Relaxing old salt dryed skins????

[NDNHunter]

I am tanning some old salt dried capes and hides, talking 5 years and older. My question is, why are they always stiff as cardboard even after there tanned, and what can I do or use to relax them?  I use LutanF, have no problems with fresher skins.  Thanks in Advance!!!!

[J Brown II]

Use a commercial relaxer like Relax R from Knoblochs and follow the directions

[NDNHunter]

Hey thanks J Brown for the help!!  I actually went to Van Dykes today and bought some Ultra-Soft Relaxer from Rittels, Next question is, I have some hides that are in the pickle right now. Can I nutralize them, rinse, then treat with the relaxer, then put back into the pickle???

[George Roof]

Why would you want to do that???

[NDNHunter]

Because there stiff George, are you talking about nutralizing?

[NDNHunter]

Allright George, Whats your recipe??

[oldterryr]

relar b4 going into pickle - i do not know the chemical reaction that takes place when you try to use the piklce to rehydrate but i guarantee it wont work to anyone's satisfaction

[NDNHunter]

I wasn't ganna rehydrate directly in the pickle, How bout this question, Does the skin need to be dry when its put into the relaxer?? Any help is appreciated, and Thanks for the replies!!  Never really had to mess with old hides, I'm just trying to salvage them.

[George Roof]

Let me go at this another way.  A relaxer is a "surfactant".  It simply means it makes water wetter.  It breaks down the surface tension of water and allows it to pass through membranes that it would not if not for the surfactant.  Clothes softener is a surfactant.  As Terry stated, this needs to be done FIRST, ALWAYS.  IF the surfactant would effect the pH of the pickle is likely variable and unreliable to answer.  BTW, warm water will also penetrate as the heat makes the surface tension less as well. That why you wash dishes in hot water (besides melting some grease, it helps the soap attack deeper.)

[NDNHunter]

Now I've got it, Geeeesh!! lol  THANKS!! 

[J Brown II]

You might (BIG MIGHT) be able to add the relaxer to the pickle to help loosen the skins up. Contact Bruce Rittel and ask what kind of reaction there might be with the pH of the pickle. Just a thought. ??