ok, here is my question. I started trapping this year and caught 2 really huge raccoons 27lb and 29lb. I wanted to make a wall hanging rug of the first one and try my hand at mounting the second one. I have read a few books, but each one gives a different procedure on how to work the furs.
do I soak the furs in a salt solution, then flesh, then pickle with #110, and then tan and mount? or
do I dry salt, resalt, flesh, pickle, tan and mount? or
do I stretch and dry with no salt, dry preserve, and then mount? or
some other method I havent been made aware of yet.
I think it would probably be best to actually tan the rug instead of the dry preservative, so I might as well tan the other while I am at it. This is my line of thought so far and any further help would be beneficial.
Also, if I should soak in a salt solution, what is the ration/concentration of salt per gallon?
and...what is the difference between a pickle and just saoking in a high concentration salt solution from the start? the more I read the more confused I get. thanks!
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Use Krowtann-2000 and you will not have the troubles.
flesh,dry salt, rehydrate (bactericide), pickle, thin hide, pickle, neutralize, tan, oil. I use safe-tee, lutan-f, pro plus oil worked good on my badger rug. worked good on my racoon shoulder mount to, so you should be fine.
None of you mentioned degreasing...and yes, you have to.
Thanx Bill, yeah get a good degreaser for coons and most animals. Dawn probly won't cut it. I use Rittels supersolvent, if you don't degrease good, especially for the rugs you'll have problems with it drying out right. good luck!