A little more about tanning...

I have spoke to several people about tanning. I have watched, over the last couple of years, about all of the youtube and other tanning tips etc. online. The problem is, some of the other people I have talked to on here and other places have some of the same problems I have had. The 2 things that an everyday Jack and Jill have, and that are the MOST IMPORTANT STEPS IN TANNING... are not really covered, except for a few words.

Now if you are tanning to make wall hangings or dream catchers, and items that you don't care if the pelt is soft and pliable... this is no big deal... but if you want a finished soft pelt... it will be a toss up.

Okay the first step and it is litterallly the first step in preparing your hide, is the skinning and fleshing. There is so much more work in preparing a hide to turn it inot a finished pelt, than what there is to prepared the hide to be sold at the auction. Even with the lowly muskrat. Normally you knock the fat off leaving the saddle put it on the stretcher. A few minutes is required. Okay if you watch a video of someone at the tannery do it.... they have a shaving machine and are able to shave it down to where it needs to be... Now how do you go about shaving a rat hide down without a shaver and the know how... VERY carefully... one layer of membrane to many and the roots are exposed to the gurd hair and you have about destryed the hide.

I can tell you from experience it is easier to mess it up than it is to do it corectly. Practice, practice, practice... And I have messed up a few. You have to remove tissue that you didn't even know was there. What happens if you don't remove all of it? You have a very stiff and hard muskrat pelt... somewhat like you take to the auction... it is dried and stiff.

Okay... the second thing that is hardly ever covered or just glossed over is the BREAKING or softening. So in theory it is about the first step and the last step.Most of the videos show the tanner take a rolled-up lengthwise hide and runs it over a rope or wire several times, then shows you how soft it is... Remeber the BS flag that a couple post on here.... you need a really BIG BS flag for this. I have found a few ways of doing it, but they are all time consuming and hard on your hands. Another thing to remember is the fist step... fleshing is the first that will make a difference what happends in the last step. Most all of the other steps between the first step and the last step... is mild compared to the first and last. There is still work, but not as much.

The other thing to remember this is not something you are going to do in one or two days... the entire process will take you between 7 and 10 days... to do it right. I am not trying to dicourage anyone from trying or learning to tan... I just don't want anyone think you spend $8.95 or a bottle of the "Orange Stuff" and that is all there is too it. If you have that "Once in a Lifetime" fur that you want to keep for ever... My suggestion would be to get it done professionaly.

Here is the last ones I have done plus the red fox from a few weeks back...



Garry-

I’ll give you $3 for the coons, you pay shipping.

Good write up Actor.

Thank you ... Just trying to be realistic.

Garry-

Thanks Actor. I’ve been thinking about trying it. Thanks for posting

True. Softening hides is an art in itself.

Ain’t no shortcut that’s for sure.

thanks , your wall hangers look great

Great post. Thank you.

Been enjoying your tanning post. Like you said the reality of tanning is hard work and putting your time in, like all trades and arts. No shortcuts

Very Good... One of the BEST I have seen online. Although, the the hide is done for Taxidemy ... it isn't finished as far as wearables are concered. For wearables you leave the pelt to dry after the tan... and then start breaking it into a soft dry pelt. This will normally take 1 or more days of breaking (Softening).

Garry-

Well, that's not 100 percent true. I guess it would be better to say there are ways that are more efficient than other ways, rather than shortcuts. Of course, one thing that's hard to show is when you need to work a hide and when you can let it dry for a bit.

Breaking a hide with no fur on it is one thing... breaking a pelts with fur/hair is another. I believe, that most on here are talking about hair/fur on. Some of those animals you can't be overly rough on or you will shred it. The next coon I do... I will show how I break them... at least to a point. It would be much easier if we all had one of the 10' drums the tanneries have, but I am sure that 99.99% of us don't have that luxury.

Garry-

Thanks for this thread Actor. I'm looking forward to watching one on breaking. I wish to figure out how to do this myself.

I’ve got 20 foxes to do here shortly. I’ll be watching to see if your method will improve what I’m currently doing.

Anybody tried putting the hide in a clothes dryer with balls, tennis or baseballs? Newer models have air fluff no heat cycle.

Yep. But I also use a cable on furs...just have to be gentle on fox and thin hides.

Just wait till you try beaver tail leather. They are so small you can't get a grip on them and have any leather left to work back and forth over a sharp corner of a 2X4. I tried tanning 4 sides a few months ago and now am firmly convinced that I need to find a professional tannery that works on them. They came out tanned but about as stiff as they were before I started and believe me I pulled and stretched till my hands and fingers couldn't take it anymore. I did make a small knife sheath and a sheath for a very expensive set of bonsai shears, the stiff leather was find for that application.

I have no idea how pliable a pro tanner can get them but I sure can't get beyond cardboard stiff.

I have done it in my tumbler with softballs. It works to a degree but I still have to work them on the stake.

They get soft enough to make wallets with them. lol

I’ll take your word for it though.

