Is it ok to salt a cape for any tan? Or are there tans that I shouldnt salt dry it?
Return to Beginners Category Menu
if at all possible, it has many benefits. Check the archives. I have skipped the salting on one or two rare occasions, when I had a hide or cape I wanted to get straight into the acid, and wasn't sure would be able to make it through the salting , rehydrating, and pickle. Be forewarned, I do NOT recommend you try it, as this is definitely not a good practice. It just worked for me at the time I had to do it.
It is very important to salt everything you are going to tan. The salt removes the blood and bodily juices out of the skin. If the juices are not removed, the pickle has to try to kill it off, and then you need a ( stiff pickle ) to do that. :-0
You must remove all of that nasty fluid within a hide if you want the pickle and tan to do their job effectively. Salt kills bacteria while drawing out moisture.
I did not know this! Salt is not magic, it does not kill bacteria! It's main purpose is to leach out the fluids. Which in turn makes a poor environment for bacterial growth, it inhibits it, but don't be confused, it does not kill or eliminate it. Hmmm perhaps I've been wasting a buttload of money on basacryl over the years! Should I just be using salt then and skip the bacteriacide? Now I'm confused.