Attempting to tan beaver tails in aluminum sulfate and salt, has anybody done it this way or is there a better way. Is this tanning or just pickling the tail? Will I need to use a tanning solution after this process.

this is what I did, not sure what im making out of it yet. make sure its fleshed good. I oiled, neatsfoot oil, it during the breaking process

Thanks for the info, I'm going to try and use mine for knife sheaths

that was my plan, just waiting for free time

How did this turn out. Would like to use a bunch of mine. Do you have any tips or good mixtures to use for this. Or a step by step instructional I could use.

I sent mine to Specialty Tanning in Iowa. They did a great job. $6.50 per side and you can choose several different colors. They turned out really nice.

https://specialtyleather.com/hides/

Machias,

Did you follow Specialty Leathers recommended method of preparing the tails? Seems like they simply want them skinned out and lightly "fleshed" with a knife.

Machias those tails look like there still stiff, do they need to be worked to soften them. The ones I did with aluminum sulfate and salt were stiff after they dryed I tryed to work them with neatsfoot oil to soften never could soften them enough

I had tails done at Specialty Leather also, tails are not stiff. It is a firm/denser leather for the thickness it is. I flesh the tails until you can see the color of the leather showing thru the white fat and pin out flat to dry. They thin them more during the tanning process.

Here are some fresh fleshed tails.

Otter hat with beaver tail bill. Had hat made at Wildthings Fur.

The tails are NOT stiff, very nice leather. I did follow their instructions, very easy to follow and do.

Did you send them everything raw, tanned or what & cost? Awesome hat. If I had that hat, don't think would want to sell it. Wonder what it would sell for in a fancy store?

I took all my own fur and tails already tanned to them. If you take your own tanned fur they just change labor for sewing. That hat was $55 for sewing in 2017, you have to call them to find out current rates. Hat would retail about $250. Also had mittens made for wife and myself, very happy with the service/workmanship.

Awesome Hat there!

I had a bunch tanned by that outfit in Boone Iowa a few years ago. They did a nice job. I just took them yesterday out to a Hutterite friend of mine to make a billfold. But if anyone ever wants to buy a beavertail wallet ready to go, you cannot beat the quality and price from Randy Shuff. He’s a member on TMan.

Hat was done by Dave Campbell in Superior, Montana. VERY happy with it!

I thought I'd also show some tails in Burgandy color that turned out really nice.