The last three deer capes I tanned I had hair slippage. I was wondering if using dawn to wash between the rehydrate and the pickle could be the cause. I checked the ph on dawn and it appears much higher than super solvent. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks.
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Slippage is caused by bacterial decomposition. The faster you get something cooled down and get salt on it the better(Remember not to freeze it after it has been salted).
The other thing is not having enough salt in your pickling solution. I don't think the Dawn would do anything except raise the pH higher than what it should be, which effects the pickling process.
The other thing which it could be is what are you rehydrating the capes in?
Dawn is high Ph because it is an Alkyd substance. If you rinse the Dawn out of the hide well, there would be no problem with slippage. If you introduce remnant detergent with the fur, it can alter the Ph in a pickle. I have been using Dawn since it came on the market and have never attributed any slippage to that product. In fact, I believe it helps set a skin up for pickling. Dawn's Ph is probably around 8, but I am not positive about that.
I woyuld think your problem lies elsewhere.
Cur, Why would we, or should we wash deer capes in dawn? To remove blood and dirt from the hair side? Or, to remove fat?
I have only rinsed them in clear water after salting, and before the pickle, but have never used soap. I have always fleshed the fat away, so why use soap? Personal choice?
Grease and blood are protein and only a high pH will break proteins down. Remember that those fancy solvents only wash loose matter away, but soaps break them down. The DANGER of using soap is that it BREAKS DOWN PROTEIN. Since the hide and hair are also protein, you must take care in the amount of time a hide is subjected and the concentration of the soap being used. Leaving a hide unattended in a soap bath just invites the hair to slip. Remember, the only difference between hydrated lime and soap is just a few numbers on the pH scale. You use hydrated lime to take the hair off a hide. If you leave the hide in the hydrated lime long enough, it too will eventually dissolve. (That's how they make the casings that wrap weiners, salami, bologna, and sausage. That slurry is washed, compacted to drive the water out and then extruded to make those casings.) I use the old standby, 20 minutes. I never leave a hide in soap for over 20 minutes and I rinse it thoroughly afterwards.
Rich, This washing with soap prior to pickling seems like an invitation to trouble to me. Anything that pushes the ph up in a pickle puts the hair at risk. Whether the soap itself acts against the hair or the higher ph defeats the protection of the pickle is immaterial. My bet is you will have no more problem if you wait until just prior to neutralizing to do any soap washing of skins. My thoughts-enjoy, Aaron H.
Here's one article, supported with microphotography. I have at least one more that is temporarily unavailable.
http://www.hidetanning.net/HairSlipTanning.html
Either use the address, or go to hidetanning.net, and scroll down to the very bottom of the page.
I've got one more of the hair and microphotography articles that was on TaxidermyReference.com to move to hidetanning.net that contains basic slip information. I'll get it done as soon as I can.
www.hidetanning.net/HairSlipTannedCape.html