What is pickling? I have been braintanning for several years and I've done a little bark tanning as well. I've never chemical tanned, however. When I do a deer hide it is my intention to remove the hair, hence, I do not salt it. Indtead, I buck it (lye bath), sometimes with homecured lye. I wonder what you use for a pickle solution, can you do this with furs (racoon, squirrel, or rabbit) and still achieve a soft pliable fur? (I use my furs and pelts for bags and clothing trim--stuff like that.)
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Is the process that gets your skin ready to accept the tannins in your tanning agent. Pickling is done with the use of an acid. You decide which acid to use such as formic,oxalic,safety acid and you can even use vinegar. There are more acids to chhose from. The object is to get the ph balance of your pickle down low enough to kill bacteria so you do not have hair slippage. After the pickle the skin will need to have the acid neutralized and then it is ready to tan.
Todd B
there is a whole category devoted to tanning, with lots of reading. And if you have any specific question you can hit the "search" button and look it up.
Oh and i dont know if this is exactly scientifically correct but i had it explained to me one time that the pickle not only kills bad bacteria that slips the hair but it breaks down the proteins that they feed on so they dont return. and the oil or other tanning agent replaces the soluble proteins that the pickle disposed of. once again i am not an expert in that area like say bruce or glen might be but that is how someone told me once and it kinda makes sense.