I am a little confused. I didn't know salted capes would freeze. When someone says they will sell you a cape that has been salted and stored in the freezer, won't it be spoiled? It won't ever be cold if it is salted will it? If you dry it in salt and then freeze it, won't it come out like cardboard?
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There is no reason to freeze a dry salted skin, in fact it will not freeze or dry properly because of the salt and may cause bacterial and slippage problems. Salt melts ice doesn't it. Keep salted capes in a cool dry area for storage and use freezer space for green or tanned items.
I run my freezers as cold as possible, I even run fans on the condesers. Knowing that the more air the cooler freezer will run. Most household freezers cool to -10 to -15 range, but by adding $10.00 box fans and having 4 or more inches all around the freezer, I get mine down into the -20 to -25 range. I just checked the temps yesterday with a digital probe. Room temp was 95 degrees, yes in the shade and evaporation/humidity factors put it up to 105-107. I still have minus 20 as my warmest temp, a new freezer is running at minus 27. Pretty cold and salt will not thaw hides at that cold temp. I do use one PATTON 18 inch whole house commercial fan per freezer. In most cases though where a freezer is in the normal range of -10 capes can stay soft and bacteria could be almost dormant. I have skinned 10 freezer year old fish, that have had the belly meat completely eaten away, just the tender thin skin remained, so yes bacteria still works at -10 its just very slow.
Thanks guys, I could of wasted some money. I just could not understand why someone would "freeze" a salted cape, could be why it's for sale, ha.
In very humid conditions the salt will draw moisture and the cape or hide will get soft and damp. Storing it in a freezer will prevent this from happening.