Tom oar brain tanning His specialty lies in brain-tanning hides, a meticulous and time-honored process of transforming animal pelts into supple leather using natural methods. Tom shows Hank the value of his hard work by making him a vest out of the deerskin they scraped and smoked together. They subsist on the land, gleaning a living through Tom’s knowledge of an all but forgotten craft: brain tanning. As the reality television series introduced more people who preferred to live off the land in the wilderness in the Oct 19, 2025 · Tom Oar He sold moccasins, clothing, hides and other items that he made, at the Black Powder Rendezvous, a re-creation of what a trade center in the 1840’s was like. On an isolated stretch of the Yaak River Valley in Northwestern Montana, Tom and Nancy Oar have made their home from the simplest of means and the sparsest of luxuries. Oar makes his living tanning wild game hides and crafting traditional buckskin moccasins, pants, shirts, jackets About Willow Bend Trading Post Willow Bend Trading Post is a business associated with Tom Oar and his wife, Nancy. Located in Troy, Montana, Willow Bend Trading Post is a place where fans of the show *Mountain Men* and enthusiasts of traditional crafts can purchase items made by Tom Oar. SC Belitz - Discover the pride of turning a raw hide into a tanned buckskin with the texture of velvet! This excellent booklet provides clear & detailed instructions on caring May 24, 2021 · Here’s how the story of Tom Oar goes, how he transitioned from being a cowboy to brain tanning and starring on ‘Mountain Men’, who his family is, and how he earns his net worth. See more in this scene from Season 12, "First Kill. In this video I show you my process for tanning a deer hide with pig brains. Jun 16, 2016 · Tom and Nancy Oar are the Montana couple who stars in the History Channel's 'Mountain Men'. And we need to get the brains boiled to tan the hide with. Learn about how Walter ”Super” LaBatte Jr. makes his brain tan buckskin! #buckskin #deerhides #indigenous #native #Dakota #deer #braintanning #DIY #howtotana Sep 25, 2025 · 4. Little has changed about Oar’s day-to-day routine in the past two years, despite that he now Aug 13, 2012 · Amazon. He knew how to catch animals and make things from leather. In this scene, Tom demonstrates how he makes a knife by hand. Sep 24, 2015 · Mountain Man explains the lost art of "brain tanning" at the Adirondack Museum. 1 Jan 28, 2025 · Tom Oar, a renowned figure from the History Channel’s Mountain Men, has captivated audiences with his rugged, self-sufficient lifestyle. She brain tans her own leather and is quite accomplised. I have attempted to tan many hides over the years but could never ge Tom Oar's Mountain Man Coffee embodies the rugged spirit of a man who has traded the demands of modern life for the raw beauty of the wilderness. Mar 30, 2024 · Master trapper and tanner Tom Oar gained a huge following when he featured in History Channel’s “Mountain Men,” which premiered on 31 May 2012 with nearly four million people tuning in. We sell only genuine brain tan. “We just stopped and went in, and there it was in black and white; told you how the Indians brain-tanned. Please forgive Finished Brain Tanned Hides from Traditional Tanners You can order brain tanned deer hides direct from the tanners here at Traditional Tanners. It cost $3 and contained the ancient secrets of brain tanning – the very method that would shape his future. Here are some of the interesting characters that the viewers of the show had come to love: Mountain Men Tom Oar, tanner Montana is said to be the traditional home of mountain man Tom Oar, who’s in his late 70’s, and Oct 23, 2025 · The exciting fact of Tom Oar is, in the beginning, he started brain tanning as a hobby, which he turned out to be a profession. Helps first timers avoid common pitfalls. Back in the day, fur trappers would come to sell furs and hides to Tom and Nancy Oar have lived a rugged, wilderness-inspired life in the Yaak Valley since 1979. This passion for outdoor life was deeply rooted in their upbringing, heavily influenced by their father’s own affinity for the Tom Oar's Mountain Man Coffee embodies the rugged spirit of a man who has traded the demands of modern life for the raw beauty of the wilderness. Alongside his older brother, Tom spent much of his childhood immersed in nature, exploring the wilderness and seeking out adventure. We guarantee not only 100% satisfaction, but that these will be some of the best hides you’ll ever see. Living in the Montana mountains, Tom learned to catch food and protect himself. Oct 19, 2020 · Have you ever heard of brain tanning? Travis Poole is an expert brain tanner located in Challis, Idaho. He tans animal hides using a unique brain solution. Aug 21, 2025 · Tom Oar is more than a survivalist. Best known from the History Channel’s Mountain Men series, Tom, a former rodeo cowboy, and Nancy are skilled in traditional crafts like tanning hides and hand-sewing buckskin clothing, which they sell to fans of authentic frontier living. His daily rhythm remains true to the old ways—brain‑tanning hides, sewing buckskins, tending traplines, and splitting wood before the long winter sets in. Oar has lived in northwestern Montana, making a meager living trapping and tanning hides for 35 years, but his appearance on the show has brought him more orders for moccasins than he could ever fill. co/SubscribeHistoryYTEnjoy more Mountain Men on Yo NARRATOR: While it stretches, Tom will prepare the next critical step-- a homemade brain tanning solution that helps soften the skin. It is beautifully quilled and beaded and has silver cone jangles at the bottom. Tells how to make beautiful soft buckskin from deer hides. m. Subscribe for more Mountain Men: http://histv. — Tom Oar has been living in the Yaak, trapping and tanning hides for some 35 years. His net worth is estimated at $200,000 to $300,000, primarily from his television appearances and handcrafted leather goods. com: Brain Tanning the Sioux Way-Step-by-Step