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

[Secuono]

I ordered Alum the other week, came in two days early, Wednesday! So I got the bucket ready and flopped the hides in. Been a day and they are white, but not really goopy or boogary like I've heard. Maybe it will take more days, idk. I had rinsed and salted them, then rinsed and put them into the bucket.
I believe it's ten hides, found 1 or 2 more in my freezer after removing some rabbit/duck meat for the dog. Whoopsies!

 

[skysthelimit]

Depending on your temp, it should take about 10 days for the whole process.

 

[Secuono]

Yea, main house is 55-60 at night, 60-65 during the day. Additions get to 40-45 at night. I'm expecting it to take several days extra, lol. But I'm not really in a hurry.

The skin is very white on most of them now, not really having a mushy layer yet. We'll see.

 

[skysthelimit]

You fleshed it already? if you, you probably won't get the slimy stage. I don't flesh at all before pickling, i get teh slime only on ones that have a lot of flesh left on them.

 

[Secuono]

I attempted to, but it really didn't want to go anywhere, so I just got the bigger chunks off instead. Salted twice, heavily the 2nd time, left it for a day n then froze it, as I realized they had to be frozen again, didn't have the Alum yet. They were frozen before as soon as I pulled them off and just shoved into bags. Didn't want the mess to thaw when the alum came in, that's why I did it early and ended up salting them...Gotta pack them better for next time.

 

[ColdBrook]

I was going to try the acid bath and bought the acid but am a wee bit nervous about it since I have a three year old in the house. Where did you get the alum? I don't have enough hides yet to do a batch anyway. Will be watching to see how yours go! Good luck!

 

[mystang89]

Wow, 10 hides at once. Way more than I can bring myself to do. Good luck with those.

I would think that even if you fleshed it that it would still become a bit gooey. I'd probably say it was the temperature. Have you been able to check the PH level of your pickle?

Keep us updated! I'd love to see how they turn out.

 

[skysthelimit]

yeah I thawed them, salted them, then we had super storm Sandy, took the alum a while to get here and i lost about 15 hides, where th hair just slipped off. I should have put them back in the freezer. lesson learned.

my house is much colder than that, optimum temp for alum is somewhere closer to room temp. I only got the slimy on the ones I did not rinse, but just threw in the bucket. Didn't affect anything though. Salt and pH have a lot to do with it.

 

[mystang89]

Sucks to hear about losing all those pelts

 

[Tegan]

After I do this batch of fryers (few more weeks if I'm lucky, I need to weigh them soon), I'll have a bunch of hides to play with. I think I have 6 or 7 in the freezer now, these fryers will make 7 more. I figure That'll give me plenty to play with for a while.

 

[mystang89]

I think it would be pretty neat for everyone to tan their hides at the same time and bring them together so we can actually feel the results from each technique. Unrealistic yes, but neat none-the-less.

 

[Secuono]

I got the Alum online, Amazon.
I'm hoping I can leave some of them in the bucket while I mess around with the others. Some are 8-12weekers, some 5-7mo and others 1-2yr rabbit pelts.
I haven't checked any Ph, I do have a liquid test, which is far more accurate than strips, but, the tests are older and not sure if I still have Ph anywhere. My water is very hard, well-water, so I'm thinking I should of added more of the Alum. I'll search for my test kit and if I have it, I'll test the water.

I got some of the Alum water on my hand, didn't wash it off until after mixing in each pelt, nothing happened. Maybe because I need more alum in there...

 

[mystang89]

What kind of tester do you have and would you recommend it?

Also, I don't know if this is the way it is with most acids but I put my hand in the bucket of Safetee Acid and started pulling some of the fat/flesh off with nothing more than a slight reddening of the hand and eventually some pretty irritating tingling. I'd definitely still have to recommend wearing gloves for any acid combination.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

I got the Alum online, Amazon.
I'm hoping I can leave some of them in the bucket while I mess around with the others. Some are 8-12weekers, some 5-7mo and others 1-2yr rabbit pelts.
I haven't checked any Ph, I do have a liquid test, which is far more accurate than strips, but, the tests are older and not sure if I still have Ph anywhere. My water is very hard, well-water, so I'm thinking I should of added more of the Alum. I'll search for my test kit and if I have it, I'll test the water.

I got some of the Alum water on my hand, didn't wash it off until after mixing in each pelt, nothing happened. Maybe because I need more alum in there...

If you are using the Mother Earth News recipe, I would add another batch of salt/alum to your liquid. From experience, I can tell you that it isn't enough for 10 hides. The amount in the recipe will really do about 5-6.

 

[Amy]

How much alum goes into a batch of let's say 5 pelts?
My plan is to tan all of our hides as we start butchering.
I'll be ordering alum when things get closer, but it seems I remember seeing it in 1 lb. bags on amazon, so what's a good amt. to get started with???
Anything else to know before ordering it? Different kinds or names to look for? Brands?

 

[Secuono]

There's a 4lbs bag, too.


I did a cup of salt and cup of alum to 2gal water.
I have the API aquarium master kit, used it on my aquariums when I got started or when something isn't right and I'm ruling out bad water.

 

[skysthelimit]

I got the Alum online, Amazon.
I'm hoping I can leave some of them in the bucket while I mess around with the others. Some are 8-12weekers, some 5-7mo and others 1-2yr rabbit pelts.
I haven't checked any Ph, I do have a liquid test, which is far more accurate than strips, but, the tests are older and not sure if I still have Ph anywhere. My water is very hard, well-water, so I'm thinking I should of added more of the Alum. I'll search for my test kit and if I have it, I'll test the water.

I got some of the Alum water on my hand, didn't wash it off until after mixing in each pelt, nothing happened. Maybe because I need more alum in there...

An excellent idea, I think I need a water tester now.

Alum is a pretty mild acid, unless you ingest it. Unfortunately, I have reactions to deodorants that contain alum, so it does make me itch for the first few days it's at full strength. After the pickle has been sitting for a while, it doesn't bother me. That's my cue to add more alum to the mix.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

How much alum goes into a batch of let's say 5 pelts?
My plan is to tan all of our hides as we start butchering.
I'll be ordering alum when things get closer, but it seems I remember seeing it in 1 lb. bags on amazon, so what's a good amt. to get started with???
Anything else to know before ordering it? Different kinds or names to look for? Brands?

You can also get your farm store to order it or get it at lawn/garden places. Aluminum sulfate is used for Hydrangeas I think?....

 

[Secuono]

Got a bigger bucket, doubled the alum and tossed the hides in.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

The amount in the recipe will really do about 5-6.

No it will do all hers as they are all not adults... That recipe is for the adult skins.

I didnt have to use Ph test strips as my water is a soft water... I left the fist stage in for 3 days.. the older ones are harder to flesh..They younger ones are easy to tear. ... then back in the bucket with another cup of salt ect... Leave 7 to 8 days. Rinse.. I used my bare hands... It didnt bother me at all. It is really hard to get the salt out of them. Soak in soapy water ... Then drain and do it again. .. Then squeeze as much water out as you can. then hang them. In your temp it is going to take longer. My house is over 70 as i have wood. THen the next step is timming for stretching..