[bobcat]

I'm looking over a few of my pelts from trapping this year and decided to keep a few and tan them for hats. I have tanned a few things before and even a bear hide with good success but never started from a dried pelt.
Should i re hydrate and salt them, them degrease and pickle or can i just go to the pickle?
the hides are coon, skunk, and beaver that have been fleshed stretched and dried for sale on the fur market.

 

[buckmasters243]

degrease them,i dont think you need to salt again.Maybe some one else can elaborate. Also look at the tanning formula instructions you have.

 

[mgp629]

I would love to hear how you did the bear hide. I thought they were to oily for the do it yourselfers but
I would like to try.

 

[bobcat]

the bear i fleshed on my blue English fleshing beam and thinned it the best i could, then degreased it in a big tub of dawn and watter then fleshed again. running the fleshing knife over it on the beam after it was in the dawn for a few hours seemed to pull alot of the oil out of it. then i rinsed pickled and put the home tan on. i had a little hair starting to slip on the belly flanks but when i put the tan on it tightened up. i think the reason for that was i used a vinegar pickle. and never go the ph where it needed to be.

 

[foxtrapperwoman]

You need to go all out- rehydrate, rinse, and into a pickle. You need to monitor the PH. Detail flesh and thinning of the thicker areas, back in pickle, next day degrease in a commercial fur dressing degreaser. Back in pickle a few more days, then you need to neutralize the hides, and apply tanning cream, etc. I've been using Headquarter's Supplies tanning stuff. It works great on foxes, and I can get coons to at least be wall hangers- they come out a little bit stiff. Much of the finishing work is breaking the hides to get them as soft as you can. Easy on foxes, but the thicker hide animals are harder. I've tried tanning beavers, very hard to soften them in finishing.

 

[bobcat]

thanks FTW!

 

[Lugnut]

Yes, definitely rehydrate. I've gone straight into the pickle with air dried hides and they didn't turn out as well as ones I rehydrated first.

I like Rittle's products. Bruce makes a solution I use in a relaxing bath that rehydrates and softens before the pickle.

 

[bearhunter jay]

Send them to moyles its easier.