what do you do with the hides?

Has anyone ever used Halford Hide in AB for tanning. Are they any good? I buy trapping supplies off them and that dept is pretty good. There online catalogue says $33/lin ft for a black bear and they will tan just about anything else.
 
I keep my hides and most will be tanned for leather. These are then turned into gloves, mitts, etc. Some hides that have very good fur get tanned with the fur on for furniture coverings or get taken on camping trips to be used under sleeping bags in lieu of air mattresses, or extra insulation on top of sleeping bags, if the bag is not sufficient.

Kenny G2 - haven't used Halford Hide as they are over priced. Edmonton Tannery has done just as good a job at a lower price.
 
Hey Turbo

Could you further describe your process. I would like to get some mitts or a hat for moose hides and am not sure how to go about it.

For those folks in the Thunder bay region is there a fur shop or exchange in the area?
 
sunray said:
"...not much thing to do with moose hide in terms of fine clothes..." There's no reason not to be able to make or have made a fine leather coat out of moose hide. Made a sleeveless jerkin out of moose hide. Lined it with melton cloth. It's soft leather and heavy without the belt. It is extremely warm and comfortable though.
Elk hide is soft and warm too. Made a pull over out of elk hide. Much lighter than the moose hide. Both need to be lined if you want to avoid having tiny bits of 'lint' all over you.
"...have a wife cut & sew..." Sewing leather isn't quite that simple. Unless you bought her an industrial sewing machine, it's hand work. The average home sewing machine won't do it.
Tanning your own hides stinks. Your neighbours will scream. There are lots of kits and how-to's on-line and in books though.
There are taxidermists who will tan your hides. Not cheap though. One guy in B.S. charges $14 per sq ft for a deer hide. $32 per linear ft for a black bear. A deer hide averages about 8 to 11 sq ft.
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Not much thing to do with moose hide in terms of fine clothes. Moose hide looks like s*#%. It has nothing in common with deer, elk, bear, racoon, musk rat, mink and even hare hides. :p

Ulu are availaible at some places, I think I am going to get one.

h ttp://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=LA34270
h ttp://www.norfleetcustomknives.com/alaskan_ulu.htm
h ttp://www.newstainless.com.pk/skinners3.htm
h ttp://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0028492516574a&type=product&cmCat=SEARCH&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&QueryText=ulu&N=4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=ulu&noImage=0
 
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I take mine to a native lady back home, she gives me about 3-4 pairs of mitts gloves for all my hides. Last year she got 2 deer, a moose, an elk and several coyotes from us. I then give the mitts to friends or donate them to the needy. Had a pair of horseback riding chaps made from a moose years ago. Very nice and light to ride in. But alas, they got too small ( or I got too big, I dunno).
 
While we are on this topic, once upon a time Wholesale Sports in Edmonton HAD some really nice, faux fur, arrow quivers....'furry side out,' nice and stealthy over back quiver for traditional archers.

Now they are gone...and I am looking for a source in Canada.

Anyone know of these?

Cheers....
 
Trevor60 said:
Hey Turbo

Could you further describe your process. I would like to get some mitts or a hat for moose hides and am not sure how to go about it.

For those folks in the Thunder bay region is there a fur shop or exchange in the area?
Click to expand...

Not much to it. I walked into a shop that "specializes", for lack of a better term, in making hides into moccasins, gloves, hats etc... and asked if they would trade a hide for a pair of gloves. They thought it was a good trade.
 
well, unfortunately making clothing etc out of hides is a dying art in the aboriginal communities...the young don't wish to learn. I have heard that in my Kamloops area there are a few older one's that still do it. I hope to get in touch with them so I can have some moccasins made, perhaps mitts etc. time will tell tho!
 
What part of the interior are you in I also live in the interior and I do taxidery work as a second income. I am always looking for good hides to use. If you would like drop me a e mail and we can talk more about it.
 
Hides

Back in the 80's we used to turn them in to the MNR (Ontario) who gave them to the Indians. Stopped doing this once they started #####ing about the hides not being "fleshed" enough I recall. Think they also asked that they be salted also! Ever since I only keep capes of animals worthy of a mount and occassionally will save one for my Taxidermist buddy back in Ottawa.
Geoff
 
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