The purpose of salt before the pickle is to draw moisture and other liquids out of the hide. If the hide is properly air dried, it does most of the same thing. Salting instead of air drying does a better job. What little is still there will be drawn out in the pickle.

The orange bottle directions are the worst .

The pool ones weren’t sensitive enough like sniper says. A good tanning kit should give you the numbers you’re looking for. The strips are from a specialty store.

It is very simple.Soak the dry skin overnight in cold water If there is any question about the condition of the skin(not skinned and fleshed and dried properly,or animal was dead for a while before skinning boarding and drying) put 3 or 4 DROPS of bleach in the rehydrating soak-this will act as a bacteriacide.There is no need to do this with properly handled skins but will help marginal skins to a certain degree.
Next day take it out of the water and scrape the saddle off on a beam,then wash the skin with dawn dishsoap and warm water (do not let the skin sit in the soap water,just wash it for a couple minutes).if it was greasy take a scrub brush to the skin side while washing.
Then rinse the hide out so there is no soap left in it.Then wring it out and let it sit in cold water for an hour or so.
At this point the skin should be in the same condition as it was when first skinned.
Now it is ready for the pickle.

Thanks!!!!

Everyone

I wouldn’t follow coon creeks tanning videos. Everything else he does is awesome but if you follow a tanning video and they have the orange bottle I would shut it off there. Look up Amy’s taxidermy she walks you through everything

Amy’s Animal Art has a good video using Mckenzie taxidermy products. Probably work really well after the Boco treatment.

F&t has the ph strips you need.

I would pickle any skin you are going to tan and a good pickle will keep skins a long time when done right as someone else said. I have kept skins in a pickle for 3 months when I didn't have time to work on them. If you continue to tan after you use the supplies you have, rittels ez-100 kit is a good one with clear instructions for the entire process.

I seen some of Amy’s videos! Now that’s a real lady!
Not like Wetdog’s new blow up bimbo!