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 » 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...
2020-02-09 19.13.22.jpg
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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...
2020-02-09 19.13.44.jpg
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And together...
2020-02-09 19.13.57.jpg
2020-02-09 19.13.57.jpg (550.65 KiB) Viewed 4345 times
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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
2020-02-09 20.44.47.jpg
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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...
2020-02-09 20.45.06.jpg
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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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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by sungazer » 11 Feb 2020, 6:16 am

I know for sure being slack was the cause of my instance of loosing the skin and not just the fur slip. It was also a bit big to really handle. I just wasnt set up to do a skin that big. Then I got lazy. You really do need to turn them twice a day in the solution and a big enough tank to let the solution get to all the parts easily.

Actually now I think of it I may add a little disinfectant to the solution next time. In my case I am sure it was bacteria that caused the fur slip. It smelt a little rotten. Most likely from not being spread out enough and being turned regularly. I wonder if the disinfectant would help or hinder the process.
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by marksman » 11 Feb 2020, 7:55 am

sungazer wrote:I know for sure being slack was the cause of my instance of loosing the skin and not just the fur slip. It was also a bit big to really handle. I just wasnt set up to do a skin that big. Then I got lazy. You really do need to turn them twice a day in the solution and a big enough tank to let the solution get to all the parts easily.

Actually now I think of it I may add a little disinfectant to the solution next time. In my case I am sure it was bacteria that caused the fur slip. It smelt a little rotten. Most likely from not being spread out enough and being turned regularly. I wonder if the disinfectant would help or hinder the process.


the fur slip is a bacteria problem by drying the skin even without salt it wont have it as long as the inside of the skin does not touch the fur
when folding up a skin to transport or store in the freezer you always put inside to inside trying not to have any touching fur :drinks:

your analogy is perfect Blr :thumbsup:
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Stix » 11 Feb 2020, 8:20 am

So i might try ask again...never know...

How long will a salted & dried fallow skin last...?

And whst is the best way to store it...?

I have one & not sure if i should hydrate it & tan now or wait couple months...
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by sungazer » 11 Feb 2020, 9:23 am

From personal experience I have no idea Stix. I could only give you what is written in books. I have always tried to do mine straight away. If they go into the tanning solution straight away they dont need to be salted. The salt is just for preservation until your ready to tan the freezer the same deal both stop the bacteria from breeding. You could probably use the same guidelines as if it were fresh meat that you wanted to preserve. Meat in the Freezer will last a couple of years but the freezer burn hurts it. The cells contain water and they expand on freezing and burst. The salt is really used to extract the liquid in the skin as much as kill/stop bacteria. Why you cant afford to get lazy and not change out the salt every day until its dry.
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by marksman » 11 Feb 2020, 10:32 am

if you have salted your skins you are supposed to rehydrate them before putting them into tanning solution, just soak them in water till they are limp again
this also takes out some of the salt

l have had skins last over two years if stored in a place that is shaded but does get light, "the shed" :D
if put in a dark room moths attack them and they will fall apart
if l am going to hang onto the skin for a while l usually freeze it but it has to be treated like food and will go off

these are my own personal experiences :drinks:
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Stix » 11 Feb 2020, 1:18 pm

Thanjs guys...

I always salt my skins sungazer.--the only exception is if going to freeze them....but i lack freezer space so mostly salt them.

But even .if im going to flesh & tan straight away, i find the salt helps to dry that top layer of flesh out--& if csn get that layer dry/ish (a bit of a hardness-crispness to it), & the skin still with some level of moisture, it peels off a little easier with the pressure hose.

Ive had bad luck with fur slip while rehydrating skins before & lost a fantastic fox doing that.
But now i throw in some household chems that seems to stop the bacteria--no doubt kills it.

My old man had a collection of some nice & some unique bunny furs that he lost no doubt from storing them in the dark...
So i might hang this one open in the shed for a bit...

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

Post by Blr243 » 11 Feb 2020, 1:52 pm

The manager of my main hunting block has lots of personal extra things and additives that he reckons has worked for him over the years I did not retain most of it because I reckon all or most of my deer hunting and skin days are over. , have given my fallow skins to my father. The manager said that at the final stage he adds scented talcum powder. Makes them smell and feel real nice and less likely to have a woman freaking out about stinky skins everywhere
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Re: Tanning/Initial Tanning Prep...

Post by Stix » 11 Feb 2020, 2:32 pm

Well BLR...
I know someone who'd be very interested & grateful to hear what your hunt blck managers tanning recipe & regime is... :mrgreen:

Not to mention exactly when, how & the method this scented talk is added...
That sounds like a good idea id like more detsils on because even though this fsllow skin is clean...it still gives off a clean snimal smell......!!

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

Post by Blr243 » 11 Feb 2020, 4:41 pm

Next time I’m out there I’ll get the info and save it
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