Holy Mackerel! I've been reading the archives for about an hour and a half now on rehydrating. I've heard people use warm,hot,and cold water. They have used salt, baking soda, and fabric softeners. Seems to be alot of varying opinions or ways to rehydrate. I get my capes commercially tanned and they are wet tanned. Only on my third cape ever and was looking on ways to rehydrate. Basically, I would like to know the safest way to rehydrate. My opinion would be to use 5 gallons of water or so and a handful of salt per gallon. Do you rinse the cape of the salt before you put in a plastic bag, or do you put in the plastic bag right out of salt solution? Then I should take my measurements after sweating overnight in fridge. Then freeze while waiting for forms.How much stretching should I do before measuring for my forms. I do have measurements from caping out. Just wanted to see how much stretch actually occurs. This particular deer has a 20" neck. (ohio Deer) Seems like most people go smaller on their forms. But will my hide stretch more than 20" after rehydrating? Thank You!
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you can get do go over the actual carcuss measurement you can start to distort the hair patterns. And who wants to lie about a deers size...to me this art prserves the beauty and correct look of the animal when it was alive.
Wayne,if you are having those hides wet tanned,no rehydrating is necessary.