[redfox11]

I picked up my hide from taxidermist. The hide wwas tanned in a commercial tannery in California and returned to taxidermist. The hide was submerged in water and frozen. I want to display the hide either by hanging it on a nail in the finished basement or "tack" it up on the wall in the basement to display it like a rug. What are my options with doing this now that the soft tan was soaked and frozen? Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[ChrisNeffFCO]

Why was it frozen in water, did the taxidermist give an explanation? It should have been dry tanned and it would be ready to hang up or tack it out however you wanted. Did the taxidermist tell you what kind of tanning method was used?

 

[redfox11]

Originally i ordered a full mount but after 27 months I check back in with taxidermist and was told that "It wasnt started yet". So I pulled the full mount order cause I thought the mount would of been at LEAST started and just want the tanned hide at that point. I wasn't told during my phone converstaion that the hide was watered and frozen. Appearantly you put water on the tanned hide before starting to put the hide on the form. Just to clarify the hide was not submerged in water and frozen into a square popsicile. Just the hide was in a garbage bag frozen.

 

[mmhanas]

That is called a "Wet Tan", which is what 90% of Taxidermists use today when doing a shoulder or lifesize mount. You need to send it back to a Tannery, they will tumble it and then it will be a "soft Tan". Call Eric or Joe at East Coast Tannery in Telford, 215-799-1900.

 

[ChrisNeffFCO]

Ok, so it is either wet tanned or a rehydrated dry tann. You may need to have the hide broke to get the leather soft or you could tack it out, but it will most likely stiffin up when it dries. Oiling the leather would help to prevent this.

 

[redfox11]

I think it was dry tanned and thenrehydrated. I was in last winter and seen the hide and it was just in a pile of other hides just on the shop floor.

 

[ChrisNeffFCO]

Either way, what you need to do is the same now. A wet tanned hide is essencially just a tanned hide that wasn't tumbled dry. What mmhanas suggested would be your best bet.

 

[redfox11]

Thanks for everyone's help!