So I've got 6 beaver hides I want to tan. They've been fleshed and dried on plywood.
Anyone care to share some basic step by step on how to tan them? Best solution to buy?
I have a tumbler about 2'x3', could I put the hides in with golf balls to break them?

Rittles EZtan100 is what I used before I just started sending them to be tanned.Just follow the instructions.

I think they recommend 4ft drop for tumbler breaking. The golf balls might help.

Beaver I think are the hardest hide to tan. The thinning of the hide takes time. I found a wire wheel works good but sure makes a mess. Breaking the hide calls for a lot of elbow grease and I don't think golf balls in a tumbler will do it. Good luck. More pride in doing things yourself over have someone else do it. After doing some beaver I understand why guys swallow there pride and have it done.

The work is the quality. If you are looking for a tan and tumble I will pm it to you. I’ve not done a beaver yet but I have done several coons.

As sniper said 4ft tumbler might help a bit but i think 6ft is probly minimum ..but i do think if a guy cud frost scrape them thicker parts it would do wonders for later on softening ..no professional here but my 2 cents worth

I have never used it but have heard great things about a product called super solve.It is a degreaser used before you start to tan.I think it would be worth using on beaver.

Was your final product comparable to what a commercial tan is and how much time do you have into each beaver?

I have professionally tanned beaver hides and mine aren't as good as the professionally done ones. Mine turned out close to there's but not as good. I have a lot of time into mine but I did 7 at one time. No idea what the time per hide would be. As expected the thinning and breaking is what took me the longest.

Your not going to get a good product I have been to several dressing houses and If you saw the equipment and the techniques they use you would understand. Some of the process they use on beaver they will not disclose close guarded secret.

Heli, throw one in and see what happens. I’m wondering how it will do myself. Throw some gravel or something in there too.

There’s a couple little ones I might experiment with, I’ll let you guys know how they turn out.

Don't expect a super soft tan, but the tanning itself isn't rocket science. Rittels safety acid and oil and soften. They used to have a kit tan called EZtan that works good. I even did a bear with it.

The trouble home tanners have with beaver is getting full and complete penetration of the stuffing oil.Beaver has a dense leather fibre unlike most other skins.
Tannerys use a kicker to ensure the leather is fully stuffed.There are ways for home tanners to do it but most havent figured it out.

So did you actually professionally tan them then?

I have both ones I've done myself and ones I've had done by a professional tannery.

If you really want to do it you will have to relax the skin first you can do this with a bath of a relaxing agent like relax all and salt a bottle will cost you about 18.00. To mix 1oz. Of relax all, 1lbs of salt per gallon of water min of 5 gal. Next step wash the skin in cold water and it will go in a picking bath you will need some pickling agent like McKenzie's ultimate acid this will cost you around 18.00. To mix 1/2oz. Ultimate acid 1lbs salt per gal min 5 gal place in bath move skin around as much as possible allow to soak for 72hours remove and drain for 1hr then shave the skin as thin as possible you can use a fleshing knife that has been sharpened if you don't have a fleshing machine. It will go back in the pickle for 24hr then remove quick rinse drain for 1hr then mix a bath of soda bicarbonate and water 1oz. per gallon min 5 gal 20 min stirring often 20min max remove quick rinse drain for 1hr. Now comes the tanning bath you will need some tanning crystals I use ez100 mix 5gal of water 1/2lbs of salt per gal mix till salt is dissolved then run 1gal of hot tap water and tanning crystals 1oz. per gal mix in the hot tap water wear a mask (if you can find one) so the tanning crystals don't get in your lungs. Mix the 2 together until all is dissolved add skin in bath for about 16hr no more than 18hr string often removed quickly rinse and drain for 1hr then the next step you will need a tanning oil the better of a oil you get the softer the leather you will get lay the skin flat skin up mix oil with water half and half with water mix heat in microwave for 30sec and then apply oil to skin fold skin to skin hair to hair and place in a area with the temp over 78 degrees to sweat the skin to allow the oils to migrate into the skin as the water comes out of the leather. Let the skin sweat for 24hr then hang and let drain as the skin drys stretch often then you can tumble for about 30min and check you will need tumbling medium sawdust or corncob grit mix in mineral spirits 1 cup per gal of tumbling medium at the end of this process you should have a nice soft skin that cost you around 75.00 but you should have enough materials to do several skins or you can send it to the tannery for about the same price.

Send them to Moyles you will be happy but maybe try it to see how much work it takes and that it is not a great product. Dont put any gravel of anything super abrasive in you wont have any fur left!