Good morning trapperman, I got a fur tumbler from a mink ranch last fall and this past weekend I ran my tanned fur through, turned out beautifully! I used some corn grit that was already in it and then added a tote full of oak planer shavings and a half gallon of water mixed with a gentle laundry detergent. I won’t tan or sell fur without tumbling anymore, it seemed to help break the leather a bit and shined the fur up. I saw a video on YouTube with Ed Schneider where he uses walnut hulls from sandblasting, water, and a gentle detergent. I’m curious what some of you that tumble use for a recipe in your tumbler? Also can you over tumble fur? Thanks guys!

Anyone know if u can tumble with something heavier in the drum to help break tanned hides or is that not a thing?

I use hardwood planner shavings when tumbling tanned fur. Would advise not using walnut shavings are they tend to darken the tanned leather, actually made the leather look dirty the one time I tried it. Never tried walnut hills.

I stretch my tanning hides as they dry. I have a 4’ tumbler. It will help break and soften heavier hides like beaver and coyotes. Lighter weight hides like fox, cat, muskrat, and coon don’t seem to achieve much benefit from tumbling other than to clean and fluff fur. I tumble deer hides with hair removed and can achieve some additional softness, but needs to be broken good prior to tumbling. When tumbling to help break an already broken hide, I don’t add any media. I only use media in the tumbler to clean fur.

More can be achieved with a taller tumbler.

That’s my limited experience, for what it’s worth.

Put in 6 to 12 golf balls Depending on size of tumbler. Marty

I have 3 different tumblers.
tumbler media when drying pelts I use large CLEAN pine shavings and corn cob media and tumble till dry.

my finish tumbler i use corn cob media with warm water, half bottle of cheap hair conditioner and cap full of scent free laundry softener.
I add the warm water till media about clumps together.

pelts come out clean, soft, super flexible and shine.

i have added mineral spirits to media for coyotes, just have to play with media and spirits till get right amount and not to much.
that makes coyotes shine shine shine.

Is that a real thing? Seems like it would work. Wouldn’t damage anything would it? When I home tan I’m always trying to look for an easier way to break and soften hides and it would be awesome to just throw it all in a tumbler and achieve the same results, thanks!

this works for us. we tumble 1000's of pelts a year like this.

U use golf balls too Shepherd?

no i just use the slow rpm of tumblers, the pelts and media to do that job.

my opinion is golf balls would break or damage actual hair follicles.

Sweet, thanks, I’m new to the tumbler so this is helpful stuff! How long do u run the drum for? Can u over do it?

I usually tumble for 15 mins then check and run longer if needed.
yes i have over tumbled and have had pelts rip, noses get smashed, tails break off. I personally think that comes from media being to dry when tumbling.