[TheForge] Skunk parts

[Roy Wilson]

On Thu, 13 Dec 2001 08:58:56 -0600, Bryan &Susan Black wrote:

>At the risk of being somewhat off topic, are there any good (preferably
>online) resources on how to preserve a hide "hair-on"???  I have seen a few
>on making buckskins (hair-off) but not much on preserving the pelt with the
>hair still intact. 

	Salt.  Right after you flense the hide, work salt into the
hair side.  Fold hair side in.  Rub salt into the flesh side, flip
it over, work in more salt.  Let dry 24 hours, shake out the old
salt and repeat.

	I usually don't bother, since I keep the vats running all
year.  They go right into the acid bath, which is heavy brine held
at a pH of 2 (any acid will do, I use oxalic because it's cheap and
doesn't yellow the skin) for three days, then a rinse and right
into the tannin.  I use Lutan-F, a complex aluminum salt.

	Call WASCO 1-800-334-8012 and order a "Small Mammal Tanning
Kit", they run under $20.  All the chemicals and full instructions.
 You get enough to do about half a dozen big raccoons or two full
deer hides in the kit.




Roy Wilson
General Operations Director
Wilson Eclectics