, I think you lucked into an elk hide. If so, you got a great deal. Whatever you make will be fantastic.I  was gifted half an Elk hide about 40 years ago and made some tall moccasin  boots from a Tandy leather pattern. I still use them, re-soled twice of course.

[Uncle Russ]

Tex, FWIW
A long long time ago, in a far away land, I made a pair of leather leggings.

I went to Goodwill and bought a large size pair of trousers.
Brought them home and cut off the legs, leaving the front pockets intact, while cutting out the hip pockets.
Cut out the seams, opened them up, and that was my pattern.

The leather was from Juarez Mexico, thick, hard to cut, hard to sew and, I was told later, cured using the urine from Cattle and would stink once wet.
Well, it didn't stink when wet but it became practically "bullet proof" with stiffness and hardness.
To overcome that I removed the sinew opened them up and rubbed them down real good with Anhydrous Lanolin, which was very cheap back in those days in the Southwest.

I wore them for several years back in the 1980s.

[Oldetexian]

UPDATE: Took that huge hide to the Great Road Encampment and had four different leather workers all tell me the same thing. Their unanimous verdict: I own a large ELK hide...

Hide is heavy and thick...perfect for mocs or light armor...

One pilgrim told me to use it as a floor for my lodge...he said it would last forever...

[rollingb]

If you want comfort and quality that will last for years,.... I highly recommend real brain tanned deer skins, or,..... the commercial brain tan, and german tanned deer hides. Both types "breathe" and are cool in the summer and warm in the winter. 

The commercial brain tanned hides from "The leather guy",....  https://theleatherguy.org/collections/brain-tanned-deerskin ..... or, the Grade #2 (smoked) german tanned hides from "Crazy Crow" ,....   https://www.crazycrow.com/buckskin-leather ....  are definitely the most economical, as real brain tanned hides will run about $20.00+ a square foot and you need 2 average sized deer hides to make a pair of leggings with fringe.

Regular commercially chrome tanned (aka "cheap") deer hides still have the "epidermis" (slick side) on them which prevents the tanned leather from "breathing" and feels VERY "clammy" when you sweat, and can be uncomfortable in cold weather.

[prairie dog]

I made long fringed leggings from elk hide that had not been split.  They are heavy.
I was given an elk hide that had been split to a uniform thickness and it is much lighter.  I made tab style leggings from it.

The thick elk makes nice moccasins. 

[Oldetexian]

Hey guys. Thanks for the replies. My elk hide is definitely too thick for leggings. But I will make some mocs from it, as well as share some of it with friends who need some heavier hide.