I just got finished with the final fleshing on my boar cape, so i put it back in my safety acid pickle for another day. When i took the cape out it still felt a little greasy so i made up a solution of 5 gallons of water and 5 oz. of Kemal-4. I let the cape sit in this overnight. When i checked on it the next day i noticed that that the skin really swelled up, not real limp like it was before. Is there anything i can do to get the "limpness" back if that is a word. Thanks in advance.
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Sounds like your cape is acid swelled. I would put it back in your pickle, this should reduce the swell.
take a cape out of the pickle and soak it in a soap solution. You raised the pH of the hide and now you have acid swell. After you shave the hide you can wash it.....but it's just an in and ou thing don't let the hide soak. It lowers the pH. When I tan a hide or cape. I will usually do all of my fleshing and then soak it in a basycrill and Kemal 4 bath for 20 minutes. This pulls out 90% of the blood and the grease. Then i will pull it out and rinse andlet it drain. I will then towel dry the hide and apply salt. I've never washed a hide after i begin pickling it. Hope this helps.
Michelle Wilson @ Michelle's Taxidermy
Thanks guys and gals i appreciate the info I will do what you say and i hope it will help.