Antler Hide Scraper
To prepare a hide for Brain Tanning, the flesh and hair must be removed with mathematical precision. The Scraper or ‘Flesher’ was the primary tool for this task.
Material Choice
Elk antler provided the perfect ‘weight and balance’ for a scraper, allowing the worker to exert consistent pressure without fatigue. The blade was traditionally made of knapped stone or fire-hardened bone.
Structural Thinning
Beyond cleaning, the scraper was used to ‘thin’ the hide, ensuring that a heavy bison skin could be transformed into a supple, wearable garment.