Tanning capes without pickling

[abyorth]

Are tanning creams the same? I bought some McKenzie tanning cream instead of the Reinhart tanning cream. Do any of you salt capes,  and then straight to the tanning cream?

[Ray Smith]

good question,look at the top of the page where it says search and type your question in.

[striker12]

    I have used both for some time now on deer capes and small mammals.
I have allways salted all skins. unless I use krowtan

[msbraintan]

You forgot to type in 'tanning capes without shaving', too. 

[abyorth]

Did that Ray Smith and didn't find what I was looking for. The brush on Tan I got from McKenzie has instructions for a pickle, just wondering if anyone has tried it with the pickle steps and had any luck. Would like to make it easy on myself but don't want to hurt the life of the mount if it is crappy.

[bill@hogheaven]

A pickle is necessary to get a complete tan.

[hounddoggy]

Just started tanning last year. Here are some observations/opinions i have that may or may not help you. Many i lerned the hard way, some i learned from the guys on here.

Tanning: If you really want to tan- do it right....100% per instructions.  I learned that it has helped me to salt the capes hard. 2 days or more. Rehydrate with cool water AND SALT NO!!!- You need not add soap unless you are degreasing.  Pickle per instructions.  I dont have a shaver yet and find the pickle stage is a luxury as i can remove the cape and get it relativlely dry in order to shave by hand. YES- I BURN THROUGH SCALPEL BLADES AND RAZOR BLADES but the job is done. neutralize per instructions. wrap hide in towel to remove moisture. At this point if you have done the previous steps correctly, your cape is stable. i go to the extreme drying my capes but only do so by rolling them up in towels. If you can drag a scalpel blade accross the hide and water comes out it isnt dry enough (my opinion ofcourse). after it is dry and to room temp. and tan is at same temp. Apply tan. You dont need a gallon per cape either like i was doing.  No, i didnt really use a gallon per cape but you get the picture. roll it all up and leave it. Remember, IF you have followed each step correctly, your cape is good to go. I leave mine over night. rinse and a quick 30 minute towel wrap and mount.

what i learned the hard way: MEASURING!!!     i learned from an old dp guy. We only took the a,c,d measurements OVER THE SKIN. WITH DP YOUR SKIN WILL STRETCH OVER A FORM 3 SIZES TOO BIG..........then it will shrink.  Dont measure over the hide til you get furthur along. Measure the cape. Remember, the skin and hair does add up.

SALTING : I like to salt hard.....not with a hard-on.....what i mean is salt the hide til its hard. Some do some dont. i like it and feel that when i rehydrate ALOT of stuff comes out of the skin which will make room for the tan to penetrate. I like to flesh on a pvc pipe with razor blades. as i flesh i add the salt. I personally like to flesh 100% before the pickle.....some do some dont. add salt while fleshing. then cover in salt and hang to drip. then shake off and reapply about 2 hours later. leave it till next day or so before rehydration.

IN MY OPINION:  SHRINKAGE ISSUES IN MANY CASES ARE DUE TO IMPROPER MEASURING.iF YOU MEASURE OVER THE SKIN AND GET 20 INCHES THEN GET A 19 OR 18 INCH FORM. AFTER YOU MOUNT THE DEER MEASURE IT OVER THE HAIR.........VOILA 20 INCHES.

IF YOU DONT HAVE A SHAVER........Take the time to atleast thin down as best you can.....it IS worth the effort.   short cuts and improper measurements left me with a hide puller in my chin last year. i can laugh now.      listen to the kind folks that have been around on this site and like me, you will get there!!

[hounddoggy]

i ran my mouth that long and didnt say NEUTRALIZE!!!!! HAHAHAHA!................NEVER EVER NEVER HAD PROBLEMS WITH A PICKLE. Thats the step that i like as i feel my capes are "safe" after a pickle.

[abyorth]

Thanks for the tips hound dog. I will pick up some ulitmate acid and go ahead with the pickle. I just want to put out something that will last and not look like crap a few years down the road. I have a mini-flesher that works pretty well shaving.

[hounddoggy]

wish i had some sort of flesher......thats comming. I was taught by a very experienced taxi. who only used dp. He did that technique the right way but after having many deer done by him over the last 15 years, i see first hand why tanning is better IN MY OPINION. For me it was hard letting go of such an easy process but the results of tanning with the pickle seem far superior to me. Its really hard to switch. For me and perhaps others the dilema is the measuring. You CAN measure over the cape while its on the deer with dp as the "raw" hide has the stretch still there. With tanning its paramount to measure after the tan as stretch is limited. Its not that there is shrinkage from the deers origial size but leather doesnt stretch like raw skin. I did a buck last year after measuring as i had many deer before using dp. The form was two sizes to big. I went from 20" measuring on the animal fresh to a size 18 before getting it to fit. For kicks i measured the completed tanned mount and guess what......20". Tanning requires a consistant and complete sequence
Of processes to be effective. Honestly its worth it and I feel my improvements back that up. Mounts that are tanned are softer and more "full". Any experienced taxi  on here i bet can tell a dp mount versus a tanned one. best of luck!

[michael p.]

Mounts that are tanned are softer and more "full".Any experienced taxi  on here i bet can tell a dp mount versus a tanned one.

Ohhhhhhhh really.....................

[hounddoggy]

i recant!!!! UNLESS MIKE P. MOUNTS IT!!! HAHAHAHAHAH! MIKE IVE SEEN YOUR WORK.........................G-O-O-D!