sueding commercial deerskin

[rogerpjr]

Does anyone know how to make the smooth side of commercially tanned deerskin a suede texture kind of like the back side is?

[prairie dog]

Sandpaper?

[Riley/MN]

...on an orbital sander.

[rollingb]

..... or a file-card and lots of elbow grease.  

[Snapper]

Honestly, I think you're going to have to split the hide if you want to have two sides that are suede.  Here in upstate NY where I come from there is a company called Sunderland Leather who is probably the last of the old time leather companies.  Anyway, they have a machine that will split a hide across it's entire length/width.  Once the hide comes out of the machine you will have two halves but one of them will be suede on both sides like a hide that's been braintanned.

That's all for now.  Take care and until next time...be well.

snapper

[Bison Horn]

Maybe an air flesher set at minimum depth.After you run it over the dehaired side once increase the depth in the other direction. I might have to try it my self. BH

[Geezer in NH]

Sandblaster will do it fast and look good. Used that on a moose hide I had commercial tanned came out great

[cb]

Dampen the hide, stretch on a piece of plywood, and let completely dry - while still stretched use an orbital sander as noted by Riley - start with 220 grit and if that doesn't do it use 150 or even 80 grit - big thing is keep the sander moving..

I've successfully used this method on a couple hundred hides at least over the last 50+ years.

Or simplify things - sell the hide and get either real brain tan or the German Tan Hides (which are an excellent substitute for real brain tan) from Crazy Crow.

FYI - Deer skins generally run no more than 2/3 ounces so if it's split commercially it would be too light for any practical use.