I've read a lot here on the subject and it seems pretty basic but since whenever I worked on a bird in the past I always "finished" it in a day or two using the fridge for temporary relief. Never refroze one. Is it better to freeze it while its still soaking wet, right after washing with soap/rinsing, and then drying it after it thaws? Or, is it better to dry it befoe it goes into the freezer, then just do touch up drying after you thaw it? I do know not to freeze a skin thats been solvent washed.
Also, is there a limit as to how many times a skin (during various times of the taxidermy process) can be refrozen? An example: can you skin a bird when you first get it, freeze it, take it out and degrease it, freeze it, take it out and work on it some more, refreeze it due to complications....... Just wondering. I usually "get er done" when I decide to do a bird but was curious as to just what a skin can take from your experiences.
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I like to freeze my bird skins after fleshing and washing them. I just take them out of the final rinse and squeeze the water out and roll the skin up in a plastic bag. It keeps the skin from drying out in the freezer. I have dried them before freezing, but you have to moisten the inside skin so that it doesn't dry out on you.
I'll skin a bunch of birds so i can measure for bodies. After washing and rinsing, I'll wrap them and freeze till i'm ready to mount them.
If you freeze after mineral spirits, or whaterver you use, you'll just
have to do it again after thawing, since thats meant to displace any
moisture let in the skin. Them tumble, dry, and mount. Scott Olson
I have frozen skins many different ways--right after skinning, right after fleshing, and even wet after washing. Sometimes, I have frozen a duck up to 3 different times--when it comes in, after skinning, then after fleshing. This is not the preferred method, but it definately can be done. If I freeze a skin that has already been washed, I like to thaw it out in water and rinse the bird all over again. Then dry it and mount. There are so many different ways to do things, but to answer your question--freezing does not typically hurt your bird.