I have a small hide area to tan and want to keep the hair on.
From what I've read, different authors reccommend different lengths of time for the hide to soak. How do I know when it's time so I get it out before the hair slips? Most are saying 2 days to a week.
Will 2 days be enough? What happens if it isn't in the solution long enough?
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I want to have this small piece of hide tanned so it won't spoil, but it also needs to be firm and able to hold a shape if possible, not soft and pliable like most hides. I'm not sure if that makes a difference in how long the soak time is. Thanks!
Susan, I don't understand in what context you're talking "soak". Are you talking pickle, tanning solution, rehydration. We're not on the same wavelength here and you need to specify. I get the feeling you're new to this process and need a little extra work on the total process before jumping in. Go to the opening page and type in "how to tan" and you get a zillion methods and responses. As far as hard versus soft, no tanned hide gets soft by simple tanning. That's another whole different process. Believe me, if you just tan ANYTHING and don't oil and break the hide, it'll be hard as a board.
Yep, you got that right! I'm definately green at this, never tried it before and just read some articles on the net. I tried the alum/salt solution since it was easiest for me to get ahold of.
Thanks, you helped answer my questions about not getting it too soft.
The articles I read about Alum/salt soda and borax give differing time frames of how long to leave the hide in this solution.
I'll do the search tonight and meanwhile, I really appreciate your response. But it's too late, I already jumped in! The first article I read said a 2 day soak and I kept searching and reading other articles and none seem to agree on a time frame. Is 2 days enough? What causes the hair to fall out? Thanks!
I'm not an alum fan nor guru and you'll need that answer from one of the others. The hair falls out because of failure to lock the follicle around the hair root. "Slippage" is entirely different in that the epidermal layer actually "slips" off the skin taking the hair with it. Serious rug burn type stuff. Alum will definitely LOCK hair follicles and prevent it from falling out.