Submitted by Gene on 12/19/1998. ( few627@aol.com. )
How do I treat an old bearskin rug to keep it from drying out?
Is there any way to treat it through the fur side. Does the
padding and backing need to be removed to treat the skin?
Can you give me a guestimate of how long preserved skins last?
What would you say is the value of a 50yr old 8'4"X 8'4"
polar bear is? Gene
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This response submitted by Bob C on 12/20/1998. ( bobswildlife@webtv.net )
Gene, I just got done repairing a dryed out old black bear rug. First remove the backing.Be careful because this is all that holding the skin together at times.I then brushed on a coating of clear latex calking , a little section at a time ( about 2ft x 2ft) and applied a piece of muslin onto the wet calk.Brush somemore calking over the muslin to make sure it will stay bonded to the skin.I let one section dry before starting the next section.Do this until the whole rug is done.The bear skin I did was actually in about ten pieces.This process worked great.With the latex calk the skin remained flexable. Bob C
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