Cape is blue

[aero]

Decided to give home tanning a try, on one of my "practice" deer. So, fleshed, salted, ordered Lutan F. The Lutan F came in today, so i began rehydrating the cape. It now has a blue color to the entire cape. Since it dried very hard, after about 2 hours, it still needs more time in the brine. Just curious if this is normal in rehydrating?

[aero]

Well, spoke a little to soon. Just checked on it, and for the most part it is rehydrated. So, I pulled it out of the brine, bagged and put in the refrig to sweat.

Still some what blue though???

[elkhunter1313]

are you referring that the skin is blue or the hair? If the hair is blue...uh somethings wrong...if its the skin then you're on the right track

[aero]

Skin is blue.

[elkhunter1313]

you are good to go...follow the instructions of Luftan to the letter and you should be alright...I am a krowtann user myself but in any tanning blue skin is good skin...just be sure no to shave or skife it where you see it start to "freckle" or look like beard stubble then you are cutting into the hair roots and risk slippage

[aero]

Thanks! Ah, yes, the shaving. Dont have enough coin saved up for a fleshing machine, so it will be done with fleshing knife, scalpels. Like I said before, NOW i completely understand why some skin, freeze, and ship. Being small though, and do not have a back log, I thought about learning the entire process. Whew....

[Frank E. Kotula]

Aero, you soak the raw skin in the brine till it hydrates(16-24hrs. You don't soak it for a little and then put it into a bag to sweat. That's what you do to a tanned hide.
You also need to pickle or should pickle the hide before you tan it. I think you better read the archives on how to tan before you try this tanning for yourself.

[aero]

I thought that i had read in the archives that some take it out of the brine, and put it in the refrig.  I have saftee acid for my pickle.

[PLTannery]

Never sweat an untanned skin as that is just asking for slip problems.  Soak in plain water for 6-24 hours depending on the skin and once it has total resoften(or as much as it will) then drip and into the pickle.

[aero]

Thanks for all the input. I got it rehydrated and into the pickle yesterday.

So soaking in plain water with no salt added is ok? That would save some time, as getting enough salt disolved takes some time.