diff --git a/elkrem/serdes.go b/elkrem/serdes.go
index 40a8ece5..4be0f691 100644
--- a/elkrem/serdes.go
+++ b/elkrem/serdes.go
@@ -14,68 +14,6 @@ with 41 bytes for each stored hash, up to a maximum of 64.  Receivers are
 prepended with the total number of hashes, so the total max size is 2625 bytes.
 */
 
-// ToBytes turns an ElkremNode into a 41 byte long byte slice.
-//  1 byte height, 8 byte index, 32 byte hash
-func (e *ElkremNode) ToBytes() ([]byte, error) {
-	var buf bytes.Buffer
-	// write 1 byte height
-	err := binary.Write(&buf, binary.BigEndian, e.h)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	// write 8 byte index
-	err = binary.Write(&buf, binary.BigEndian, e.i)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	// write 32 byte sha hash
-	n, err := buf.Write(e.sha.Bytes())
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	if n != 32 {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%d byte hash, expect 32", n)
-	}
-
-	return buf.Bytes(), nil
-}
-
-// ElkremNodeFromBytes turns a 41 byte long byte slice into an ElkremNode.
-// 1 byte height, 8 byte index,  32 byte hash.
-func ElkremNodeFromBytes(b []byte) (ElkremNode, error) {
-	var e ElkremNode
-	buf := bytes.NewBuffer(b)
-	// read 1 byte height
-	err := binary.Read(buf, binary.BigEndian, &e.h)
-	if err != nil {
-		return e, err
-	}
-	// read 8 byte index
-	err = binary.Read(buf, binary.BigEndian, &e.i)
-	if err != nil {
-		return e, err
-	}
-	// read 32 byte sha hash
-	err = e.sha.SetBytes(buf.Next(32))
-	if err != nil {
-		return e, err
-	}
-	// sanity check.  Node that this doesn't check that index and height
-	// match.  Could add that but it's slow.
-	if e.h > 63 { // check for super high nodes
-		return e, fmt.Errorf("Read invalid node height %d", e.h)
-	}
-	var max uint64 // maximum possible given height
-	for j := uint8(0); j <= e.h; j++ {
-		max = max<<1 | 1
-	}
-	if e.i > max-1 { // check for index higher than height allows
-		return e, fmt.Errorf("Node claims index %d; %d max at height %d",
-			e.i, max-1, e.h)
-	}
-	return e, nil
-}
-
 // ToBytes turns the Elkrem Sender into a 41 byte slice:
 // first the tree height (1 byte), then 8 byte index of last sent,
 // then the 32 byte root sha hash.