I checked out the achives on rehydrating.The best way I can come up with doing a rock hard salted cape. Use 5 gallons of room temp water then mix 1 lbs of salt to one gallon of water and use ultra-soft relaxer and bactericide and let it soak for no more than 4 or 5 hours and then rinse the cape and put it in the pickle bath im useing rittles safe-tee acid for the pickle.THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR KNOWLEDGE
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Simply mix up 1 Gallon of water, and 1 fl. oz. of Ultra-Soft/Gl. and put in your cape! From what you said I'm assuming this cape is raw dried salted - not tanned - right? Anyway - leave it there until its rehydrated, usually within 10 hours, then rinse it and place it in the pickle.
Since you mentioned both ultra soft and saftee acid, I would suggest ordering them from Rittels. Bruce always sends directions with his products. While you are at it, ask him about blood eater. I use his ultra soft with some blood eater when I rehydrate my capes or skins. I don't want to post my formula for the risk of someone not having the same results I do. The skins soften up very nicely and any blood that may have been there before is removed. I do not add any salt to this mixture.
Bruce,
You typed faster than I did. Sorry about that.
This question is for Bruce Rittel:
I have your EZ-100 Tanning Instructions and under "Basic Preparation" for a dry salted hide to rehydrate you have 2 lbs of salt to every gallon of water with Rittel's Ultra-Soft (US-609) in your response to rehydrating you said it is not nessary to use salt? Just water and Rittel's Ultra-Soft (US-609) Which one is right?
I am satified with your EZ-100 Tanning Solution but I just want to do it right.
Please response because I do not like to waste salt.
Thank you in advance
Thanks John! I checked that out - and if it's the EZ-2000 Tanning Kit instructions - the gold colored sheet - it reads (Step 5) "place it in a strong Brine solution, or use Rittel's ULTRA-SOFT (US-609) Relaxing agent, and soak them for 10-24 hours, or until they completely relax and become soft again".
I've used both methods - but because the US-609 speeds up the time required, particularly on air drieds and africans - I prefer it.
Using Ultra-Soft and Blood-Eater together really cleans up those bloody capes! Both are good relaxers - but using the Blood-Eater eliminates a lot of extra washing and scrubbing!
To use them together mix 1/2 fluid ounce (1 Tablespoonful) of each per each 1 gallon of water. No Salt. No Bacteriacide. You should begin to see results within 10 hours.
PS - dont freak out when you see the solution turn blood red! That's the blood removed from the skin! It will rinse away!
for all the help.