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 Oldbloke » 09 Mar 2018, 4:32 am

Stix, how did the cat skin turn out?
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Stix » 09 Mar 2018, 5:30 pm

Its stil frozen ob...
I did 2 bunny skins to experiment...
Didnt turn out too well really.

Had a painful time trying to flesh them, before during & after the soaking.

Tried 2 diff recipe's both of which seemed to stop hair slipping, but the skins have torn while fleshing breaking.
Maybe it hasnt worked...? I've got no past experience to go by...

But these suck mate...fur feels good, skin side is brittle in places & soft in others...

I need to try again with some freshies. ..
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by bladeracer » 10 Mar 2018, 10:12 am

Stix wrote:I need to try again with some freshies. ..


Fresh ones are warm and cuddly, but hang onto the back feet, they can get boisterous :-)
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Oldbloke » 10 Mar 2018, 3:14 pm

This is the basic process in order;
1. Skin the animal
2. Then flesh the hide
3. Then salt the hide , do this several times
4. If you wish dry the hide
5. If you dried the hide then soak the hide in water to soften.
6. Then place the hide in the tanning solution wait several days stirring occasionally
7. Then dry the hide
8. Then break in and oil
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Stix » 11 Mar 2018, 10:48 am

bladeracer wrote:
Stix wrote:I need to try again with some freshies. ..


Fresh ones are warm and cuddly, but hang onto the back feet, they can get boisterous :-)


:lol:
Got it covered mate...im a ninja...!!
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Stix » 10 Jul 2018, 6:44 pm

Im wondering if any of you fur tanners have any tips on how to treat the head, particularly when it comes to the pinning out to dry/oiling stage...

I have a cats head, & a fox (heads on full furs) that have not turned out so well in that they are a little stiff & deformed.(I realise with these particular 2 skins ive stretched it a little too much for the drying process,& left it for too long before breaking).
But still I find the skin is thicker on the heads, & particularly hard to flesh out from the eyes forward, so i often end up with some of the glands still just inside the eyes & the nose/whiskers area.

Given the heads (particularly on cats) are rounded, how do you treat them in the pinning out/oiling stage...?

Im thinking of trying a scrunched up rag in the head of the next cat to see if that will be any better-but it will obviously not lay with the look of being flat if i do this, however the head may look more natural (?)...

What do you guys do for the heads left on skins. :unknown:
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Stix » 20 Aug 2018, 12:51 am

Some may remember this big fella i bowled over a couple of months back...
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Pictured with 204 cartridge
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Next to Tikka T3
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Undressed
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Eeek...!
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Salted
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Fleshed
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Well he is now done & here in my latest batch of skins...a hubby n wife pair of foxes, & my monster lion.

These worked a bit better than the last lot, with the exception of the knife nics & couple of tears.
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Latest batch
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The cat skin was quite difficult & it has actually shrunk.
Problems arose from the varying thickness of the hide.
The hide is normal cat/fox thickness at the back legs, but it gets thicker the closer to the head...to the point where its very thick across the back of the shoulders, & even thicker head....so where its thicker its not as soft & pliable.
I kept feeding it the oil so as to avoid this but it didnt work.

With the exception of a very small amount of fur slip around the tip of the ears, the fur has set well & is beautifully soft & thick.
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Big boy
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Unfortunately i put a 2" tear in it just behind a front leg while breaking & stretching it.

Just for a little perspective on size, the cat fur in this next pic is next to a mature bitch fox & is notably heavier (the earlier pic is dog fox on left).
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Cat next to mature bitch fox
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Im not sure if i should wet the skin up again & try get more oil into it...?
I might give it more breaking over a bit of timber, but dont think ill get the thick areas any more pliable.
Happy to hear any tips to get thick skins softer if anyone has any. :)

Overall im pretty happy how its turned out, not perfect but it could have been a lot worse. :D
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Oldbloke » 20 Aug 2018, 8:21 pm

They look pretty good to me stix. What tanning recipe did you use?
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Stix » 20 Aug 2018, 8:42 pm

Oldbloke wrote:They look pretty good to me stix. What tanning recipe did you use?


I purchased a kit... DS Horne kit...it uses Alum & salt to set the fur, & chromium powder added for second stage for the hide, then fat/oil to skin.
http://www.dshorne.com.au/hornes-practical-tanning-kits

Works well enough, but ive used a good portion of the oil already, & it dies the skin blue/green from the chrome powder.

I need to find out if we (I) can buy the chrome powder seperately, as we know the alum & salt are easily come by...it would make for very cheap & effective tanning.
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Stix » 20 Aug 2018, 8:47 pm

I left the cartilidge in the ears of the cat for a few days while it was in the Alum salt pickle thinking it would be ok, but i still got some very minor fur slip on the tips of the ears with the cat.
I did the same with the foxes but got no such fur slip...im not sure whats going on there :unknown: maybe something to do with the salting at first :unknown: ??
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by marksman » 20 Aug 2018, 9:27 pm

definitely got something to do with the salting first Stix
very nice cat Stix, I showed the missus, she's been wanting an orange cat for a long time :lol:
she recons it's a maine coon cat, just like the one she wants :lol:
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Stix » 20 Aug 2018, 10:37 pm

Now thats a pelt id like to have marksman...but i dunno about a pet--just cant imagine stepping over that custom made litter tray in the laundry... :x
You'd need a big mulch/hay fork to shift them nuggets...!! :shock:


Eat your heart out Daniel Boone,
Marksmans' getting a Maine Coone... :lol:
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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...?
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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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