ive been using mineral spirits to degrease ducks. do most of you use it on like grouse huns and ptarmigan.the reason im asking is because the feathers were coming off to easy. or would white gas work better. any info thanx.
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used mineral spirits without a problem.The only time feathers come out for me, is when I flesh to close.
This is a frequent question - a lot of information and detail can be found by using the "search" button. In short none of the petroleum products are "degreasers" in and of themselves. Their primary purpose is to displace water making the skin easier to dry. While there may be some degreasing properties, they are minimal. The choice between products is entirely personal. Some do not use white gas because of the residual smell, some do not use paint thinner for the same reason. Others use acetone and so forth. In my experience all the petroleum products are basically the same, as is the result. Grouse and ptarmigan release feathers easily, as do doves and others. You just have to be careful. They do not accept the same handling intensity as a duck skin or a goose skin. I have not seen a difference in feather release related to a particular petroleum product. Some say soaking in denatured alcohol "toughens" the skin - I have not tried it. I use what I have at the time - coleman fuel, white gas, acetone, unleaded regular gasoline and etc. All highly flammable and toxic for your lungs in an enclosed space. I believe that every bird needs to be "degreased" (washed in a degreaser soap). I then wire wheel them all or use other mechanical means to remove the grease from between the feather quills. Good luck
I feel they really do not degrease...proof otherwise would change my mind maybe. I have used Dawn, Tide, Gain, Era....but Rittles Super solvent works best I can tell. The greasiest divers soaked for a while come out squeaky clean, smell good..the feathers look great, they rinse out alot quicker than the other soaps, no dangerous fumes or flame possibility..blow out feather groups lightly with compressed air to remove excess water...great! ANy other experiences with Super Solvent?....
Mike