InstructionsHelp others learn more about this product by uploading a video! Sep 9, 2013 · Tom Oar, who appears on the History Channel’s “Mountain Men” TV show, poses for a photo. I flew out to Georgia to take a brain tanning class from Melony of Mel of The Mountains. It's a Native American technique picked up my white trappers and hunters that still . He made clothes from deer skin using a method called brain tanning, which takes lots of time and effort but lasts long. Oct 20, 2025 · Tom also found himself a hobby in brain tanning, which consists of converting fur from raw to leather using deers’ brains. — Tom Oar has been Oct 14, 2025 · Tom Oar’s Final Season At 82, Tom Oar still holds his ground in Montana’s Yaak River Valley, where he and Nancy live in the hand-built log home that has sheltered them for decades. We walk you through the brain tanning method of how to tan a hide. Watch the new season of Mountain Men on History Channel to know more about Tom Oar. It is one of the fundamental skills of our ancestors, allowing them to make clothi Tom Oar is free. Tom instructs young Hank on some essential Mountain Man skills. Little has changed about Oar's day-to-day routine in Sep 12, 2013 · History Channel show airs Sundays at 9 p. 16 pp: 10 illus. Jun 10, 2013 · For softer, tanned deer hides, there's the historic method of brain tanning. This trading post plays a significant role in bringing Tom Oar’s handmade items to a broader audience. Yes, I said brain tanning. He poured on the grandfatherly charm with eyes that twinkle and a ready smile. He is a craftsman and teacher, passing down ancient traditions that most of the world has forgotten. See more in this clip from Season 12, Ep Sep 5, 2013 · YAAK, Mont. "Watch an all new season of Mountain Men, Brain tanning is the art of turning a raw animal skin into usable leather. Alongside his wife Nancy, Tom has spent over four decades in Northwestern Montana, living off the land and honoring time-honored What Really Happened to Tom Oar From Mountain MenSubscribe for more!There are some basic skills we all need to survive, it’s not about coming from the street Redirecting Redirecting Jan 5, 2024 · There, tucked away on a shelf, sat a 16-page book. But in Season 14, the focus shifts subtly; the Sep 19, 2013 · Tom Oar, 70, is one of the stars of the History Channel show, Mountain Men. Aug 17, 2025 · Tom became an expert at brain tanning, a traditional method of softening animal hides using natural materials. As of 2025, Tom Oar’s age is 82, born in March 1943 in Rockford, Illinois. He takes dirty, unused hides, and turns Redirecting Redirecting Turn a deer hide into soft, supple buckskin with your own two hands. The process of brain tanning is separated by a few Mar 17, 2024 · Brain tanning is a unique process that is thousands of years old. Preservation of Tradition His tanning and crafting skills preserve knowledge that might otherwise fade into history. Born in 1943, this cowboy turned brain-tanning expert gained fame as a star on the History Channel's "Mountain Men. Although the intensive labor is a Native American tradition, its origin goes back to the Stone Age, and extended to every continent. ” That small, seemingly insignificant book transformed him. YAAK -- Tom Oar has been living in the Yaak, trapping and tanning hides for some 35 years. Jun 23, 2016 · This story first appeared in the Tribune in 2013. Born in 1943, this cowboy turned brain-tanning expert gained fame as a star on the History Channel's "Mountain Men". Harsh Winters: Temperatures often drop below zero, making survival a daily challenge. She gave it to me as a gift for a friend of mine who no longer can wear it. Challenges Faced by Tom Oar Even for someone as experienced as Tom Oar, the mountain lifestyle is not without difficulties. Jun 24, 2024 · Tom Oar grew up in the rural outskirts of Rockford, Illinois, where his love for the great outdoors was nurtured from an early age. Jan 1, 1973 · Belitz - An excellent booklet on step-by-step brain tanning as the author learned it from the Sioux. Tom Oar became a master in the wild. Just finishing its second season, the series follows several men and their families as they face the challenges of living off the grid, using only what nature provides and their own skills and ingenuity. These hides were then turned into clothing, moccasins, and other items, which he sold to support their lifestyle. Oct 14, 2025 · Is Nancy Oar from Mountain Men still alive in 2025? Discover the true story of Nancy Oar’s life in the Yaak Valley, her age, off-grid lifestyle with Tom Oar, and why online death rumors persist. Eastern Tom Oar is one of six mountain men on the show He makes leather moccasins using Native American techniques YAAK, Mont. This is a two piece dress Margie made for herself. After retiring, Tom Oar intends to dedicate more time to his expert craftsmanship, particularly brain-tanning animal hides and creating traditional items Oct 14, 2025 · Tom Oar became renowned for his exceptional handmade buckskin goods, crafted using traditional brain tanning techniques that are increasingly rare in the modern era. Find out their age, net worth, and read a bit about their bios. The 10-day event every summer was strictly regulated that people came, sellers and patrons alike, in that era’s clothing, and they would camp in canvas tents. Married to Nancy Oar for over 50 years, Tom’s life Tom's season isn't off to a great start, so Shawn drops off a raw wolf's pelt, which could be Tom's biggest payday yet once properly fleshed and tanned, in t Dec 21, 2022 · Brain Tanning - The Full ProcessI harvested the skin of a large male black bear from the smoky mountains. " Alongside his wife Nancy, Tom has Feb 9, 2024 · The cast and their stories Since the show introduced Oar, Conway, and Meierotto during the first season, they have since included other mountain men for the succeeding seasons. She and Tom Oar trade tanning secrets at the rendezvous they both attend. bbz uhjl 5o ueniy6 xpwth 0rum kfxf2n 5ssy yskp5 ojhzm