is it ok to freeze a duck skin after it is tanned but before tumbling, i cant get to it right away, or any suggestions thanks to all
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hey before any comments about the search button i looked just wondering from some more.
Next to no one ever buys that fancy "bird tan" stuff and they use either DP or borax. If that's your "tan", you will be in for some shrinkage when you take it out and may end up having to wash and tumble again. MOST of us will skin the bird and either freeze the skin then or we'll wash it and freeze it, or wash it, tumble it and freeze it saving the DP and borax until right before mounting. If you used that other crap (tan), I don't have a clue.
Have used tan on all my birds this year. Have frozen birds after tan for mount at later date. Have seen no ill effects so far. Seal good to keep out freezer burn. I thaw out when ready to mount then tumble.I also would not put dry preserve on before freezing. NO matter what you use there is going to be some shrinkage.But maybe with tan it will be less.So far i like it.
With my birds, I have absolutely no shrinkage on the green skins. If anything, they stretch too much sometimes. That's why when a bird is mounted the skin and feathers get adjusted for the first 3 or 4 days so that when the hide does start to shrink from the DP or borax, the feathers still lie where they should.
George , what is DP?
yep, borax, calorax, three team borax, any and all dry preservatives