Now that summer is coming my outdoor projects will ramp up. Do people want to know anything specific? I could do visual tutorials on the following: brain tan leather, bark tan leather, and brain tanning furs. I also know a lot about gardening and could do some seed starting, seed saving, basic gardening how tos. If anyone is interested let me know.
Speaking for my own curiosity, I’d love to see a comparison of the end results of brain tanning vs. bark tanning. E.g., the various reasons for choosing one over the other in terms of intended uses.
Another thing I’d be interested in is a general guide about the best tree species to use for the project in various bioregions the group is in, and/or wants to grow into. Being totally naive about bark tanning, I don’t know what even makes sense in the boreal forest. Birch? Spruce? Poplar? It’s just a giant question mark for me, and I assume many others in the group have similar n00b questions and don’t even know where to begin.
Great, that will help me get started. I can answer the Brain Tanning vs. Bark Tanning question first.
On the left is Brain Tan Buckskin. On the right is Bark Tan leather that’s been dyed black. Both hides are white tail deer.
The best places for buckskin are where there is dry cold or warm dry conditions for long stretches. Common uses are clothing (like tunics), moccasins, and bags. Due to having the epidermis taken off the hide when made, buckskin is breathable. This allows any moisture trapped on the skin or under layers to evaporate through, rather than get stuck and leave the person cold and wet. Another great time to wear buckskin is the summer as well like these Athabaskan gentlemen.
Bark Tan leather is useful for cold wet conditions, or for items where more durability is needed. When bark tan leather is made the epidermis of the hide is kept intact and this allows a waterproofing seal, like beeswax, to be placed on it. Bark tan is used for boots, belts, jackets, and bags. Here are some Saami shoes using bark tan: 
Here’s some more of my bark tan (on the right) so you can see it’s doable to make bark tan like the above stuff. 
In summary: Use buckskin as a replacement for industrial cotton. Use bark tan leather as a replacement for industrial leather and projects that call for smaller pieces of industrial canvas.
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As for boreal plants high in tannins, Spruce is the highest. Birch, willow, and alder do have some and are commonly used as well. If somehow there is sumac in Alaska, that is also a plant that is high in tannins. Here is a Spruce bark tannery in Sweden. Bole Tannery
Here’s a cattle hide from that tannery tanned with Spruce. 
In Cascadia the tannic plants to look out for are: garry oak galls/leaves, sumac leaves, hemlock bark, doug fir bark, uva ursi, red alder bark, willow, chestnut, birch…Hemlock is very astringent so it’s helpful to “mellow” out with oak galls or willow. All bark is easiest to harvest, and highest in tannins, in the late spring. Here’s a guy tanning hides on Vancouver Island with Western Hemlock.
In the Midwest: Red Oak (galls, bark, acorn tops, leaves), Black Walnut husks, Sumac leaves…
Southwest/California: Tanner’s Dock, Sumac leaves, and Tan Oak bark. (Don’t travel with tan oak bark as it may carry sudden oak death to non contaminated areas). Pomegranates are tannic.
I don’t know about the Southeast of the US. Red mangrove bark is high in tannins.
I know parts of the Northeast have hemlocks.
Many large hemlock forest were cut down during tanning booms in New York and Vermont. Please don’t follow suit. Cut bark from windfall trees, or avoid bark altogether. Consider harvesting tannins from roots, galls, acorns, and leaves rather than bark from trees, if possible.
I believe Japanese Knotweed is very high in tannins and that is an invasive in a lot of places. Use the high tannic leaves and leave the rhizomes in place. Just a small piece of rhizome can spread this aggressive plant.
Here’s a phytochemical database if you’d like to find tannic plants in your area. Phytochemical database (search for “Tannin”)
I would really love a youtube series illustrating the camouflaging benefits of fringed buckskin clothing from Blue Mountain Buckskin.
