Traditional Smoke Tanned Leather Making

Saturday, October 21, 2023
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday, October 22, 2023
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
*Sliding Scale Available
Standard Tuition: $168
Supported Tuition: $112
Supporting Tuition: $224

*We recognize that not all our class prices are accessible for our whole community, and this system allows folks to choose how much they pay for a class. Using a sliding scale helps us work toward our belief in economic justice and accessibility of folk education. More information on sliding scale classes can be found here. 

In this class, we are going to touch on all the buckskin-making processes from skinning a deer to tanning its skin using nothing more than natural oils and wood smoke.

This class is going to specifically focus on the process of stretching, softening, and smoking the leather. The finished hides will be donated to the Ely Folk School.

Recommended skill level: The student needs to be at or slightly above average fitness and 15 years or older. *They can't be squeamish with organic smells, blood and guts. Students should dress appropriately for the weather and wear clothing that can get dirty. 

About the Instructor: Mark Olson is a skilled woodsmen who has experienced a lot of cold weather, undaunted. He is a do-it-yourselfer, and Ely Folk School supporter, who gets a kick out of showing other people how to do cool things.