I have a black bear hide that has been tanned for about 6-7 years and I don't have any knowledge of who tanned it, it looks like a decent tan, but I don't have enough experience to know if it is for sure. Was just wondering if it's possible to re-hydrate it to mount as a rug. Thanks for any advise you might offer. Have a good day in light of all that is going on. God bess America.
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Shelf-life can be important in deciding how to rehydrate that skin. This particularly applies to skins that how they were tanned is unknown. However, the safest way to rehydrate any tanned skin whether you know how it was tanned or not, is to do it using the following method.
First soak the skin or cape in water for 30 minutes, using a handful of salt per each 1 gallon used. The skin may still be hard, but then remove it, place it in a plastic garbage bag, tie it off, and refrigerate it overnight. The next morning it should be soft and ready to prep prior to mounting.
Is it a 100% method - no - some older skins will simply fall apart - but its the only method I'd use to rehydrate that skin.
I would certainly hesitate throwing a skin in the water/salt for 30
minutes not knowing anything about the tan etc.
I would slowly try to re-hydrate it with a sponge. Get a sponge and
wet it with water and use it to wet the hide. Go over it once and then give it
5-10 minutes and see what it does. Once it soaks up the water and starts
to soften a bit, repeat this process several times until it's pliable.
Then bag it up in a plastic bag throw it in the fridge over night
and let it sweat.
If you just throw it in the water, it may swell up like a balloon with
water-and like Martha Stewart says "that's not a good thing". Just
one fellers opinion. Bubba.
The skin will swell up in just plain water - but it wont in the presence of Salt! Thats why you add the handful of salt to each gallon of water. If there is acid present (since you dont know how it was tanned) the salt prevents swelling. Using just plain water, even sponging it on, will activate any acidic residual in the skin and you may find yourself with a rubbery and swollen skin!