Hide Tanning Apprenticeship

Want to learn to Tan Hides?

I get asked all the time if people can come tan hides with me- here is your opportunity!

Close To The Skin has been a one person operation so far, but is looking for an apprentice to work with me. I am looking for someone who really wants to learn about tanning and is really excited to put in the dirt time of what it means to truly learn hide tanning. Tanning is a skill that is honed by doing and redoing over and over again (or at least it is in my experience). And this is an opportunity to do just that! And an opportunity to pick my brain on all things hide tanning and living a life-way that is in season with the animals of my area.

What I am looking for?

I am looking for someone who is willing to devote 1 day a week to work with me this upcoming summer. The actual day that you work is flexible based on mine and your schedule.

Start Date: Week of May 18th

End Date: Week of August 24th

Hourly requirement: Roughly 100 hours

Start time/ End Time: 8am-3pm each day

Where: Stannard, VT

What a typical Day is like?

90% (roughly 90 hours) of our time we will spend bark tanning sheepskins. Most days will look like making tanning solutions, cleaning hides, making pickle solutions, fleshing, rinsing, stirring, dry scraping, racking, and dressing. Cleaning hair, pumicing and generally cleaning up the space (rinsing buckets, organizing, cleaning tools, etc.) is also part of the deal. This is very physical work. It requires moving a picking up wet hides, it requires lots of upper body strength, and it is entirely outside- just know that!

10% (roughly 10 hours) of your time will be helping me on my personal tanning projects. This summer I will be gathering bark for tanning, bucking a moose hide, brain-tanning a moose hide, brain tanning buckskin, bark tanning beaver, alum tanning rabbit, bark tanning deer leather, and maybe softening a black bear and maybe making deer rawhide….? We’ll see how much I can joyfully do! You are also welcome to extend your hours and work with me anytime through this summer on my personal tanning projects.

What you will Learn/get out of this?

  1. how to successfully bark tan a hair on hide

  2. tips to make a hair on hide softer vs. denser

  3. how to dry scrape

  4. how to make effective pickle solutions

  5. how to flesh a hide

  6. how to make hide dressings

  7. how to rack a hide

  8. how to make effective bark tanning solutions

  9. how to preserve a hide

  10. other potential skills (the 10% of time/ if you choose to spend more time tanning with me)-

    1. brain tanning deerskins and moosehides

    2. brain tanning bear hides

    3. acquiring wild bark

    4. dry scraping beavers, and bark tanning beavers

    5. alum tanning rabbits

Next Steps?

If this excites you please apply! Application deadline *UPDATE*- December 15th (or when I find the right applicant). Once I receive the application I will give you a call and we can chat to see if its a good fit for both of us!

Apply

Interested in the apprenticeship? Fill out some info and I will be in touch shortly! I can't wait to hear from you!