Hard work paying off

Rabbit Talk  Forum

Help Support Rabbit Talk Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Zass

Well-known member
Rabbit Talk Supporter
Joined
Oct 6, 2013
Messages
6,395
Reaction score
51
Location
northwest PA
These are some of the pelts from my recent batch of fryers.
All opal lynx, blue steel or lilac steels. Far from a prime age, but I'm not disappointed.
(I'm impressed with their dress out too, but I don't have numbers for you.)

The lynx pictured didn't have standup fur, and this time around I'm culling heavily for that trait.

These guys have a softness and density that I REALLY like. I'd say it's a bit softer feeling than SF fur. Maybe from the Lilac genes?

My husband said that we had to have a quilt of these for the bed.

So..I guess I have a lot of tanning to do. :gettowork: :(
The result of my work? More work. :roll:

We have decided to retain one lynx buckling, one lynx doeling and the SF doe to continue this line (at least until I get my quilt.)
 

Attachments

  • GEDC4603.JPG
    GEDC4603.JPG
    203.9 KB · Views: 2,377
  • GEDC4604.JPG
    GEDC4604.JPG
    118.5 KB · Views: 2,377
Wow, these are beautiful!! I don't have money to spend now but do you have a site you sell these on? I'm thinking you do but I can't remember.
 
Zass":26k4of9b said:
This is what that lynx buckling will make with the doe's your getting from me. :)

Do you tan, or have any interest in it?

We sure do!
I dabbled (somewhat unsuccessfully) in it years ago, when I was very young. I put the pelts from the rabbits I've done straight in the freezer. We need to get supplies, and then get to work! I'm really hoping to have more success than the last time I delved into tanning! Any tips? :all-ears:
 
WhWRabbitry":3s0r5o14 said:
Wow, these are beautiful!! I don't have money to spend now but do you have a site you sell these on? I'm thinking you do but I can't remember.

I used to sell mountable soft sculpture taxidermy quality pelts a few years back.

(Imagine a soft stuffed rabbit with only the head mounted traditionally)

Funny story.

I thought I'd be clever and send some nice skins for a low price to some very high profile collectors and one of the only taxidermists in the world at the time who specialized in soft sculpture domestic rabbits.

Those high profile people gave my pelts such great reviews (a lot more than I feel they truly deserved) That I ended up swamped under demand. :blush:

I totally underestimated how many people (globally) were going to want those things.
I didn't want to raise my prices and make my pelts too exclusive. (I realize this sounds silly to some.)

So, I tried working with other tanners, but that created a new problem of people using my name to sell pelts that hadn't been tanned properly.

I ended up so burnt out that I could hardly bring myself to tan anything for the past two years.

Maybe not so funny of a story. :?

Anyway. if I ever produce more than I can use myself... I'll probably set up an e-bay or etsy. I dunno.
I really love working directly with artists and crafters (and collectors) to provide what they want or need for specific projects. I'm not sure how to do that on a global scale without accepting orders from 100's of people who just want...product.
 
Zass":364djat1 said:
WhWRabbitry":364djat1 said:
Wow, these are beautiful!! I don't have money to spend now but do you have a site you sell these on? I'm thinking you do but I can't remember.

I used to sell mountable soft sculpture taxidermy quality pelts a few years back.

(Imagine a soft stuffed rabbit with only the head mounted traditionally)

Funny story.

I thought I'd be clever and send some nice skins for a low price to some very high profile collectors and one of the only taxidermists in the world at the time who specialized in soft sculpture domestic rabbits.

Those high profile people gave my pelts such great reviews (a lot more than I feel they truly deserved) That I ended up swamped under demand. :blush:

I totally underestimated how many people (globally) were going to want those things.
I didn't want to raise my prices and make my pelts too exclusive. (I realize this sounds silly to some.)

So, I tried working with other tanners, but that created a new problem of people using my name to sell pelts that hadn't been tanned properly.

I ended up so burnt out that I could hardly bring myself to tan anything for the past two years.

Maybe not so funny of a story. :?

Anyway. if I ever produce more than I can use myself... I'll probably set up an e-bay or etsy. I dunno.
I really love working directly with artists and crafters (and collectors) to provide what they want or need for specific projects. I'm not sure how to do that on a global scale without accepting orders from 100's of people who just want...product.


That's an amazing story!!!
 
There is a blanket made of fur that does not put any stress on the skins. I don't know what tanning process you use, but live rabbit skin is like tissue paper and I can't imagine it lasting very long as a quilt...look at all the pulled apart rabbit skin coats at Good will....

The blanket I'm talking about cuts a spiral strip from the hide and wraps that around a leather thong. The thong is what takes the stress of the blanket being used. You then fix one end of the thong to a 2X4 (or pipe) and the other end to another 2X4 and weave thongs around the pelted up and down thongs.

The trick is to use two thongs going across and twist them once between each pelted thong, to keep a little space between the upright strands. I didn't find the directions at the moment, but will attach them soon. <br /><br /> __________ Tue Apr 28, 2015 11:12 am __________ <br /><br /> that was quick...better description than mine!

http://www.primitiveways.com/rabbit_skin_blanket.html
 
owlsfriend":2rcu74x6 said:
There is a blanket made of fur that does not put any stress on the skins.

__________ Tue Apr 28, 2015 11:12 am __________

that was quick...better description than mine!

http://www.primitiveways.com/rabbit_skin_blanket.html

That is a neat link Owlsfriend.

I've seen pulled apart mink and fur seal coats at goodwill too, and I know those are more durable than rabbit.

I assure you though, properly tanned domestic rabbit skins are much more durable than live rabbit skin.

That change is one of the things I find absolutely fascinating about tanning.

The skin of an older buck can be nearly heavy as deer or goat skin. :shock:
I might have to grow my fryers out past 9-10 weeks to get quilt durability, but the potential is there.


I have been rolling around what I can use as a backing.
As it would definitely be a dry clean only type of blanket...I would not want mine designed where the fur is intended to be in contact with much skin and sweat, nor would I want it to be absorbent.

A quilt designed to be just a top layer to a bed with a heavy water resistant backing.

Rabbit fur is already fairly hydrophobic, so it would not wick away sweat like wool or cotton. Probably a good thing in this context.

I'm still rolling around what I want to use for the backing.
Right now, smoked buckskin leather (from whitetail) seems fairly appealing.
I would definitely want to use something other than brains though, as I really didn't care for the smell of that. (just a personal preference of mine)

Bikegurl, I have ALL sort of tips depending on what you are tanning, what it's intended for, how quickly you want to be able to finish the process, how much money you want to put into it, and what range of chemicals you are comfortable working with. :lol:

I have worked out a few methods that can be done by anyone at home without ordering any chemicals.
My posts are all over the rabbits for fur section on here. :)
 
alforddm":1kho9mvh said:
Zass, you really need to write a kindle book. I'd buy it!

Any useful info I may have collected is available for free.

Money seems to be another one of things I'm allergic too. ;)

Besides that, I can't think of anything that I'd consider myself to be truly well educated in. :?
We're all still learning together. :)


Lets take a moment to pity my long suffering husband. The man deserves a medal.
 
Zass":3mgsk1ir said:
alforddm":3mgsk1ir said:
Zass, you really need to write a kindle book. I'd buy it!

Any useful info I may have collected is available for free.

Money seems to be another one of things I'm allergic too. ;)

Besides that, I can't think of anything that I'd consider myself to be truly well educated in. :?
We're all still learning together. :)


Lets take a moment to pity my long suffering husband. The man deserves a medal.

Still.... We want book. We want book. We want book. :thewave:
 
Back
Top