I'm also tanning! Heck, lets all tan!

[Secuono]

Good Job! Can't wait to see the finish project. Don't know much about tanning, but from what I seen and watched, you are definitely going in the right direction. Love the fact that "all the rabbit" is used.

How long does it take from beginning to end (final product)? Just curious.

Karen

So far, for me, 3 days in the first bath. I'm planning on waiting 2-3 days past the 7 days it says to wait, since my house is cold. I guess two weeks if it takes me some time to break a few hides a day after the 2nd bath.

 

[mystang89]

There is also a tanning process that fits in between the pickling and the tanning oil. I've always used "Safety Acid" (a product) for the pickle, a brush on Tan such as "Mckenzies", but there are others, and a Tanning Oil after the tanning process. You should be able to wash a tanned hide if necessary after the intial tanning to clean the residual oils from the fur.

I use the Safety Acid too and you can wash you hides but you will have to rebreak it or at least partially rebreak the hide(s).

 

[Secuono]

Well, the adult ones are refusing to peel. Tossed them into the acid n we'll see if a few days helps.

 

[mystang89]

Those young ones can be real tricky to peel. I did 3 yesterday and the last one ended up ripping a large hole in the middle. Upsetting when you spend all that time.

 

[KKRabbitry]

Awesome, your inspiring! I'm planning to start tanning a few pelts that I have in the freezer as soon as the weather warms up.
I'd love to see pics of them when they are all finished.
I can't wait to start on my rabbit hide......I've skinned raccoon and squirrel before, and rabbit was WAY easier to skin then they were. So I'm excited to see what the tanning is like compared to them.

 

[Secuono]

I use a knife to skin, I don't just pull and hope it comes off. Any of the membrane that gives resistance I slice and move on. Otherwise, if you cut the tendons in the hind legs, the rabbit falls because the legs come off. But I've had younger rabbits legs come off at the hip while skinning, so I always use the knife.

 

[Stormy]

Sorry about that. Someone had a hide that was pink and black from a not broken rabbit. Wonder what was going on. I read somewhere, then noticed on my own pelts, that some had black splotches and pink splotched on the flesh side of the pelt. These were not broken rabbits.

This happens because the pelt is not prime (not old enough and/or in top condition). Prime for many rabbits is a jr prime at 4-6 mos and a senior prime 6-9 mos ( a little older for Silver Fox and bigger breeds). The fur is at it's best, and the hide is thickening.

Oh, that explains those spots... thank you. So, fryers go at around 12 weeks or so... are you guys raising yours up to 6 months before butchering out? just for the skins? Those baby skins are just so delicate, I've been going nuts fleshing them out trying not to tear them.

Also I didn't know the temperature was so crucial - I put them in my outdoor laundry room where the gas heat for the house ventilates, so its always a bit warm in there but I don't think no 70 degrees... you guys really just put your nasty bucket in the house?

Also good to note when in doubt, we can add more alum! Would you add more salt too? Though mine seemed to tan fine with the Mother Earth News recipe... though I did leave them in longer maybe 5-7 days each bath as I couldn't get to them.

ps. I got a 50 lb bag of Alum at a Pool/landscape supply place for $50.

BAREHAND PEOPLE: ever heard of that connection between Aluminum and Alzheimer's disease? I think I'll stick to using my latex gloves, thank you... (this is why Alum is now so hard to find- it fell out of popularity) And for those who don't think ingesting is the same as plunging your hands in - think again - your skin is highly absorbative of anything you plunk yourself into. Its just a membrane, and it goes two ways. Just cuz you don't feel ill effects doesn't mean aluminum isn't stockpiling in your brain to cause issues 20 years from now. I am not claiming I know anything for sure - no one does - but why risk it?

I met a couple taxidermists who were whacky - that is all I have to think of to choose every precaution - had to be the chemicals.

SO - are you guys at the stage where you break the hides? I have about 20 hides hanging around being stiff. I worked some over, thought I did a good job, when they dried all the way they were still pretty stiff. How is it going for you? Any tricks?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

BAREHAND PEOPLE: ever heard of that connection between Aluminum and Alzheimer's disease?

Mercury is also thought to play a part in Alzheimers.

"Recent scientific research has shown high levels of mercury in the brains of individuals who died from Alzheimer's disease."

http://www.naturalnews.com/016544_mercu ... etals.html

Thimerosol, the preservative most commonly used in vaccines, contains about 50% mercury. Flu shot, anyone?

 

[mystang89]

SO - are you guys at the stage where you break the hides? I have about 20 hides hanging around being stiff. I worked some over, thought I did a good job, when they dried all the way they were still pretty stiff. How is it going for you? Any tricks?

20 hides to try and break at one time seems like a lot to me. I'm not sure I would be able to do it as I have a problem finding the time to do 4 hides at once. One thing I found which seemed to produce an even softer hide was a pumice stone. After the hides are completely dried and you've broken them as well as you can then use a pumice stone on them. If the hides aren't broken as well as you'd like then just soak them again with some water and start over.

