Author Topic: Home-tanning hides. (Read 1574 times)

JeffG · « **on:** November 23, 2003, 05:22:07 AM »

I picked up a nice raccoon that I want the fur on hide tanned. I'd like to do it myself. What's a good recipe for an alum tan, or any good home tan? Thanks!

cotton1 · « **Reply #1 on:** November 23, 2003, 11:30:42 AM »

try this site for some other ways to tan
www.braintan.com

IlliniTrapper15 · « **Reply #2 on:** December 07, 2003, 02:06:08 PM »

The way i have been tanning hides is to salt them down with a thick layer of salt until the skin is dry and hard then i use a file or wood rasp to scrap away at it until it is as pliable as i want it

rascal (Joe Duncan) · « **Reply #3 on:** December 07, 2003, 03:48:14 PM »

IT15;
Actually, you are not really tanning the hide when you heavy salt it. You are simply temporarily curing the pelt. The salt is removing moisture from the pelt thereby curing.
The tanning process is much more long lasting. The braintan mentioned is a good method or a home tanning kit can be purchased from taxidermy suppliers such as Rittels or others. After the tanning has been done, the pelt needs to be "broken" to make it soft and also tanning oil added.

Wackyquacker · « **Reply #4 on:** December 07, 2003, 04:49:45 PM »

I'll take what Joe said just a step further cause someone may tell you how to alum tan and you might not be happy.

In a general sense any tan that uses aluminum as the blocking agent in the tan is an ALUM tan. Most, however mean Alum...Aluminum hydroxide (AlOH). Tans using AlOH require alot more breaking than other types of aluminum tans. I recomend that you go to Van Dykes Taxidermy supply and get the Luftan kit or just get the Luftan. This is Aluminum potasium chloride. It is a a good tan easy, cheap, safe, fast and does not require as much breaking as the other types of "ALUM" tans.

Van Dykes is one of Cabelas subsidiaries if it doesn't come up on a search. My catalogue is out in the shop and there is 150 fet of COLD between me and it. If you have any problem getting to Van Dykes post and I'll get the info to you BRRRRRRRrrrrrr!

Wilky · « **Reply #5 on:** December 08, 2003, 01:17:19 AM »

Wacky, I'm very interested in these home tans and wonder how well they hold up over the years? I've seen the deer hunters tanning solution that is supposed to produce a nice supple tan. I have also seen the Luftan or Lutan tanning in Cabelas that says it also produces a nice soft tan. Deffinetly going to get one, just trying to find the best tan short from having it sent out. :grin:

Wilky

Wackyquacker · « **Reply #6 on:** December 08, 2003, 02:44:53 PM »

The tan is only a wee part of the story. Hide prep is really important...fleshing, degreasing and shaving (for some hides). Then after the tan oiling and breaking. If you're doing things like red fox, kit fox or coyotes shaving is a none issue. On the other hand grey fox , cats badgers , beaver, elk, buffalo and bear nead shaving (thining some portions of the hide). I have a seven foot diameter drum and it will break furbeares and elk to ptoduce a very good "rug" tan. For garmet tanning most industrial tanneryies use a kicker to produce the supper soft leather of fur coats etc.

Once a skin is tanned it is tanned. If it gets wet you will have hardening with most tans. There is / are an organic based tan(s) that covalently bind to the colagen in the hide,, these do not leach out when the hide is wet...these tans "hstiffen" up to a lesser extent.

Luftan, in my opinion, is the easiest, safest, and most reproducible of the inorganic tans.

KYtrapper17 · « **Reply #7 on:** December 13, 2003, 11:49:03 AM »

Here are My home tanning directions.

Your hide must be fleshed and dried.

Your materials are:
aluminum sulfate
non-iodized salt
lysol concentrate
dawn dishwashing liquid
coleman lantern fuel

DIRECTIONS:
Soak hided in the coleman lantern fuel for thirty minutes. Then rinse well and soak in a dawn dish washing liquid bath for thirty minutes and rinse well again. This degreases the hide.

Now it is time to make your tanning bath. Add 1 cup of aluminum sulfate and 1 cup of non-iodized salt per gallon of water you use for the bath. Also add 1 teaspoon of lysol concentrate per gallon. The lysol concentrate kills all the bacteria. Lets say for an example you have a 10 gallon bath. The first two or three gallons of water should be hot to dissolve the sulfate and salt. The rest should be cold water so as to not start the hide in hot water. Next add the hide to bath and make sure it is completely submerged. The tanning will take seven days and you will need to stir it twice a day.

Also about 2 days into the tanning period take the hide out and re-flesh it. This isd also known as shaving. This opens the pores up and lets the tanning stuff get in better. It will also help soften it. Then put the hide back into the bath for the remaining days. On the seventh day take it out. I then flesh it again to help soften it. Stetch it until it is just a little damp then begin to break it. I work mine on a square edge. This softens it more.

This way of tanning doesn't make the hide as soft as some tannings do but if you shave and break the hide it will be pretty ply- able. I have done a coyte, coons, deer hides, bobcats, and a muskrat like this. It works well for me. Try it and let me know how it works for you.

Good Luck,
Zach Ellis