OK, First I am not saying I'm a chemist, I barley got out of high school. But I have spent many years with trial and error on perfecting a tanning method that would work. I had bought an auto tanner, used JRTS, liqua tan,curatan, every potion that seemed easy. I sold the auto tanner one week after I received it, for 1/2 of what I paid to some poor unsuspecting sucker. Man what a piece of crap that was.
Now I don't want to piss anyone off with this tanning post thing, I just want people to see how I have had the most success tanning after years of trial and error. You don't have to agree, and I am pretty sure a lot of people will disagree..... But as most of you say, Don't knock it till you try it.
If you are one of the candy ass's that cry about formic acid, please move on to a new post.
Because I have used Vinigar, saftee, citric, pickling crystals aka "citric acid". I have even used hydrochloric acid, but every time, I would come back to FORMIC ACID. So I knew I had the acid I would use, and as I said I tried every tan on the market. I have had some weak capes come in at times and even after the formic acid they would still be weak, but a short time in lutan-f and they would be MUCH better, so Lutan-f was my choice of tan.
The trick to No slippage is really Not a trick at all, you just need to keep bacteria away.....
I am going to show you how I make a stuffenstuff tanner. What did the auto tanner do so many people liked? Well, it pressured the skin to swell the hide, keep that in mind, and it would rotate the hide to make sure the pickle, tan, oil bla bla bla all mixed around the hide. You just can't do it all in one step!!! I would love to open my tumbler and toss every thing I use to mount a deer in the F'n thing, including the manikin, turn it on and POOF get a mounted deer.
I have needed to make a small one of these for some time. I Have one that is 90 gal, but it is too big for small items such as fox, coon, coyote, etc.
This is what you need:
A fish aquarium under water heater, a fish aquarium power head 2 pieces of PVC 2" with holes the length of whatever size you are making.
One of The PVC pipes are to slide your under water heater in, so the hide don't lay directly on the heater. The other one is to put the end of the power head in, as not to suck fur in and stop it from working.
Next you can hot glue or silicone the pvc to your holding tank.
I made this one in a hurry, so I did not put the heater in PVC. But I would recommend doing so.
The large stuffenstuff tanner.....LOL, The one I made is just a 90 gal fish tank on a stand. (I don't fill it up all the way, just however much I need) ordered the tank with a 1" hole near the bottom and it has a drain valve on it. With a fish divider at the back 1/8 of the tank to drop the heater and power head in and NO pvc pipe is needed. Most of us probably have old 50 gal tanks just lying around, go to a glass place and have them put a 1"hole in it one inch from the bottom, then go to JAN"S TROPICAL FISH STORE IN DEARBORN HEIGHTS MICHIGAN ON TELEGRAPH RD. That is just a plug, as Wendy's mom and dad own that store.
And I get my crap wholesale. Get a divider, like when you want to keep two aggressive fish breeds in one tank together, that screen thing amabob that keeps the hide from coming in contact with the power head and heater. This is how I have my success in tanning and I hope new guys will try it and even experienced people try it too.
Step one, I skin the animal in this case a shoulder mount coyote. As I skin and prep, I use VD instant preservative. I know this can be a No NO, as it has a base pH of 8, but so what, it's only for a few minutes and don't hurt crap. I'm not mailing it for days like that."Boy, I'm defensive" LOL
I use as much as I want, as I split the lips and turn the ears. I also use it to remove any red meat, I call it four wheel drive powder. This is prepped and now ready for the washer.
Next I go to my taxidermy washer, don't worry if you don't have one, If "she" is not home proceed. For this cape, I put the washer on small load cold/cold when it stops filling, I put about 3/4 oz of dawn, (by letting it fill before adding the dawn you get a lot less suds)
I place the washer on HEAVY DUTY for 4 or 5 min and let it go thru a complete cycle. I love watching it drain all the dirty water and blood, just knowing how clean the fur is. I also place an old towel in the washer with the fur so it can have something to wash up against.
This is the cape out of the washer. If the cape was in question, you would know it now! That's what I like. If you have a cape that might not make it, you will find out before doing all the work.
Sometimes, I get a customer with a very smelly deer, and they ask me.....do you think it's good? I say I will call them in a little while and let them know. I do the same as this coyote cape, and if it comes out of the heavy duty wash OK then I know it will be ok.
No damage to the ears NO slippage, No lost hair,
Now I take my 5 gal bucket and mix 2.5 gal water 3 lb salt and 1.3/4 oz formic acid. I don't use pH papers, I have had so much success with my formula, I don't feel the need to check it. Yea bla bla so what..... also, If you notice, I never salted the damn thing.....Why? Because I am not going to remove what is 90% water just to put the water back by re hydrating it. yea, BLA BLA. It get's "worse". Now I let it sit in the pickle over night, the next day I shave the neck down on small mammals, and wire wheel the face, I like to do it this way, as it's easier to hold the whiskers and not cut holes. Now, as coyotes are greasier I mix a bucket of water, about 2 gallons for this cape, 1/2 cup of salt and 2 caps tannery degreaser, with tannery degreaser more is NOT better! I think less is better. This is strong stuff and you should wear gloves or your hands will beg for hand lotion that night. The reason I added salt is the cape is pickled and the salt prevents the cape from acid swelling, I swish the cape in the degreaser for about 2 min's then run it under plain cool water for about 30 sec. place it back in the formic acid for one more day.
Now the fun part, I take the coyote cape out of the pickle and let it hang for about an hr, in this time the pH if it was lower then 4 will pickup to 4 by formic acid evaporation.
This is the cape out of the pickle.
YES I skip the neutralize stage, laugh, laugh all you want! I think the neutralizing stage is the stupidest thing there is, and this is where most of the problems come form! Ya ever tan something and get that white cloud around your fur, that's your tan wanting to work! But it can't get in as it is still holding your neutralization in the skin. Like two magnets at opposites pushing away instead of pulling to each other. I can hear it now, but you loose stretch if you don't neutralize. BLA BLA BLA, No I don't , my skins always fit the measurement I take off the carcass.
OK now I mix 5 gallons of water with 1 oz lutan-f, 3 cups by volume salt ( iodized or not don't matter) and 1/2 oz formic acid for that little extra kick of adhesion. I mix this at about 90 degrees. Now ya know how I said remember the auto tanner worked by expanding the fibers, and the doctor tells you to soak your sore muscles in the tub of warm water, this is to relax your muscles. Turn your under water heater on 86 degrees to keep the hide fibers open, and remember how the auto tanner turns to make sure all parts are covered. Turn your power head on and you can see the water moving around nicely.
This is the cape the next day, look at the head and face how nice the tan has attached itself to the skin. At this point the face is easy to shave around the lips and whiskers. also unplug the heater for 10 minutes before dumping the water out.
This tans fast with the water staying warm and the power head movement. I put it in at night and take it out in the morning, give it a good rinse, hang to drain, and oil. I oil with knobloch.
As you can see the bucket has changed, as I needed room on my table I moved the plastic bucket and set it on a dry wall screw and it cracked it, I had to use this bucket instead, as I said use a fish tank with a stand it will be much better.
This sounds like a long process, but it really is not, and you will have one of the best tans if not the best. recap..
skin and prep, wash,put in pickle, hang, then mix and put in tan, rinse and oil.
Hope you try this...... you really will like the tan you get.
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