How did you tan them?

The biggest thing in getting a hide soft is the oil and proper sweating I have been thinking about doing a video on tanning but never pulled the trigger. I will give the short run down on it and if someone wants the full process you can call me and I will explain in detail. My number can be found on the VTA website under vice president so here we go. Frist skin removal of all fat and membrane open ears lips everything then place in a picking bath I use safety acid it is 1/2 Oz per gallon of water and 1 lb of salt per gallon of water you will want a ph reading of 1.5. Depending on the hardness of your water you may need to add more acid to lower or a mixture of baking soda known as sodium bicarbonate 1oz per gallon of water go ahead and make 5 gallon you will need it for the next process. Now place hide in pickle (5 gal min the more you can make the better the hide will do) for a minimum of 72 hrs move around as often as you can take out and shave. You can use your fleshing knife it will need be sharp or you can make a wire wheel fleasher using a pump motor it has a threaded end on the shaft for the wire wheel get a soft one for this. Now back in to the pickle for 24 hrs take out and place in neutralize bath the baking soda that you mixed earlier for 20 min stirring often take out rinse off and let drain for 1 hr. Now for the tanning bath I use ez 100 it is 1oz to a gallon of water and 1/2 lbs salt to 1gal the ez 100 must be mixed in hot tap water and then add to the bath it goes in for 16 hrs no more take out rinse and drain for 15 min then comes the oiling. Now you will need a oil that is based on a animal fat not the brush on tans. This oil is mixed with hot water 1 to 1 and applied to the skin with a liberal amount fold skin to skin and allow to sweat for about 18 hours at a room temperature over 78 degrees. Now rinse in cold water and hang the hide up and let drain as it's drying pull the hide to stretch the fibers in the skin this will help with getting the skin soft. After the skin is dry you can finish breaking it over the edge of a table and you can also wire wheel it to get it soft. I may do a picture post on a hide to help out so it will be easier but if you get it oiled and sweated it will be easier to get soft.

Orange stuff in bottle.

Complete stuffing of the leather fibres with lube is the key to easy breaking and stretchy leather,if everything else is done correctly(ie-complete relaxing and full penetration of the tan)
Dressers use a kicker box for stuffing skins.

this is where mine dont get as soft as they could. after hours of drumming and working the hind my hands start cramping so i stop-luckily they are good enough for me but not something id make into something and try to get good money for! I do like the ability to do it and the experience though

I do this with golf balls when i take breaks from manually working it. im no professional but i doubt itd work well only using this

A tumbler should have about a four foot drop. IMO, dryers tumble too fast and they don't have enough drop.

Would a short faster drop be equivalent to a taller slower drop?

I have never tried tanning beaver tail so can't really get into an appropriate answer.

I don't know if in your tanning that you have been led to believe that you can't leave fox hides in pickle bath very long. The other methods I used, always pointed out not to leave them because the thinness of the hide. When I questioned the man at the TruBond comapany about it, he said, "Skin is Skin, some thick, some thin. Leave in pickle for 72 hours." So I did... "No Harm, No Foul."

I think the trick is not to let it dry out to much before adding the tanning solution, but to wet will probably be worse. I left hanging overnight, after I applied tanning solution and I about panicked because it felt drier than I thought it should be. I started working it with my hands at the head and neck and work to the bottom. It had very little stretch left in it, I thought.

I am unable to make a video. So....

Here is a photo with the implements that most have and I use with every stretching breaking Job.



The most important item in the photo is the pair of Jersey gloves. Some of you may think, this is silly, but let me assure you will notice a difference when you start stretching. What good does it do wearing them?? The first thing is to give you a better grip. I can hear it now... I am a big strong macho guy with strong hands, I don't need any sissy gloves... well, you are the one that needs them the most. Strength is not called for here, but finesse is. The gloves give you a controlled grip to be able to work at stretching without over stretching or tearing a hole in the pelt. The gloves make it possible for you to pull evenly so you get an even stretch.

I use various sizes of wire stretchers during the stretching process. You can see a rat, coon and a cut down mink stretcher. Once I have gone through the initial hand stretching, I begin using a stretcher that fits what I am stretching. I do not want the stretcher to be tight, like you would have if stretching for the market to dry. I want it to be able breath and stretch. I have tried probably 50 different instruments to use as a push stretcher and have found the heavy wood spoon to be most effective. You can see in the photos; the small end being used around sensitive areas and the broad end for major stretching. I work the large end across from the side wire to 2/3 across, the whole length, coming in from both sides. Then I rotate the hide on the stretch and repeat the action. I also used it up and down clear around the hide by rotating.

The wire stretchers or any facsimile, for different sizes for different animals. Here are a couple of photos, showing the basics and use of the spoon. If you live by yourself, you can sit and watch TV in your living room and do a lott of your stretching. Might not want to do this if you are married.





The muskrat hide shown was a throw-away I had from several years ago.

Have fun... K.I.S.S.

Garry-