Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Varminting and vertebrate pest control. Small game, hunting feral goats, foxes, dogs, cats, rabbits etc.

Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Stix » 19 Nov 2018, 11:09 pm

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Fleshed out my first goat skin this evening.

For the most part it seemed to flesh out pretty easy & leave a nice smooth finish...much like a squid tube & very similar to the cats ive done so far.

There were a few difficult areas, but thats all down to the wuality of my skinning job--im not too good at it... :oops: ah well.
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Rekon it might turn out ok... but time will tell..fingers crossed...
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by marksman » 20 Nov 2018, 10:13 am

great work Stix :drinks: :drinks: :drinks: :drinks:
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Stix » 13 Jan 2019, 10:06 pm

Well that goat skin above turned out a cracker so im stoked. :clap: i want more goat skins now...!!!

Here is a few of the latest ive been trying to turn out over the last few days...

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Some of my latest furs
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Although the cat looks small in this pic, its your average size moggie & infact the rabbits are quite sizable...!
The top 3 are furry hoppy critters...left is the fur of a milky doe, a bit on the thin side & a bit skanky aa they use all their energy into producing milk...but all in all pretty reasonable result considering.

On the right is a Port Adelaide Hare--a mate ran iver it at 1am one morning & rang me--it squeezed ok & appeared in tact so he bought it over & i dressed it out.

Its the first hare ive done & its pretty thin...you can see the holes ive put in it while fleshing.
Given how thin it is, its turned out pretty soft & supple.

The cat is a really great fur...!! Although ive put too much oil on it so i need to rectify that somehow.

The white one is a domestic bunny... :lol:
A mate helps out an old Italian couple that breed their own rabbits for food.
When he told me they asked him to slaughter them i kicked up a fuss about getting there to skin them out...
My fuss worked...!!
The fur is amazing & the leather is so supple its unbelievable... :thumbsup:
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Daddybang » 14 Jan 2019, 8:51 am

They look like they've come up bloody nice Stix!! :thumbsup: :drinks:
We haven't done any for a while now but I've gotta do a killer up in a couple of weeks so I'm going to experiment with making saddle leather to make a saddle for my daughter's sixteenth bday..shes only four so plenty of time if I f@#kup the first couple of attempts!!
:lol: :lol: :drinks:
This hard living ain't as easy as it used to be!!!
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Stix » 14 Jan 2019, 9:53 am

Thanks DB... :drinks:
Im slowly getting better at the tanning side...its the skinning i suck at...!!
Shot another fox while away last week & ripped its tail in the skinning process...again... :roll:

Making your own leather & daughters saddle sounds a treat mate...!!
Thats something she'll keep & remember forever... :clap: :thumbsup:

I want to do plain leather as well, but i need to get a few roos for that--plenty of scrubbers down this way that could do with knocking over, but given the ones down here walk on 2 legs, ill have to wait till i knock some roos over with tags...!! :lol:
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Stix » 28 Jul 2019, 1:07 pm

Anyone tanned fallow hide before...?

Im having trouble getting them to sit in the pickle...

They want to float up & on the surface despite squeezing them out in the pickle.

Do these hairs all have little air pockets in them or something...??

Anyone experienced this...,?
What to do..?...just sit a couple bricks on them...?
:drinks:
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Oldbloke » 28 Jul 2019, 1:20 pm

Lol. Most deer hair is hollow, like a fibreglass rishing rod. Put a brick on it.
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by marksman » 28 Jul 2019, 5:54 pm

Oldbloke wrote:Lol. Most deer hair is hollow, like a fibreglass rishing rod. Put a brick on it.


+1 :thumbsup:
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Stix » 28 Jul 2019, 6:01 pm

Yep cheers...
Already put a bucket lid on them (slightly smaller than the bucket theyre in) & a big rock on that...

So if the hair is hollow & floaty...they would make good hairs for trout fishing flies wouldnt they...?...
(Not that im a fly fisherman)...

:drinks:
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Oldbloke » 28 Jul 2019, 6:49 pm

Stix wrote:So if the hair is hollow & floaty...they would make good hairs for trout fishing flies wouldnt they...?...
(Not that im a fly fisherman)...

