Just did a bear and a deer, both hides had the top of the ear hair slip off. About the top 1.5 inches were slipping. We did all the skinning and salting (because we harvested the animals ourselves). We are turning the ears completely with the exception of the last 1/4 - 1/2 inch so the tannery wont blow the ears out. Its always on the inside of the top of the ear. HELP!
Thanks.
Email me if you have a possible idea.
Chuck
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My guess is, it SLIPPED because it was NOT TURNED ALL THE WAY !
You need to turn the ears completely, then salt, this draws out all the unwanted moisture and junk in the skin and locks the hair in so it wont slip, As far as How to fix it,,,,,,,,I've never ran into this problem, mainly because I turn everything all the way before I salt.
But if we turn them all but the last 1/4 inch then why are they slipping 1 1/2 inches down? Thats what has me stummped. It was cool in Oct. 25th when we got the animal and we turned and salted everything right after lunch. Left it in salt for a week. Shook it off and sent it in to the tannery. Frustrating.
it will continue down the ear. You have to split everything to the tip. Funny, the blown out ear is a lot easyer to fix then a slipped tip of a ear. I tan a lotof capes and I find it strange that guys leave the ears unsplit the last few inches, and expect them to be fine when tanning. That is the most visible place not to take care of. Like the eyes and nose and lips. they are right up front and are the fist things noticed but to many feel the lack of responcibility to turn, thin and flesh them properly. the salt need to be able to penetrate into the skin and draw out the bacterial water as well as dry out the fibers and the spaces inbetween the fibers so that the pickling and tanning will penetrate. It is also the first preservation of the hide and will keep the skin in the best shape possible.
Help me understand your whole process. Because not turning the last 1/2 inch should not cause then to slip. The skin is thin on the ears. just the salt that gets on the outside should be sufficient to do the job. When I use to send out capes to be tanned. I did the same thing. and never had a problem. Are you drying the capes, or just salting them and leaving rolled up. Or what. If I knew your procedures, I may be better able to answer you question.
When we get 4 or 5 capes we thaw them out, turn everything (with the exception of the last 1/4 inch of the ear all the way around it), lay the first cape hair down and cover with salt, lay #2 on it hair down and repeat. Leave for a week, unstack and shake them off, box them and send them off. If there is one area I could be better in is the speed in which I get these fleshed and split. About 1-2 hours on a deer. Seems like it takes me way to long. I've only done about 20 so I hope I get faster. Do you think part of the problem is that I dont change the salt after 24 hours. We stack them in an old plastic bed liner with the grooves in it then prop it up at a angle so the fluids can drain.
Any constuctive critisism is greatly appretiated.
Thanks ahead of time
Chuck
I have never had a cape to slip. Call me lucky, lucky. But I have never, never stacked one green cape on top of another. Logically, it seems to me the idea is to salt the capes so the fluids drain and air can flow around as it dries. So how do the capes underneath get air flow and dry? If I stacked my capes, I suppose I would get slippage also. I would be willing to bet that the ones that slipped were not on top. Just my HO. Try not stacking. What do you other guys think?
Ron
I've heard where a lot of folks don't skin the last bit of the ear for fear of the tumbler's blowing the ears out. And they don't have any slippage. I just wonder if you might be damaging the ears when you are turning them. I know the hair roots can be damaged if you stress them too much and the roots are shallow in this area.
Another thing that might help is when you turn the ears inside out to salt them...try packing the fur side full of salt also. I do this, I don't know if it's necassary, but the tips never slip on deer. I copied that idea from a video I watched....Hope this helps...Steve
Thanks alot for the ideas.. Its great to have you guys around.