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- Course: Fur Tanning Course
- Dates: 12-13 June 2021
- Venue: Devon (Near Exeter - EX11 1LU)
- Times: 9am on the Saturday - 5pm on the Sunday
- Ages: All ages above 14 years welcome. Under 18s must be accompanied by an adult.
Fur Tanning Course with Dr. Theresa Emmerich Kamper
Course Description: Before the advent of modern tanning agents, humans were turning raw skin into usable leather products using very basic techniques and materials. Learn to produce incredibly soft, strong and durable leather from raw animal skin using one of human kind’s earliest tanning technologies! Utilising materials readily available in the surrounding environment we will walk through the steps of this transformation.
Over 2 full days this class will focus on tanning fox skins with the fur left on. Whilst not for the squeamish the end product is worth the work! The class will cover, de-fleshing, dressing and softening the skins, as well as smoking them so they can be easily washed.
In addition to enthusiastic instruction Theresa will provide comfortable, easy to use tools and detailed handouts covering the tanning process, as well as ethnographic anecdotes and a list of helpful literature for those who wish to further their own knowledge of tanning! So, please join her 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 hide!
Theresa's Instructor Bio: I am an avid practitioner of traditional living skills and primitive technology of all kinds. An interest which came in part from growing up in the Rocky Mountains in the USA, where backpacking, hunting and fishing were part of the culture. I have followed this interest into the academic field of Experimental Archaeology in which I hold a PhD from the University of Exeter in the UK. I have been tanning skins using traditional technologies for over 25 years. Learning to tan was a natural offshoot of the attempt to use as much of the animal as possible and had the added bonus of producing a beautiful end product. I include in my instruction a diverse range of information, from skin morphology to helpful hints in dealing with the numerous and frustrating problems which are often encountered when first learning to tan.
Cost of course:£200.00 per participant (Student £200.00- discounted price requires a valid student card)
Location:Escot Park, Exeter, EX11 1LU
Self Catering!:I don’t and can’t cook for you…. It is better this way trust me…so you will need to provide your own food. Mains water is available at standpipes in the woods.
Accommodation Options:Most participants (and myself) will camp on site. Feel free to stay in a nearby hotel or BnB! However, alternatives are at your discretion and need to be booked personally.
Contact Details for: Dr. Theresa Emmerich Kamper
theresaemmerich@yahoo.com
t.kamper@exeter.ac.uk
http://www.theresaemmerich.com
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Fur Tanning Schedule (2 day)
Day 1: Start time 9am
- Introduction and brief explanation of the tannage type we will be using and the order of steps.
- Brief demonstration of the use of a tanning beam and beaming tools
- De-flesh your fur skins.
- If the species is very greasy we will give it a secondary washing at this point.
- Dressing the skin (Brains or Lecithin and Oil as a brain substitute)
LUNCH ½ hour
- Softening (this will take the entire afternoon for most participants and can go on into evening if the weather doesn’t cooperate!)
- Prepare skins for smoking if time allows
Day 2: Start time 9am
- Re-Dressing and Re-softening if any skins need it (these skins will not have time to be smoked)
- Preparing the fur skins for smoking
- Smoke the skins (options for how to do this will be available).
Lunch
- Continue smoking fur skins
- Talk about tanning while skins smoke:
- History of tanning
- Tannage types and brief chemistry overview
- Opportunity to handle examples of different tannage types
- Remove skins smoking tent and give a final buff on the cables
- Class photo with everyone’s newly tanned furs!! :D
End of Workshop 5pm-ish (time is weather dependent!)
