How hot is too hot for hide breaking?

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I have used ants the same way for smaller hides and vultures for pig hides, they all did a pretty great job.

Hides dried flat store in a smaller space, I have over 200 right now so case drying doesn't work for my storage space but if you have the area, good on ya!

You may or may not have trouble with the tanning process as the dried connective tissue absorbs differently and doesn't break very well but it also comes off with some effort during breaking so, really, when you have time just keep experimenting, its all good fun!
 
I am new to rabbits and haven't attempted to do anything with the skins yet, so thank you for all the information it is very helpful. I have them in the freezer until I am ready. But I have never heard of taking them from the bun and stretching them right away. I thought you had to soak them for a week in alum or battery acid and then scrap the skins. I have kids and I'm in the Pacific Northwest, so battery acid might not be the best for me to use. We do get lots of flies, but I wonder if the pet store sells the larger maggots that would eat off the skins. If so I could hang them above my chickens to air dry and then the maggots would be nummy treats for my girls. I also will try the dryer. mine can run for an hour with no heat, but I could run it in the house with wood blocks. Especially when the kids are in school.

Few questions:
How big do the blocks need to be? same size as the wood balls?

Do I still need to soak the skins before I stretch them or can I thaw and then stretch?

How long should the skins be stretched before I do the next process step? I know they can stay stretched a while but what's the minimum?

I will have a new litter in a couple of weeks and then be able to process some a few weeks later. So I want to be prepared so I am not wasting too many. My kids have been helping me and my oldest can't wait to use it for crafting. I am planning on making blankets.
 
I take the hides straight off the rabbit, flesh and then dry. That gives me YEARS to work with it. Seriously, other than moths and a hurricane, I havnt found anything other than dogs that can hurt a dried hide.

The wooden blocks were cut down two by fours so about four by four by two but I also used a few other cuts but none too big.

Shoes worked great but they didnt last long. lol

I dont use any tanning agent stronger than boiled black tea. All I want is the tannins and, so far, my hides have lasted for years of heavy useage. I made a throw blanket and sleep with it all winter, its still going strong six years later.

My only reservation to the magots is that heat and bacteria can lead to fur slippage but, seriously, give it a try. Use a hide you don't mind losing though.

In fact, for the first few tries of tanning and breaking a hide, always use a NOT FAVORITE hide!!! That way you can relax cause it really doesnt matter if it fails or not.

And success is always fluffy, even with a substandard hide.

I do freeze hides sometimes if I have ot do too many rabbits to flesh the hides same day of processing so just thaw and do as you plan, either stretching with the connective bits and fat still on or as I do, fleshed first.

Really sharp scissors work a treat for fleshing, it takes a bit of practice but they work so much better than knives, for me at least. I once fleshed an entire cow hide using nothing but a pair of scissors so they really do work. lol

And have fun!
 
Oh, I forgot to add, bought tanning agents all talk about uniformity of hide colour but, with natural tanning agents every hide will be a different colour which I like.

I just have to be careful to not get the agent on the fur as it can stain lighter hides. But even that can work in my favor sometimes.
 
GBov said:
Oh, I forgot to add, bought tanning agents all talk about uniformity of hide colour but, with natural tanning agents every hide will be a different colour which I like.

I just have to be careful to not get the agent on the fur as it can stain lighter hides. But even that can work in my favor sometimes.
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Thank you so much. I think I am going to try the black tea method. It is so hard to find an ample supply of alum and I have kids so the whole battery acid thing I am not willing to try.

My 2 oldest are doing open show at the fair end of next month so maybe we can do some and show how it works. Bring some steps about tanning hides. Or at least be ready for next year.
 
The slippage...right! I guess that would make for a not very nice fur!

Well, I alum-tanned about 100 hides to make sure I knew how to do it, but then decided I might need to learn/do other things at this time in my life. During that learning process, I had a few batches that got slippage because I left them in the pickle (alum & salt water) too long.

So, to prevent waste, I got another idea: if there is loose hair you could potentially use it in spinning. After talking to a few people who know about such things, it seems as though it would work if you added the rabbit fiber (hairs) to a longer fiber before spinning (like sheep's wool). I have a friend who is going to try it. Another use is for lining nests that have to be moved or that need more fur for various reasons.

Then, the hairless hide that is left could be turned into some of the finest and strongest glue there is: "hide glue". It is a very simple process! Basically, cut up, add water and cook down until it is nice and thick. Luthiers (instrument makers) and bookbinders use this type of glue for some of their applications. It is stored dry, so it can last a long time, and is applied heated, so it is quite durable. Good to attach arrowheads to arrows, axe heads, etc. Good for making lots of natural, handmade items.

The hide can also be cut into a long, thin strip (several yards long) and twisted to form a very strong cord. I saw a video of a squirrel skin being used that way. Great for bow strings, etc. His cord easily held 40# and was more than 10 ft. long. He explained that the general principle is: the smaller the hide, the stronger it is for such an application.

Glad to be able to share this information with others who are interested! And, I REALLY appreciate hearing what others have learned so I don't have to go through the experiment myself.
 
You can get a large bag of alum from a garden supply source. 25-50# bags
 
The price is WAY better from the garden store than the grocery store!!!
 
All such good information. I can't wait to try tanning next weekend. I will check with my garden store and see what they have. I am also going to try the black tea method. My 2 older kids are going to be showing at the fair at the end of summer, so we have time for them to learn and then show.

My daughter wants to learn how to spin yarn and so we might just try to spin rabbit fur. Makes sense to add it to another fur.

But I might have to try to make glue just to see if I can. My husband and I want to make old-style furniture and tools. We might just have to try to make some bow strings. That would be a fun project for the kids.
 
I always found Van Dyke's Taxidermy Supply to be a good, reliable source for tanning supplies but I haven't tanned anything in a very long time.
 

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