I have just completed a little over three days of pickling with Safety Acid and plan on tanning with Rittel's EZ 100 tan. I slipped the cape on the whitetail form and it is going to take some definite stretching and pulling in many directions to get this to work. Does the cape loosen up and have more stretch once tanned and oiled? I am letting it dry right now because I'm going to try and sand or shave (with just a knife) the skin thinner (I do not have a machine for thinning). My measurements were correct and the form is correct, so I don't think I really "went wrong" anywhere...I'm just trying to figure out what/when I am going to get this thing to fit with most ease.
Thanks for any help; it's much appreciated!
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..should have ordered the form from the measurements from the cape after you had tanned it - if you shave it you will get a lot of stretch normally - good luck
to try and slip the cape on. Tha acid in the pickle causes the flesh to swell making it easier to thin. Thin the cape some and it should make a difference. And ordering a form after tanning is a good idea until you're more familiar with different processes. Good Luck! Jeff F
If, after it's tanned and it's the seem in the back isn't coming together completely, make sure your putting the right hide in the right place, make sure your not trying to put the kneck part, way back where the shoulders are. try moving the hid farther up on the manikan. good luck!
Daniel, The main thing in getting the stretch in a cape is proper thinning. Spend the time to get the neck close to as thin as the briskit area and you will have all the stretch you need. A good point by High Schooler- many people fight the process when all that's needed is moving the cape forward. Go for the relaxed fit and your results will be much better than if you force the cape inti a tight fit. Enjoy, Aaron H.
you must neutralize the cape after thinning and pickling, with baking soda before the cape will let back out. After tanning and oiling then check for fit. Hers an example, hit your finger with a hammer, swells up and is hard to bend right, same with a pickled cape, once the swelling goes down it moves easy again, same as a reutralized cape.