:drinks:


Yep, they do get use for that purpose. But dont ask me the details
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Stix » 09 Dec 2019, 6:32 pm

So...i found this handsome young fella...he was laying on the ground inly about 80 odd yds in front of my rifle...YAY...!!! :clap:
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He was heavy enough to make it challenging to get him up on the gambrel by myself without a hoist... :evil: ...iso much so i cracked a beer once he was up... :clap:
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Skun him out...
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All done...needed another beer to salt the skin...
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Cut off as much fat & muscle as i could be bothered doing...then salt...
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After a good week on the salt, last night i fleshed him out...
Ive started on the back leg with the pressure cleaner...
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All done...!!
Not perfect...& not as good as id have liked...but still, im happy--or more to the point, my shoulder was happy to call it after 1.5 hours... :|
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Looks fantasic...!!!
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Im not looking forward to breaking it, but i cant wait till its finished...!!

Its in the pickle now, i just hope the bacteria dont get a hold as its really a great hide..!!!
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by sungazer » 09 Dec 2019, 7:34 pm

Stix I have had good results from not letting them dryout very much at all. while still wet apply Neats foot oil to the hide as it dries the oil is absorbed and it never goes stiff like a board. You are miles ahead in the breaking in stage.
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Stix » 09 Dec 2019, 8:26 pm

Thanks sungazer...
Yes breaking it wont be untill next year... :lol:
I know im ages from that yet--but i know its coming...
The last ones i did (young ones) took a week each to break--10-15 mins at a time, many many times a night, 4-5 nights for the week...but they turned out fantastic--got a real suede feel to them... :clap:

I use a tanning kit so use the oil in that...

Id like to know where to buy chrome powder from--i could save some money if i could get that seperately.

Ill google this foot oil & give it a crack on some crappy experiments ive done...
Thanks for the tip... :)
:drinks:
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Elmer » 09 Dec 2019, 9:54 pm

Stix wrote:Thanks sungazer...
Yes breaking it wont be untill next year... :lol:
I know im ages from that yet--but i know its coming...
The last ones i did (young ones) took a week each to break--10-15 mins at a time, many many times a night, 4-5 nights for the week...but they turned out fantastic--got a real suede feel to them... :clap:

I use a tanning kit so use the oil in that...

Id like to know where to buy chrome powder from--i could save some money if i could get that seperately.

Ill google this foot oil & give it a crack on some crappy experiments ive done...
Thanks for the tip... :)
:drinks:

Hey Stix,
what is the chemical your after? Could it be Chromium sulfate? (I'm a lab techo)...Let me know and I will tell you what chemical company you can buy it from.
cheers
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Stix » 10 Dec 2019, 2:14 pm

Thanks Elmer...

Yes...ive had a little google & thats what seems to come up...
Chromium sulphate...a blue blue/green powder...

I tried to find somewhere to buy it a while back (last year i think) but the only place i found wanted stupid amounts of cash...

So it'd be good if there was somewhere to buy it in reasonable quantity & price...

Keen to hear what you come up with Elmer. :)
:drinks:
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Elmer » 10 Dec 2019, 4:05 pm

Stix wrote:Thanks Elmer...

Yes...ive had a little google & thats what seems to come up...
Chromium sulphate...a blue blue/green powder...

I tried to find somewhere to buy it a while back (last year i think) but the only place i found wanted stupid amounts of cash...

So it'd be good if there was somewhere to buy it in reasonable quantity & price...

Keen to hear what you come up with Elmer. :)
:drinks:

True mate, ever since 911 the price of chems has gone through the roof (most have at least tripled ).
Don't expect cheap chems, those days are sadly gone.
Give Ace chemical company or Southern cross scientific a try.
Don't get sucked in to buying AR grade that's for analytical research.
All you need is Tech (being the least expensive but perfectly alright for tanning) or LR Laboratory reagent grade which is one step up from tech but no were near as expensive as AR .
Hope this helps
Sean.
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Stix » 10 Dec 2019, 6:11 pm

Beaudee... :thumbsup:

Rekon i tried Ace last time & from memory, the clown i spoke with wanted me to take over the state governemts budget to buy hundreds of kilo's of perfect grade Chrome powder... :lol:

Ill give em another go...

Thanks for the tips on the grade of chemical needed Elmer... :thumbsup:
:drinks:
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Stix » 08 Feb 2020, 10:10 am

Does anyone know how long a salted and dried fallow hide will last, and the best way to store it...?

I have one ive dried out and would like to wait until its a bit cooler before i rehydrate & tan it, because the last one in all the pictures above, having been done through some decent heat got some fur slip... :thumbsdown:

It still looks great, but there is a small patch of fur missing & some of the fur is falling out due to this...

So anyone have any ideas of the question i ask above...?
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Stix » 09 Feb 2020, 7:06 pm

Well the young fallow buck above (previous page) is pretty much done...

Leather side is pretty soft & flexible & feels like suede...obviously cant get it closer to uniform thickness like a commercislly tanned hide.

