I have a WT cape that was in question if it was good or
not so I pickeled it in a solution vinegar and salt 1-1-1 water
it held together,but now I can't seem to thin it down the cape
is all relaxed and rubbery.Its been in pickel for 7 days.What I'm
doing wrong?
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Lee,I used to try vinegar pickle solutions with the same results-unpredictable.Since I switched to a commercial acid(Rittel's Saftee acid)-and have had NO problems even with questionable skins.Most importantly READ and follow all the directions on whatever pickling acid you buy.I start out after fleshing with a 2 X salting and dry my skins til they are like a board DRY. Then ,I toss the whole thing into my pickle solution which is approximatly 20 gallons of water ,add enough salt(free running or uniodized)to make a salinometer float at around 43 % give or take a % .add enough saftee acid to make the pH register red or 1-2 on a litmus paper.I soak the hide in this for at least 48 hrs all the while stirring and rechecking my pH and salt #'s 2 X a day.At that point I shave it and replace in the pickle(keep checking the #'s and stirring 2X a day) until the night before I plan to mount when I will remove it from the pickle ,neutralize it in a solution of 5 gallons of water and 5 oz odf baking soda for about 30 minutes .drip dry and tan with your favorite chemical(I use Knoblochs Liquitan)at the time when the hide is THIRSTY looking.By this I mean when it stops dripping and feels a little damp like a wrung out washcloth.tan over night(8 hrs) with a plastic sheet over it so it won't dry before the tan agent soaks in.After the tan has worked in you must wash it to get the excess oils off the surface .I use Newton supply's Epogrip bloodout /degreaser -one capful to a bucket of water,slosh around for 15 minutes till the slick feeling comes off the cape,it doesn't take long in fact it starts to feel clean instantly.rinse in fresh cool water and drip dry then tumble in sawdust for 20 minutes .shake out the dust apply Epogrip Hide paste to your mannikin and mount.
Acid swelling from lack of SALTING. I have some hide in a vinegar bath now and they were well salted. No problem with them. It is not the acid as much as its the lack of salting. Dont get discouuraged, neutralize them but keep the ph of the hide under 5.5 and you should be able to shave them.
In response to the above then should I neutralize and then put
back into pickel if its acid swell?
The formula should be - 1 Gl. of Water + 1 Gl. of White Vinegar + 2 Lbs. of Salt. John's right - what you're seeing is acid swelling because of the lack of enough salt in your formula. Correct it, put the skins back in and they should relax out fine. Then shave them, I always put them back in overnight, then neutralize, rinse well and tan them.