Hello, I am in the pickling process on two deer capes. I noticed that there was some hair floating in the pickle so I thought I should check the capes, so I lightly pulled on the hair, and with little effort it came out. So I was wondering how long it would take the hair to set well in the pickle solution or should it be set already. I did salt twice and dry them rock hard then I rehydrated them in Ultra soft using 2 tbls. To every gallon of water next I mixed my pickle with 1 Lb. Of salt and ½ oz of saftee- acid to every gallon of water. (The pH did get up to about 3 for about 15 min but I now have it at about 1.5 to 2 and is now stable)
I talked with Bruce about this and he said that the hair should be tight now but that my capes should be fine once they are in the pickle. However, I forgot to ask him how long it would take before I notice the hair start to tighten up or will it not tighten up. I don"t see how I could have ruined the capes I have done everything by the book and they were fine up until the rehydration. Thanks for any responses.
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Jason, How long did you soak the skins to rehydrate? If you soaked them to long, that could be the problem. Once the hair starts slippinglittle can be done to help. The pickle may stop further problems but wont help with already loose hair. Bob C
A hide really won't slip or lose hiar in a pickle unless the cape already had bacteria growth on it and it was slipping to begin with.
You may have done nothing wrong in any of your steps but it could of started in the way the hide was handled before it got to you.
I rehydrated the capes for 7 hours, wich is not as long as I was told it should take (8-10 hours). I salted them twice and there was no prbolem. I thought that once I got them salted and dried that I was safe. Frank, if they were miss handeled wouldnt they be slipping before I salted them? I thought this was why we salted, to set the hair in the epidermis.
Thanks Again
Take a deep breath and allow yourself to relax. There are very few capes that you can't manage to pull hair out of when they are in the pickle, especially in the early stage. If you took the care of the capes that you described, I think you will find the capes to be ok, and once pickled, that much better. A ph of 3 for about 15 minutes is also not a problem. Jason, don't you, and don't you let anyone else pull on the hairs again. Happy mounting.
Try rehydrating in the pickle solution. this will keep the hide from slipping due to a long rehydration in just salty soapy water. I do all my hides this way and no slipage problem unless the hides were taken care of badly by customer.
I had a similar problem, and thought, my cape will be bald. I stopped pulling on it, mounted it, then after it was dry brushed it, and brushed it and brushed it somemore, it seemed like alot of hair coming out at the the time but it did stop coming out and it turned out beautiful and very soft.
good luck