I git a little slip & lost small patch on right rear flank (can just see a small blue dot instead of white near edge of orange at first row of white spots), but im pretty happy how its turned out...
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Here is a baby bambi fallow (barely) buck i did a while back...
Got the leather side on this so soft could wear it...just a shame its colour is only just coming through...but i have 2 of these so one of them might make a rug in winter...
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And together...
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Blr243 » 09 Feb 2020, 7:17 pm

Nice skins. Do I get a punch in the centre of my face if I ask to see a closeup pic of the tail?
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Stix » 09 Feb 2020, 8:11 pm

Lol...
No mate...i wouldnt punch you...
Ill wait to see what you ssy & throw rocks after...lol...

I assume you mean the big one...?

But there is nothing to see except a mess--Its no good...i barely got it off & its all torn...but its still the best ive done on deer...all others have torn off & just too fiddly to sew up...

Wait for a bit as i gotta get it out again...
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Stix » 09 Feb 2020, 8:23 pm

Here tis...
As well as a thin section through the middle, ts also missing the very tip of tail...too small to be bothered with...
Thats a 22-250 dummy for size comparison
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So i didnt break the tail so it remsins pretty stiff to keep some element of shape, but ive had to mangle it about a fair bit for this pic to show the bad job i did on it...
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Thanks blr...its worse than i remember...

:)
:drinks:
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by marksman » 09 Feb 2020, 9:27 pm

Blr243 wrote:Nice skins. Do I get a punch in the centre of my face if I ask to see a closeup pic of the tail?


:lol: your a cheeky bugger :lol: :drinks:

you do a good job Stix :thumbsup:
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Blr243 » 09 Feb 2020, 9:38 pm

All in good fun. I have done much worse on fallow tails. There’s actually bugger all wrong with that tail .......and with this little bit of discussion the next fallow tail stix does is going to be absolutely perfect !
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by marksman » 09 Feb 2020, 9:55 pm

got to have a laugh Blr :drinks:

next time your lifting the deer onto the gambrel Stix use your car and a pulley with a rope onto the tow ball :thumbsup:
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Stix » 09 Feb 2020, 10:28 pm

I like your 'how to skin a fallow tail' teaching tactics BLR... :thumbsup:

Shaming me into perfection... :huh:

;)
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Stix » 09 Feb 2020, 10:43 pm

Weeellll marksman...
Here's a yarn for ya...

Went to do that with that deer actually...

Problem is the roller door in the way...
So i tied rope, opened the roller door, started car, then lifted the deer onto a wheelie bin...you know--to minimise how far out on the road i drive because there is no verge--just footpath then road...

So...picture this...there i was in broad daylight lifting fallow buck up onto wheelie bin...
Fallow buck is still for the most part wrapped in blood soaked cotton bed sheet...
Fresh blood...
Still dripping...

Just then a mum walked past with doggie on lead & young daughter in hand...all looked at me...

Me be like... :wtf: ...this cant look good... :?

Quickly let the deer sort of drop/semi controlled fall to ground...
Bin fell over...
Doggie liked what he smelt & was determined to drag mummy, who was connected to little girl, in for a looksie & licksy...

Mummy got control of doggie & kept on...phew'

Turned car off & shut the roller door...

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I struggled...but lifted it up...

It looked as big as a person wrapped in the sheet...& id just taken it out the back of my car...just like the movies...
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by sungazer » 10 Feb 2020, 6:27 am

Looks like a pretty good job to me Stix well done. I tried a Sambar and it all went to hair slip and I ended up turfing the whole lot. The Fallows really have great markings and it makes a great looking skin.
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Stix » 10 Feb 2020, 7:16 pm

Thanks sungazer...
I wish i could show you & let you feel the leather side...
Im getting much better at that part now...but im finding it like shooting where just want to try again for a better result.

And i agree with regard to markings...it would be good to have a series of different colour fallow furs...

The issue of slip is a pain...its a shame you lost an entire fur...
I dont understand or follow all the ph bizo, but think I've worked out how to avoid slip even in heat, but it requires regular attention...thats why i got a little slip on this one because got slack for 2 days...
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Blr243 » 10 Feb 2020, 7:29 pm

Thousands of years ago a man who walked into camp carrying a deer across his back was a legend who provided well for his family ..... now if a non hunter sees a deer wrapped in a cotton sheet the modern hunter is branded a barbarian ....... but the real barbarian is the non hunter who brings home his meat from the supermarket wrapped in too many plastic bags that litter our landscape and poison our planet
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