Softening Cable + Acessories

Type of tool: Softener

The softening is used for hand-softening a buckskin or smoke-tanned/mineral tanned fur textile. It is an incredibly for ally for making any hide super plush and supple.

How to set up: the cable has a loop on both ends. Attach these loops to a wall or post vertically, with one loop at head height and the other at knee height. If you want to skip the mounting accessories, you can string a rope through the loops around a tree instead. If using the mounting accessories (highly recommended!) fasten the D rings to a wall or post with screws or nails, then clip the carabiners to them. Attach the carabiners to the cable loops and you’re good to go. This setup allows you to quickly dismantle the cable and take indoors to prevent weather wear, or just to get it out of the way when you’re not tanning. Check out this video here!

How to use: about 3/4 through the process of softening, when a hide is 75% dry (3-4 hours in, if it’s a buckskin), stand in front of the cable with your hide, placing the hide on the inside (the cable will be between you and your hide). Lean back slightly, let your body weight pull the hide against the cable; then rub the hide vigorously across the cable.

Made from 1/8-1/4″ aviation cable from Traditional Tanners (check them out!) and Canadian-made hardware mounting accessories. The carabiners are weighted for 100lbs; the D rings are weighted for 1500 lbs. Colours of accessories may vary from this photo

5′ long cable plus an additional 3” on either side for the carabiners.

Prices are in USD. Tool orders ship on Fridays *