Hello,
I use dp on my deers and my question is if i am using a mini flesher do i put dp on before i flesh to help from cutting holes?What i'm asking is will the dp act like salting before fleshing?
Thank,
James
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I don't think dry preserve would help from cutting holes, and it "preserves" the hide so it is not a substitute for salt.
salt then flesh then rehydrate and the dp?
Don't flesh with the meat on. You'll need to get all that off first, and then salt. Give the hide a few days to sit while it is salted, and then when it is set, rehydrate it and flesh.
I have heard it throught the grapevine that if you are using DP you shouldn't salt the hide. After ALL of the meat and membrane is removed throw it back in the freezer until you are ready to mount it. My question to you is, why on earth with all of the really good tanning products out there would you use DP? You still have to do all of the hard work. Why not get one of the brush on or submersible tans that really tans the hide? DP makes nothing more than rawhide and it is only a preservative not a tan. If you live in a dry climate it will crack after a couple of years and look like crap. I have my reasons but I personally don't like Krowtann. I have heard that it works very well and is easy to use. It's gotta be alot better than DP.
How do you NOT flesh while the meat is on. The meat is what has to be fleshed off. IF you are using DP -STAY AWAY FROM SALT!. Salting dehydrates the hide and you will never EVER wash it all out. Dry Preservative also dehydrates the hide and it leaves its own residue just like salt. The idea behind DP is that you wait until you're ready to mount your animal. You flesh it (you can even shave it) but then you rub in the DP and you MOUNT IT IMMEDIATELY. If you can't mount it, don't thaw it. You can freeze the hide after you flesh it, but you're playing with your butt. Several freeze/thaw cycles will likely end up with the hide spoiling and the hair slipping.
I have never used DP but I remembered reading about salting a DP skin is the absolute wrong thing to do. Do you still use DP George? Just curious.
There's no way in God's green earth anyone would ever convince me that TANNING a squirrel or a fox or a coon or any small game/furbearer is easier than DP. I certainly use it on all my bird work. Those old fairy tales about DP not working in a Northern climate are just that..fairy tales. Van Dykes has been selling it since they began business decades ago. Just how far NORTH is Woonsocket, South Dakota? LOL
Thanks for the info. Is it a better product for birds than Borax? I know I ask you alot of questions but I like Ya George. You never give me BS like others do. Is it true about the use of DP on deer in a dry climate the skins will split and crack like my old hands do?
Borax has no drying qualities other than the absorbancy. The reason for borax is to keep bugs out and DP does that and more.
DP dries a mount out regardless of what the climate is. The arguments stem from the 'southern' (read humid) climates, but we know that's patently false. Bismarck, North Dakota or Rogers Dry Lake in California have 100% humidity during a rainstorm. Northern tier states may not have the pervasive humidity, but it's still moisture in the air. I suspect DP is harder on a hide in really humid weather since the DP may actually make a mount drip water as it continues to dry the mount regardless. The only way to beat this "cracking" is to use a great glue. The epoxies of today will fit that bill perfectly where the old water based and acrylic pastes just don't have enough strength to hold a hide in place. Pressures from expanding and contracting deer skin are incredible and without a great glue, you're asking for problems IN MY OPINION.
I tan my deer and mammals but I am going to start into birds and needed this info. Many Many Thanks!