cowhide

so, we had a cow butchered this morning (on farm) and i saved a piece of the hide. but now i am wondering how do i get the hair off?

You oughta be able to soak it in water for a few days, then just put it on a beam and flesh the hair off. I did something similar once a few years ago and I think it worked out pretty good.

I used to make rawhide years ago and removed the hair by soaking the hide in lye water. Simply add wood ashes to the water and soak for a few days. Then put it on the fleshing beam and scrape away.

My dad soaked deer hides in a water and lime solution and all the hair slid right off. Then tanned them in a hemlock bark solution. You could have chopped wood with them, they were so stiff!

x2 all the stuff that has already been said.

Don't let it soak too long though... been there done that. The hide will rot and become very stinky, and then it is completely worthless, you will never get rid of the stink.

Another thing I've heard done is actually shaving off the hair. You would probably have to keep your knives sharp to do this

Has anyone here tried brain tanning?

thx guys