formic pickle temp?

I'v checked the arcives and I can't come up with a concrete answer on using formic acid at 20-30 degrees in my unheated shop. I realize the salt will keep it from freezing but will the saltlose its efectiveness at such a low temp? What im really trying to ask iswill the skins be more likly to acid swell? And if they did acid swell, couldent i just nutralize with a hand full of salt, and then run them over the fleshing machine?

thanks again,
mark

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Salt will sometimes fall ouot of solution

I use a salinameter for checking salt. Salt will sometimes fall out of solution. Yea thats right just fall to the bottum at temps under 55F. Now it dont always happen but can.

By adding more salt it will be a fruitless effort. Just bring the shop temp up for a day above 55 and stir the salt back into solution.

Depending on the skins they may or may not acid swell. Should swelling occur get the pickle to above 55 F and 2.5 or under pH.

Formic Acid

I used to pickle with formic acid, it became hard to get and i had some saftee issues. Anyway i used this pickle in room temp. worked good. I knew of others at the time who did the same. As for acid swell, I aways thought it was important to shave thinner after the pickle. Is'nt acid swell normal?

Swelling for fleshing is different.

Acid swell is where the skin locks and has a rubbery type of feel.

Acid pickling makes the hide puff up allowing you to shave it thinner.

The puffing up of the hide is normal for using a pickle.