 

[Secuono]

Oh, guess I need to post an update or something, eh?
Adult hides are impossible for me to peel. Read that someone sands theirs and I'll try that or I will make stiff furry hide things out of them. Fiance has a Glock holster and it's hide is thick and stiff. Thought I should make some fluffy rabbit gun holsters and sell them. Any interest? Lol.
Going to snip a bit from a hide and boil test it some point today. Hopefully, they are ready. Electric heater broke...only had it 2mo, I hate 'new technology', it always is cheap and breaking. So now it's back to being overly cold and this week, we are supposed to get to the teens, house will just freeze up and crumble, lol. Gotta insulate my fishies....<br /><br />__________ Sun Jan 20, 2013 10:30 am __________<br /><br />Ugh...it curled....maybe I should just forget about the bucket for a few months...until spring.

 

[Stormy]

Ugh...it curled....maybe I should just forget about the bucket for a few months...until spring.

Maybe add more alum? Is that is what I'm gathering from this thread... if lower temp = more time, more alum? how important is the heat? it doesn't have to be 70 degrees as I tanned mine in outdoor laundry room (where the furnace vented) Or, is this a project to save all the hides for summer weather???<br /><br />__________ Sun Jan 20, 2013 11:08 am __________<br /><br />

20 hides to try and break at one time seems like a lot to me. I'm not sure I would be able to do it as I have a problem finding the time to do 4 hides at once. One thing I found which seemed to produce an even softer hide was a pumice stone. After the hides are completely dried and you've broken them as well as you can then use a pumice stone on them. If the hides aren't broken as well as you'd like then just soak them again with some water and start over.

pumice stone? what do you do, just rub it on a dry hide?

I think I read somewhere on this forum someone who put hides in the dryer - no heat - with tennis balls. Does this ring a bell? I don't have a dryer (but there's the laundromat... heh heh I'd get shot if anyone found out) I just couldn't figure out how that would really help break the hides - movement, yes, but no stretching. Anyone else see that or try it?

 

[Secuono]

Well, started with the one cup alum, nothing happened. Added another cup. Then started fleshing and the young pelts went into the bucket which then another cup of alum was mixed in. 3 cups total so far. I guess I can toss in another cup, but good golly! Totally not worth it if I end up using 4lbs of alum! I guess winter tanning is a terrible idea, lol.

The sanding is to get that layer of skin off that will not just peel off during fleshing, not to break/soften it. Supposedly, the alum cannot get to all of the skin if that layer is still on. I think that's not true, its just so thick, it stays hard, like raw hide dog treats!

 

[Stormy]

The sanding is to get that layer of skin off that will not just peel off during fleshing, not to break/soften it. Supposedly, the alum cannot get to all of the skin if that layer is still on. I think that's not true, its just so thick, it stays hard, like raw hide dog treats!

that sounds like a case of cold water! Try softening them in warm water. I have the opposite - everything so soft that I tear the hide easily when removing the fleshy bits. You don't want to use a pumice stone on the fleshy bits that would take hours and hours!! I was referring to post-fleshy-bit - after the 2nd tan.

Are you following the recipe with equal parts alum AND salt?

 

[mystang89]

pumice stone? what do you do, just rub it on a dry hide?

I think I read somewhere on this forum someone who put hides in the dryer - no heat - with tennis balls. Does this ring a bell? I don't have a dryer (but there's the laundromat... heh heh I'd get shot if anyone found out) I just couldn't figure out how that would really help break the hides - movement, yes, but no stretching. Anyone else see that or try it?

The pumice stone isn't used to break the hide. You still have to break the hide by hand the hard way. All the pumice stone (or 60 grit sandpaper) is there for is a finishing touch after the hide has been broken. It loosens up more of the fibers that weren't broken during the breaking process and makes the pelt softer both to touch and in flexibility. You aren't trying to sand down the hide or take off flesh. The fleshing should have already been done at the pickling process. All you are trying to do is "scratch" it up after you've stretched it out. If you polyurethane then consider it the light sanding you do after you put on your first coat of polyurethane and before the second coating.

 

[Secuono]

That's not what I am talking about. Adult hides, the layer will NOT come off. Some people just sand it off. It turns into weird cotton candy texture after the pickle when you dry and try to peel. It's very weird.
But I won't be bothering with fleshing wet, way too many pin holes and tears show up and you can't predict them nor stop them. I'm going to end up trying random things with these.

 

[mystang89]

That was meant more for Stormy

Also Stormy, as far as putting the hides in the dryer on air dry - that is also for when the pelt is already stretched for the most part by hand. After you've stretched it by hand you can do that with the golf balls or tennis shoes. I personally wouldn't do tennis shoes with rabbit hides as they are really thin. TBH I just wouldn't do the dryer thing at all just for the simple fact of how loud it would be. I have enough loud things as it is but I've read of many people using the dryer after hand stretching.

 

[Secuono]

I wouldn't put golf balls in my dryer...

__________ Sat Feb 09, 2013 9:26 am __________

Finally finished one. Edges are weak and thin, so they tore. Those darned hidden pin holes from fleshing, of course, ripped when stretching. So, it looks raggedy, but it's finally done!

Adding, and this is important for me, the hides where I gave up trying to flesh them, they are still soft and flexible, just a nicer, heavier skin, like of a larger animal. =D
No more painstaking fleshing of adult hides for me!

 

[skysthelimit]

That looks about right. I've been putting mines back in the soak, and re-stretching the ones I did not get right the first time.

I am purposefully keeping Rex longer for the hides, but mines don't reach senior weight till 8 mos, and in the meantime I will breed those does for meat before they are culled.

 

[Secuono]

Opps, I forgot the other important half, lol.

 

[Shelbers91]

Lookin good!