OldTymeBanjo - Posted - 05/18/2019:  18:10:43

Got a really nice goatskin rawhide today, but it has hair. Any recommendations on how to remove the hair? I tried scraping with a razor after trimming it with clippers. Seems to lighten the natural color a bit, takes some material off the skin. Also takes forever. Is there some chemical technique?

Meles_Meles - Posted - 05/18/2019:  19:25:09

How about...

walmart.com/ip/Nair-For-Men-Ha...J3hPD_BwE

OldTymeBanjo - Posted - 05/18/2019:  21:13:46

I might try that. Maybe on a small area in the corner. Says it acts on Keratin, so it should work, even on goat.

From what I've researched, you either shave it with a razor, slightly bent or the corners filed down, which is what I did so far, or soak in a chemical lye or lime solution. 

Edited by - OldTymeBanjo on 05/18/2019 21:16:37

ClayTech - Posted - 05/19/2019:  11:24:46

Cut it as short as you can with scissors, then sand it smooth with a palm sander.

OldTymeBanjo - Posted - 05/19/2019:  12:35:47

My concern is lightening the pigment in the top layers of skin, the reason I bought this particular one. It has black and white spots. I feel that's a significant design feature. Scraping with a razor seems to make it a little lighter.

Quickstep192 - Posted - 05/19/2019:  18:14:14

How much hair are we talking about?

I kinda like the idea of leaving it on! ??

mike gregory - Posted - 05/19/2019:  18:56:12

Tack it to a piece of plywood, and run across it in 4 directions, with this handy tool: 

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OK, SERIOUSLY:

If you're worried about chemicals discoloring the natural beauty of the hide,  go to the dollar store and get  a bag  or three of disposable razors, soak it well, soap it well, and shave it.

Time consuming, but, what the heck, it's going to look SO GOOD when you're done.

And if it's still too thick, tack it hair side down to a bee gas piece of wood, let it get BONE DRY, and  sand it.

OldPappy - Posted - 05/20/2019:  06:45:58

This may help if you haven't already shaved the hide.

Years ago I tanned a few deer hides to make frontier style "buckskin" jacket.

The hair will "slip" after the hide is soaked long enough which can be determined by pulling some hair. Once it has soaked long enough the hair can be removed by placing the hide on a flat surface and using something with a straight edge but not sharp, I used a thin piece of wood with the edge cut to a bevel. You pull the hair out by pushing down and moving the piece of wood like you were trying to scrape the hair off.

OldTymeBanjo - Posted - 05/20/2019:  08:25:32

Good suggestions, I will do some experiments and report back if I learn anything interesting.

Jonnycake White - Posted - 05/21/2019:  08:37:51

Haven't done this personally, but I've read about it in one of the Firefox books - I think volume 3. Smear the hair side with hardwood ashes, roll the skin up, and soak it for a while (days? weeks? I don't recall). The ashes in water make lye, which loosens the hair.  I assume ashes left over from charcoal briquettes will work.

Edited by - Jonnycake White on 05/21/2019 08:38:29

Dogfeathers - Posted - 05/21/2019:  12:21:37

OTM,
Are you _really sure_ you want to shave off that goat hair?
Of all my banjos, the only one I have with the hair still on the hide is the only banjo that I do not have to ever"stuff" with anything behind the head to get the tone that I like. It is still loud, but not too bright and sounds perfect just as is. You may want to try it with hair for a while and evaluate the tone. If you don't like it you can shave it off. But if you decide you want it back, Rogaine probably own't work! I love my hairy banjo.

mike gregory - Posted - 05/21/2019:  17:57:55

OldTymeBanjo - Posted - 05/22/2019:  08:08:53

quote:

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Originally posted by Dogfeathers

OTM,

Are you _really sure_ you want to shave off that goat hair?

Of all my banjos, the only one I have with the hair still on the hide is the only banjo that I do not have to ever"stuff" with anything behind the head to get the tone that I like. It is still loud, but not too bright and sounds perfect just as is. You may want to try it with hair for a while and evaluate the tone. If you don't like it you can shave it off. But if you decide you want it back, Rogaine probably own't work! I love my hairy banjo.

---

While this has some appeal, on this banjo, it's a design thing. The hair is all white, but I want black and white spots, which in this case is only on the skin underneath. Could also do a halfway thing, where the hair is clipped but not shaved.

Also, I think the hair could get messy when gluing up, as the banjo I'm making is a tackhead.

Knows Picker - Posted - 05/22/2019:  08:22:07

I like that look Mike !!

That head has more hair on it than I do!

link-o-sausages - Posted - 05/22/2019:  16:34:09

I was taught by a drum maker to soak the skin for a few hours then shave it off with a Gillette/ straight razor or a fleshing knife... kinda the same as if you were shaving your face.

mike gregory - Posted - 05/22/2019:  21:24:57

quote:

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Originally posted by Knows Picker

I like that look Mike !!



That head has more hair on it than I do!

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Not one of MINE.

Just went looking on AOL images.

OldTymeBanjo - Posted - 05/23/2019:  07:18:42

quote:

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Originally posted by link-o-sausages

I was taught by a drum maker to soak the skin for a few hours then shave it off with a Gillette/ straight razor or a fleshing knife... kinda the same as if you were shaving your face.

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That's the kind of info I was looking for, shave it wet or dry? Wet makes sense, since that is more like shaving your face. Dry seems to scratch and nick the surface. Thanks!

Knows Picker - Posted - 05/23/2019:  07:35:55

I'm gonna go with leaving the hair on.

So much so that I'm gonna pick up an old beater and give it try.

I LOVE the look!!

OldTymeBanjo - Posted - 05/24/2019:  16:09:22

Tried the easiest thing first, shaving while wet, works great, this is the way to go, after clipping off the long hair.

Disposable single bladed razor, removed guard, carefully rounded blade edges with sandpaper, then went over the small test piece. It left some short hair on, but then I tacked it to a board and finished it up. The surface seemed unmarked by this treatment.

mike gregory - Posted - 05/24/2019:  20:10:59

YAY!

When it's ON and DRY and SETTLED, post a video, please!!

link-o-sausages - Posted - 05/26/2019:  22:16:09

Sounds like you already did it but yes wet for best results. It’s also great for tack heads because it gives much more control if you don’t want to take all of the hair off for ascetics

Mirwa - Posted - 05/27/2019:  02:20:50

When i do djembe drums, we use skin with hair on and then shave the head after being mounted. 

Edited by - Mirwa on 05/27/2019 02:21:34