Pickling crystals??

[misanoel]

Hi All--

I went to the Van Dyke's website to order my tanning supplies and found everything I want to use except Safetee Acid, aka Ultimate Acid.  All Van Dyke's appears to carry are pickling crystals, and the instructions for use don't seem terribly transparent.

Does anyone here use them?  What do you think about 'em?

[meopilite]

Ive used them. They're designed as a replacement for oxalic acid. Pickling Crystals are safer. Also designed for chromium/tannium tanning.

The downside to pickling crystals is they can lose pH easily. Always check the pH often.

[misanoel]

Meopilite-

I guess the thing that throws me about them is where the how-to instructions for the product (on the Van Dyke's website) say:

"Pickling Crystals(Chromium Sulfate)
(Citric Acid) Environmentally Friendly

Substitute Oxalic Sulfate or Formic Acid for Citric when tanning with Tannium(Chromium Sulfate)."


The very first line suggests that the pickling crystals either ARE Chromium Sulfate (which makes no sense since chromium sulfate is a tanning agent) OR that they should be used in preparation for chromium sulfate tanning, which is equally ambiguous given the subsequent statement about substituting Oxalic Sulfate or Formic Acid for Citric when tanning with chromium sulfate.

So are these crystals citric acid or something else? 

[meopilite]

my bad.... got things mixed up in my head. working too hard..lol

[misanoel]

Why "my bad"?

Have you not used these after all? 

[lbc]

I have used  van dykes pickling crystals for nearly thirty years  and never had a problem.  Two years ago i tried a different suppiiers brand of pickling crystals and was constantly adding crystals to keep up the PH.

[misanoel]

Thanks for your take, lbc.

I'd still like to know what they're made of...

I'll call the company this week and will share what I find out (in case anyone else is curious).

[cyclone]

Thanks for your take, lbc.

I'd still like to know what they're made of...

I'll call the company this week and will share what I find out (in case anyone else is curious).

Call The Cocoa Cola company while you're at it...See if they'll give you their recipe..

[misanoel]

Doesn't there have to be an MSDS for these crystals?

[cyclone]

Yes, but it doesn't have to list all the ingredients..

PROPRIETARY

Main Entry: 1pro·pri·e·tary
Pronunciation: \prə-ˈprī-ə-ˌter-ē\
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural pro·pri·e·tar·ies
Etymology: Middle English propietarie, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin propietarius, from Late Latin, adjective
Date: 15th century

1 : one that possesses, owns, or holds exclusive right to something; specifically : proprietor 1
2 : something that is used, produced, or marketed under exclusive legal right of the inventor or maker; specifically : a drug (as a patent medicine) that is protected by secrecy, patent, or copyright against free competition as to name, product, composition, or process of manufacture
3 : a business secretly owned by and run as a cover for an intelligence organization

[misanoel]

Van Dyke's emailed me the MSDS for their pickling crystals.  They are citric acid anhydrous.

[a7d1]

I too am curious about the pickling crystals.  I have been asked by a customer if I would use them and agreed to try the product.  His previous taxidermist from a different state swore by the product.  I always like to try something new as a back up or just for the knowledge.  I couldn't find anywhere what the actual process was.  Are they used as any acid product and then a tanning oil after the pickling or is there another step I'm missing.  VD's was not vey helpful.

[misanoel]

Hi a7d1--

Don't know if you saw this, but here's a link to the "How-to instructions" provided on the Van Dyke's website.

http://www.vandykestaxidermy.com/pickling-crystals.html

My understanding is that they're an alternative to other pickling acids, and after pickling, you neutralize and then tan, oil, break, etc., as usual.  They are not recommended for use pickling if you plan to subsequently use chromium sulfate as your tanning agent.

Apparently the mention of chromium sulfate on header line of the how-to instructions is a misprint--the pickling crystals don't contain chromium.

Hope this helps.

[cyclone]

Van Dyke's emailed me the MSDS for their pickling crystals.  They are citric acid anhydrous.

100 citric acid %? 

E-mail me the MSDS please.

[a7d1]

Thanks misanoel,  I did see the page you sent me to however, l was still a tad confused on an issue.  I understand the whole pickle , neutralize, tan thing but is the tanning agent added to the pickling solution or is a new solution being made for the tanning process.  Thanks for your help.