rehydration

[skipjack]

I am rehydrating a dry tanned caribou cape I soaked it in salt water then put it in the fridge in a bag the problem is the lips and ears dont seem to be getting soft enough should I put them in some warm water for a little bit! I have some stop rot but I dont know if that will soften the tan, any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Uncle Harley]

have they been thinned?

[skipjack]

I think so, the ears are inside out and lips seem thin they are just stiff the rest of the hide soaked up fine. Im just trying to be careful so I dont crack the lips and ears.

[Curt]

sounds like you need to add a relaxer but that is not going to help right now but i bet someone will read this post and tell you what you could use as the next best thing. good luck.

[mr.T aka mr. friendly]

Gently flex and bend the hard spots under water to let moisture back in, dried leather, or dried rock hard salted skins are sometimes  dried fiber tight, so tight water can not get inside to rehydrate, so gently flexing and twisting these spots while under water will help get them going.

[meopilite]

They may soften up after being in the pickle. The pickle breaks up the fibers.

[RoyalOaksTaxidermy]

Faces always take longer than the rest.. What Ill do is place just the head in the rehydration tub, then when it starts to soften up good Ill put the rest of the cape down in it..

[cyclone]

They may soften up after being in the pickle. The pickle breaks up the fibers.

Read the post again....


then learn what pickles really do..

[joeuhuh]

what do pickle do -- pickle makes the sammich pop  mm tasty