Is this the right way?

I'm new to the taxidermy field and after reading many articles I'm wondering if I've doing my salting & pickeling correct. After skinning and rough fleshing, splitting lips/eyes & turning ears I salt the entire cape heavily. Then I fold it flesh to flesh and let it set for 24 hours. Next I shake out the old salt and resalt with fresh salt then refold and let set for another 24 hours. I then place the hide into my pickel which consist of 20 gal water, 20lbs salt, 4 ounces basacryl NBKU and 13 ounces formic acid. Should I be letting my hides set longer before they go into the pickel? Am I using enough formic acid? My pickel reads approx 2.0 with ph papers. Thanks

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They say..

Ed:

I'm a student here too, and one thing I've learned is that there is "more than one way to skin a cat". However, I think most would tell you to Neutralize the salted hide prior to the Pickle.

Hopefully some of the pro's will jump in and elaborate on some other recommendations for you.

Also, I assume your planning to tan several skins at once with that quantity of Pickle? As a beginner, I do one at a time and that way I only ruin one at a time.. Good luck. -Jim B

I like to allow mine to dry

Ed,

I allow all my capes and hides to dry 1st, after that 2nd salting. Yrs ago I didn't, and seemed to have lots of slippage on my foxes. Now by allowing everything to dry hard, I have much fewer problems.

About your pickle, you are using a different recipe than I do, so I certainly can not tell you right or wrong, but if your pH is kept in the 1.5 - 2.0 range, you'll be fine. I personally like to start my pickles out @ just over 40%, trying to get a first reading of 43%.

You will need a salimeter to keep track of the %, it's basically a long glass tube that floats at the level of your salt %. Many supply companies sell them, as do many pet stores (usually much higher price)

I think Jim has miss understood

Neutralizing is after the pickle and just before the tan.

Bob gives you some really good technical advice.

steps are these, insert Bobs tech tips where needed.

Split, salt 24 (dont rollup) resalt, dry, rehydrate, pickle, shave, repickle, check for complete pickle (pickling is one of the most important steps) check shaving for thinness and evenness, neutralize, weigh, tan, oil, dry if needed or mount.

Oops, Meant to say Rehydrate

John C caught me! I was thinking rehyration but my brain typed neutralize. Sorry about that.

Ed drop the BASACRYL NBKU

I have at time put NBKU in my pickle without problems. It is to kill the bacteria. Bacteria cannot grow in the acid solution so there is not a need for it.

Only in the rehydration. John C