I wouldn't call denatured alcohol a
tanning solution, but it is an effective bactericide and degreaser.
I have mostly seen it being used in europe for taxidermy prep of very small animals, like rodents.
The leather side on that finished pelt looks
terrible.
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to- ... r-Viewing/
Hmm...
After reading carefully I think I get why.
They didn't scrape the pelt well (I see dried flesh around the edges), and they didn't break it at all.
I've never had to nail a pelt down to scrape it. I just drape rabbit skins over the rounded part small split oak log.
I would not refer to fleshing or scraping as "cutting away the flesh."
Fleshing is done with a dull blade.
There is no cutting or sharp tool necessary for the process, although it is ice to have a very sharp knife handy just for the nipples. The nipple skin rips easily.
Fleshing a rabbit can be accomplished in
much less than 1-2 hours. That comment shows me that the person who made the tutorial is extremely inexperienced.
Breaking the leather is how you get the leather side soft and nice. It's done as (not after) the leather dries. It looks like they are counting on over-oiling to compensate for the lack of breaking.
There is WAY too much salt being wasted. It's not necessary to use that much or salt that long for one little rabbit skin.
I'm looking for some pics for you. My RT gallery has some too.
Ah, here is an old tutorial I made, while testing stuff out:
tanning-easy-and-using-vinegar-as-a-pickle-experiment-t18829.html
__________ Mon Feb 15, 2016 8:35 am __________
As an interesting comparison.
This is a hair off rawhide I made the other night. Ripped because my dog started eating it before I could make pet toys out of it.
Made with nothing except elbow grease, my mouse sander, and a fleshing tool (dull antique carpet knife).
No salt. No alcohol. No chemicals or solutions. Not even any oil.
It's a bit papery, and has no stretch.
On the up side, there was no slippage. The fur is effectively preserved so long as it remains dry.
Not a method I'm suggesting for garment quality pelts, but it would work OK for pet toys or wallhangers kept in relatively dry conditions.
My point is that this much can be done with
absolutely no tanning ,degreasing, pickling, or oiling at all.
Just fleshing, drying and breaking.