Tannery question

[more than horns]

I just got 3 capes back from the tannery, this was my first time ever using a tannery so I was unsure if the results. Long story short I got 1 good cape, 1 the nose pad looks like it went into a blender and the mouth is cut 1/2 past the papilla, and the last one is slipped like no other, the whole bridge of the nose is hairless, one ear has no hair and one eye is bald in a 2" diameter. I don't know what to do at this point. The slipped one is my dads witch I took care of sence he shots rang out so I know I had nothing to do with the slipping. What do you recommend? I understand there is no guarantees but how should I take care of my issue? Thanks in advance; mth

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[josh s.]

Learn to tan them yourself. I only send soft tans out. If you do your own wet tans then you only have your self to blame..(or your customer for not taking good enough care) in which case you may be able to salvage the cape. I only send out soft tans bc I don't know how tip get the results they get.....and for the price it isn't worth my time.

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[more than horns]

Up to this point I have been doing my own tanning but have gotten busy thus why I used the tannery. Not the results I hoped for.


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[josh s.]

I went through the same ordeal with some coyotes....thats why I dont send then my wet tans...even do my own bears and they turned out alot nicer.

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[George Roof]

You need to find a new tannery.

[more than horns]

Im going to stick to doing them myself after this. but in your opinon should i contact the tannery about the issues?

[George Roof]

If it will make you feel better but I already know their response. Tanneries have a patent disclaimer to use whether its their fault or not.

[josh s.]

Yup...and it goes like this..."you didn't salt it correctly"....or..."the hide was not fleshed enough". Good luck but you got your lesson on this one.

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[davehyer]

Get a good tannery, I have sent out hundreds to mine and have no issues worth noting.

[JEJ]

I use two good reputable tanneries and haven't had any real issues with capes I and customers have handled properly.  

[ccook63]

I have had no issues with the slipping from the tannery unless it was from bad field care, or me takeing to long to turn flesh and salt.

[T3_Kyle]

I would call and complain about the torn up one because you will be able to tell by pictures that a shaver cut it up with the wheel. If you had torn it up that bad fleshing and turning they would have made note of it when it came in to cover their butt. Atleast thats what the tannery I use has done in cases where I get coyotes or things to be pelt tanned and the hunter skinned them and did a crap job with cuts all over on the face and what not. I'd atleast try and get your money back on the one. Nothing you can do for the slippage as george already said other than use another tannery. Don't right off using tannerys all together though. Find a very good one because it will save you alot of time and money in the future to send atleast some of your hides out. I am getting busy enough now I needed to start sending a portion of my capes out because it would just not be efficient enough to do everyone myself even though I preffer it that way.

[Mike R.]

You can try but my guess is they will have a reason it was your fault.


 This year I sent 4 capes to a well known tannery. I have used them in the past with mixed results I talked to them at the state show. We came up with a plan to resolve some of my issues. When I got the capes back they smelled like rotton meat I could smell them before I even opened the box. Called asked them about it. They said rinse with some Downy. I did, It got rid of the smell. My capes werent rotton It was like the water in the last process is what was rotton.
I  mounted one up, turned out as good as expected. When it started to dry, patches of the hair started to curl I used hair gel on them seemed to work. I NEVER contacted them.  A couple of days later I receive an email from the tannery explaining my capes were in a batch of skins where other taxidermist were having the same hair curl. In the email they explained they where working on the problem. At this point I'm Impressed with the fact they took the time to explain a problem I didn't see as a big deal. A week later I received a second email explaining even more possibly causes of the problem. Everything from genetics, to diets , acid, ammonia for decomposition, and so on. I read the email everything was fine they went on to tell how they are putting things into place to try to keep this from happening. Out of both emails there was one line that explains what you are going to get. Here's a quote " Blank tannery has wholesale fleshed, salted, and tanned 380 frozen deer to date this season and none of these customers have reported any curling hair." Now I'm sure the tannery will make it right with those customers that have a problem, and want some things replaced. I didn't have a problem until they put that one line in the email. They have never said what has caused this but they sure did hint. So chances are your tannery will have a good hint for your issue to.  By the way none of the other 11 capes I turned, salted, and sent to a different tannery look like they where groomed by a tiger.

[nick_3401]

try send a few capes to several different tanneries in the future to test there product out, then just stick to the ones you like the most, after that.