[TheForge] Skunk parts

Fri Dec 14 16:19:01 2001

There are quite a variety of tanning methods. Like cooking  most of 
us  find a method that works for us, and then keep using it.

Applying cooked brains, or using an acid solution, both tended to make my 
stomach roll.
The best buffalo hide that I ever saw was brain tanned with the wool / hair 
on it.  It had an asking price of $1,600.   My   commercially acid  tanned 
buffalo hide  has started slipping hair.

After having variable results with other methods,  I  found  my best luck 
with simple mineral oil, like old people take to as a laxative. Oil tanning 
is rubbing mineral oil into the inside of a cleaned washed hide.  while it 
is stretched and drying, almost as if you were applying brains.   I used a 
canoe paddle to push and stretch the hide in a frame. While not a perfect 
method, I think  oil tan stinks the least,  it is cheap and available 
everywhere,  and doesn't involve  acid on my skin. If you get a little 
mineral on the fur side, it doesn't hurt that  either.

Best of all,  at least for me, the hair doesn't tend to slip.

I have one mineral oil "tanned"  deer hide that is 6 or 7 years old now, 
and has been my chair cover at many mountain man  "rendez vous" .  It was a 
summer road kill doe with short hair.  It has gotten damp a number 
of  times in the rain, and  it still  looks good.

Several suggest using salt, but I don't believe that  really "tans" the 
hide, but rather , salt  dries it up and prevents bacteria growth,  so that 
it won't rot.  I believe that the salt   will tend to leave 
the  hide  brittle and result in cracks in the leather as the hide/ fur 
ages.   Buffalo Skinners  salted their hides to keep them from spoiling 
until they could be tanned.  Easier just to roll your pelt up and put it in 
a double plastic bag in the freezer.   Your wife not   love having  a  pelt 
near her   frozen preserves. I know first hand! <g>

If you are thinking of brain tanning, and wish to keep the hair from 
slipping ( shedding badly) then don't soak it vary long,  only a 
few  hours, or perhaps over night, and avoid the use of salt.  The longer 
you soak, the worse hair will slip later.  The fresher the hide that you 
work, the less it will stink, and the less fur / hair will tend to slip 
when the hide has been tanned.  Tanning is really a nasty job if you let 
the hide "age".

"Today",   is always better than "tomorrow"  to tan a hide that you intend 
to keep.

Dann Johnson

At 10:08 AM 12/14/01 -0800, you wrote:
>"Brain Tanning" is mostly for hair off tanning on large hides. For furs or 
>hides
>with hair on, use an acid tan. One that is easy to use and remember is, one oz
>sulfuric acid to one gallon of water (always add the acid to the water) 
>plus one
>quart of salt. Make enough to cover the skin. Let it soak until when you 
>trim a
>strip off the edge, you see that the skin is the same color all the way 
>through.
>Rinse, wring and work until dry and soft.
>Darrell
>
>http://www.machinemaster.com
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Rafter Lazy C" <[email protected]>
>To: <[email protected]>
>Sent: Thursday, December 13, 2001 4:01 PM
>Subject: Re: [TheForge] Skunk parts
>
>
> > Bryan -
> >     Don't know about off-topic, but I used to have a brain tanning formula,
> > and I will try to find it.  In the meantime, I remember the old Indian
> > saying that each animal has just enough brains to tan his own hide.  I
> > wonder if that means I get more brains each year now that I am getting
> > heavier?
> >     The way to so this was to boil the brains.  I did a deer hide and used
> > pork brains from the butcher, since I was given the hide, I didn't want to
> > ask for the brains, too!  After they are boiled, which my wife said smelled
> > terrible, they should squish in your hands like a fine hand cream.  Rub 
> this
> > into the hide on the inside (after removing all the gunk) and cover with a
> > plastic tarp or something that will keep it moist overnight.do this 2 or 3
> > nights in a row, then start softening.  That is the 'Lots of Work' part.the
> > tanning at this point is all done.  I didn't soften my deer hide as I 
> wanted
> > it to stay stiff for hanging on the wall.  I had it up for about 20 years
> > before it started losing a bunch of hair.
> >
> > Try it and see what you think
> > Rick Crawford at  Rafter Lazy C
> > Home of Rick's Forge and Lem the Wonder Mule
> > email = [email protected]
> > home page = http://www.tbcnet.com/~rafterlazyc/
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Bryan &Susan Black <[email protected]>
> > To: <[email protected]>
> > Sent: Thursday, December 13, 2001 8:58 AM
> > Subject: [TheForge] Skunk parts
> >
> >
> > > 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.
> > > If this is too far off topic, feel free to email me direct.
> > >
> > > Thanks!
> > >
> > > At 05:58 AM 12/12/01 -0600, you wrote:
> > > >skunk  the other white meat ...
> > > >----- Original Message -----
> > > >From: "Roy Wilson" <[email protected]>
> > > >To: <[email protected]>
> > > >Sent: Wednesday, December 12, 2001 12:56 AM
> > > >Subject: RE: [TheForge] warming cabinet
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >> On Mon, 10 Dec 2001 10:34:15 -0500, P. McComb wrote:
> > > >>
> > > >> >Ok, I'll ask..Why are you keeping skunk pelts?  Isn't the smell a big
> > put
> > > >> >down, or you making a new fur coat for the mother-in-law??
> > > >>
> > > >> I sell them.  The stink is chemically neutralized before I
> > > >> skin them, and the tanning process (mainly the acid bath) kills any
> > > >> lingering odor.
> > > >>
> > > >> Skunk is one of the nicest furs in NA.  Much nicer than
> > > >> mink or any of the other high priced ones.  Long, glossy guard
> > > >> hairs, plenty of underfur for warmth, terrific natural sheen.
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >> Roy Wilson
> > > >> General Operations Director
> > > >> Wilson Eclectics
> >
> >
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