BRAIN TANNING FUR MASTERCLASS

The Fur Brain Tanning Fur Course is Back at Georgia Bushcraft's Spring Campout!

Before the advent of modern tanning agents, humans turned raw hides into usable leather using very basic techniques and materials. Learn to produce incredibly soft, strong, and durable leather from raw animal skin using one of humankind’s earliest tanning technologies! Using readily available materials from the surrounding environment, we will walk through the steps of this transformation.

What to expect:

This class will focus on tanning furs with a variation of fat tanning using lecithin as the dressing agent*. Whilst not for the squeamish, the end product is worth the work! The class will also cover rehydrating dried furs, de-fleshing, dressing, softening the fur skins, and smoking them so they can be easily washed.

In addition to enthusiastic instruction, I provide comfortable, easy-to-use tools and detailed handouts covering the tanning process, along with ethnographic anecdotes and a list of helpful literature for those who wish to further their knowledge of tanning!

So, join me for a course sure to contain plenty of memorable moments, lots of practical information, and, if you put in the work**, one that will see you heading home with a beautiful, unique, and usable traditionally tanned fur!

* The use of brains or egg yolks as an alternative dressing agent will be covered.

** Please be aware that a reasonable amount of fitness is required for this course. I will provide instruction on proper technique and timing with the skins, but you will need to be on your feet and active for 6 to 8 hours per day.

Any serious injuries need to be discussed with me prior to booking onto the course, please!

Additional Information:

Duration: 2 days (Friday April 17th 9:00 am - Saturday April 18th ± 5:00 pm)

Group size: Min 6 - Max 12

Prerequisites: None

Food: This course is self-catering, so please come prepared to cook for yourself. I am many things, but a talented cook is not one of them!

Note that Lunch and Dinner on the 2nd day of the course should be easy, as the second day can be long, depending on the weather gods' moods! * There is food available from vendors at the event as well.

Included: All course materials, coffee/tea

Accommodation:

There is plenty of room for camping, and outdoor fires are permitted, and wood is available. Camping will be the easiest (and most fun) accommodation option for the course! However, if you would prefer a bit more luxury, hotels and B&Bs are about 20 minutes from the course site.

For more information and questions about the venue or event, contact:

www.georgiabushcraft.com

Georgia Bushcraft LLC offers wilderness and survival training products. We are the most reliable outdoor retailer and education center in Georgia.

A bit about me:

I'm an avid practitioner of traditional living skills and various forms of primitive technology. My interest came in part from growing up in the USA's Rocky Mountains, where backpacking, hunting, and fishing are deeply rooted in the culture. This passion led me to the academic field of Experimental Archaeology, where I earned a PhD from the University of Exeter in the UK.

My work has been featured in both documentaries and popular TV shows, including Alone Season 8 and Surviving the Stone Age. I've been tanning skins using traditional methods for over 30 years. Learning to tan was a natural offshoot of my desire to use as much of an animal as possible, and it had the added bonus of producing a beautiful end product.

In my instruction, I share a wide range of information—from the intricate details of skin morphology to helpful tips for dealing with the numerous, frustrating problems often encountered when you're first learning to tan.