Standard Rex

[WildWolf]

Has anyone ever tanned a standard rex? How did you tan it? How did it turn out? I'm thinking that if I breed another breed (I'm just starting to breed Silver Foxes) I'll probably get standard rex.

 

[skysthelimit]

Yes. The reason I started raising Rex is for the fur, and once, and in some places still, they were a popular fur breed.

I tanned with alum. The hide is very white and soft. I did not buff it. The fur is incredible.

 

[trinityoaks]

sky, how long have you been doing this? I'm wondering how long a fur lasts with an alum tan. I have Rex that I hope to start breeding for fur (as well as meat) before too long.

 

[skysthelimit]

So far only a year. There is a great debate. People say the acid lasts longer, but the alum is softer and white. I took a pelt to school, it's been handled for a whole year by 30 plus 3rd graders, and it's still in good shape. One guy on a forum said he had alum tanned stuff last 20 +years.

 

[crystalineshadow]

Where do you get the alum? I've asked at the feed store (which is where I'd heard you get it) and they looked at me like I was crazy and sent me to the canning section... perhaps I need to try a different feed store. Is there another name it goes by, and what do non-tanners DO with alum anyway?

 

[caroline]

Aluminum Sulfate. You can buy it in the garden section. It's used to make the soil more acid.

 

[skysthelimit]

And to can veggies and pickle cucumbers. I got it out of the spice section at Walmart. One of those little jars tans one hide. If you need a lot, order it from eBay. I have no where to get it local, no one sells anything like that in the garden centers in the city.

 

[WildWolf]

Can you explain what you do when you tan with alum? I've never tanned a rabbit, but I would love to try someday. I'm hoping to breed for meat, and if I kill a rabbit I'm going to use every part of it.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Can you explain what you do when you tan with alum? I've never tanned a rabbit, but I would love to try someday. I'm hoping to breed for meat, and if I kill a rabbit I'm going to use every part of it.

Here is a link to the Mother Earth News article that details tanning rabbit hides....

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Modern-H ... Hides.aspx

Just FYI....a lot of this type of stuff has already been covered here previously and you can usually find it by doing a "search" on it...

 

[WildWolf]

Oh, ok, thanks one acre!