Can tanning a deer hide in liqua-tan cause it to shrink 4in. around the neck. And if so is their any way of getting it back? I started out by thawing and fleshing, turing the lips eyes and ears. Then I salted for 3 days till dry. I fixed a saftee acid pickle. I washed the cape before puting in pickle.Then I let it sit in that for 3 days. I then washed and let drain. I shaved as thin as I could get it ,an washed and dryed slightly and applyed Liqua- Tan . It said to let it dry overnight. The next day I tryed to put the cape on the mount and it was to small. Is there any way of fixing this.
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I did neutrlize it for 25 mins,after I took it out of the pickle.
'That's probably the problem...using 'Dill' insteada 'Sweet'. Deers are Sweet Things ya no.
~ ETCC
Here a few questions? Did your hide dry out during the night? Your steps are right as far as I can tell by what you said here.
I have never seen a hide lose 4" no matter what after a tan especially Liqua-tan.
The other problem is that there is the small possibility that you could have missed measuring the right way or ordered a wrong form. Most floks do their ordering after they get the tan back from the tannery or after they tan their own hides. I for one know that I have had hides grow after I tan them up. I usually can get buy going an inch bigger when I do them. So some where down the line you made the mistake.
Something must be wrong with the initial measurement.I personally have never seen a hide shrink that much,and it sounds like you did everything else ok.
was developed for just such problems as yours, which is probably just a little more common than many realize. The only thing I see absent in your procedure was rehydration after drying with salt.
This link will give you information on use:
http://www.whitetailsystems.com/productline/shrink.php
SHRINK-TONIC is available from Research Mannikins, TaxidermyReference, Hilton Eppley Forms, and WHITETAIL DESIGNER SYSTEMS.
If you need further assistance, feel free to call toll free:
1-866-849-9198
Glen Conley
Product Developer
WHITETAIL DESIGNER SYSTEMS, INC.
I can understand some shrinkage,but 4in.?I've never seen that.
I thought I had better return to this post to clear the air a little more any way.
First off, I want to clear the air on the use of SHRINK-TONIC as a cross-over product use. I didn't want any one reading this and thinking SHRINK-TONIC could cure ALL their shrinkage woes. In Kathy's case, with the products she described in her usage, it will in all probability work, but again the unknown factor is as to whether or the cape was rehydrated in water to a relaxed state after it had been salt dried.
Let's start with the acid used in the pickle. Not all acids have the same chemical properties. They have different molecular structures, different chemical formulas and hence different names. As a result of this, they will all have different effects on skin and hair.
Specifically, with a formic acid pickle having been used up-front, the odds of SHRINK-TONIC working on such a skin are slim to none. The reason being, the formic has dissolved the collagen fibres (what we know as leather fibres)and they fuse together in solid mats in places. If enough of these solid mats are present, stretch will be absent, and these new bonds will be imposssible to break by the chemical means that we all rely on. There is nothing wrong with formic acid pickles in skilled hands.
On the other hand, milder acids used in taxidermy such as Safetee Acid, oxalic, citric, and WTDS Leatherizing Acid will not cause this fusion of the collagen, the supporting fibres of the skin. The results of these acids will give the greatest odds of restoring relaxation to a shrunken skin. Depending on the finishing oils involved, SHRINK-TONIC will probably work with skins handled in this manner. But again, if the oil is a "thick" oil, a saturated fat oil, SHRINK-TONIC will not work on that with out more work on the part of the tanner.
Now, those same heavy oils can be dealt with also. SHRINK-TONIC can be misted on, allowed to work for an hour, then a coat of WTDS CAM-L-C applied. Then wash the cape in plain water by hand, just swirl it around in the water until the oils disperse. Drain it, tumble or "bag" it, and apply another coat of CAM-L-C. Sound like extra work? A replacement cape will be just as much work, and more costly.
Now, before I go on with my ramblings in addressing Chris, let me say this. I would be much more comfortable in seeing people be more puritanical in their usage of tanning systems. There is a lot of different systems out there. Each supplier will have at least one person that can coach another person through problems with their product line. In other words, if you use Joe's stuff, use Joe's stuff all the way. If you don't get the results you are looking for, then use Jack's, but don't mix 'em unless Joe and Jack tell you they are compatible. Remember, Joe and Jack have their own experiences to draw on PLUS the information gathered from their respective customers. An individual would have to spend a ridiculous amount of time in gathering that much data. It can be yours for the price of a phone call, with toll free numbers you can't loose.
Back to you, Chris. There was a number of us having excessive shrink problems back a few years ago. That was my inspiration for the SHRINK-TONIC developement. Two inches was almost a given and four inches was not uncommon.
I know, the first thing that goes through your mind is, "What in the Hell could cause that much shrink?"
Let me tell you, a lot of "things". It can range from a sum total of little things added together, to one major player. If it's a major player causing the problem, that's the easiest one to identify.
Just this last week, I was told that over two hundred different compounds have been identified in human skin structure alone.
Taxidermy has it's own language, making it no different than any other trade. When it comes to tanning, some of the language would actually have to be classified as slang. Some one familiar with the English language could get confused in a hurry over word usage.
The "tan" word is my favorite unfavorite. Webster's contains the literal meaning. Our state DNR has used the tan word in their rule books for years. Knowing that a rule is not necessarily a law, I called central enforcement and asked for the Supreme Court ruling on the tan word. It seems they have a problem with the same word, there isn't a Supreme Court ruling on the subject. If there had been such a ruling, and the Court resorted to Webster's as the source of clarification, dry preservative could be considered technically illegal in this state.
Let's take the literal definition of tan in terms of leather and dissect it. When we do this we will go to plant derivative tannins and tannic acid real quick. At that point we are looking at compounds with astringent properties, meaning they can shrink soft tissue.
How many different astringents that we could be producing unknowingly by compounding these various chemicals that we collectively use, I have no idea on, but it is probably a greater number than realized.
Kathy,
I think you may have a 4" gap at your seam and not 4" of shrink. You can strech you cape a good bit by taking 2 2X4s hinged at one end and insert this into the cape from the body end. Spread the board apart and you will be suprised how much it will strech. You can also but an inner tub inside and inflate it some and get strech.
You may try this also. Silde you cap up on the form some, pull the seam together and sew. After sewing taxi the cap into place. If you have the cap to far down or if you are pulling it down while sewing the seam will be hard to close.
Hope this helps
Roy