After a successful hunting season, I've got six deer hides to tan.  I'm trying to make a set of buckskins for black powder season.  Only problem is, I've never tanned a hide before.  

As I understand it, to tan a hide you:

1) soak it for days in a solution of wood ashes and a capful of lysol until the hair comes off easily
2) scrape it and scrape it and scrape it to get off all the membrane, hair, tissue, etc
3) dunk it in a solution of the animal's brains for a day or so
4) take it out, wring it well, scrape it occasionally as it dries
5) lightly smoke it at very low temperature

Does this process work?  Are there major pitfalls I should be aware of?  I've got one soaking at the moment and a whole rack rolled up and salted.

Try [url]www.braintan.com[/url]

SRM