I have searched the archives for hours... I have been using the DP method and thought I would try my hand at tanning. I tanned a couple of hides for rugs/wall hangings, which turned out real well. I then felt confident enough to try some deer capes to mount. I tanned two deer capes, going step by step per the instructions. I froze them to mount later. Upon thawing them out, I noticed hair slippage. My question is, "I froze them hair side in, flesh side out...Could this have been my problem?"
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I use EZ-100 for all my tanning.One thing you have to remember is always dry your capes thoroughly . I always roll mine up in thick towels for about an hour then oil,sweat then freeze. If you don't your capes will lay in the water that still present and you can get some slippage as they are thawing.
David B, I use the ez100 tan with great results. I do freeze a cape now and then but mostly tan by my mounting schedule, i don't like unnecessary freezing. As for freezing with the hair turned in my only thought is if you pull the cape to check on thawing or try to turn before the ice has released the hair it could pull out a patch and appear as a slipped spot. Why not freeze hair out, mostly dried and folded flat to speed up thawing? Quicker thaw and less moisture will probably fix this problem. Enjoy, Aaron H.
Aaron H.
I had a doctors appointment the next day, and I didn't want to leave the capes in the refrig. (just in case I didn't get to them quickly). They were in the freezer for approximately 48 hours. They hadn't even froze up real good. It didn't take them long to thaw. I didn't have the slippage until I started putting it on the mannikin. It appears the cape had also shrunk. I was having a heck of a time getting it on. The capes were really wet, so I left the second cape (hung up) on my enclosed backporch overnight, which has heat vents but it was so cold it was like a refrig. It had dried out a good bit by morning, and appeared to be OK. I tried to mount it on the form, but it had so much shrinkage there was no way to get it on the form. It also had some slippage on the upper neck. I think I could have salvaged it, if I could have gotten it on the form.
As to the freezing the cape hair side out, I don't know why I didn't turn it out. I was following the stupid instructions, and it didn't say it mattered. You live and learn!
That's what I was trying to find out...If having the hair side in, flesh side out, caused my problem. I also wonder how do you prevent the shrinkage? I order the form per the measurements of the deer. Do I need to wait until after I tan it to order the form?
I recently had a cap that wouldnt fit the form - even though it initially did. When I finally figured out what it was - it was loss of water! I had worked on it, then froze it so many times that I needed to replace the water. So - I soaked it again in a sloution using 4 ozs. of salt to each 1 gallon of water - soaked it for 30 minutes - then put it in a plastic bag - tied it off and refrigerated it overnight. The next day it was again nice and stretchy and fit the form.
As for that slippage on your tube cut cape - you should always "damp-dry" the hair before you freeze it. I sometimes dust the hair with sawdust and blow it out to remove the excess water. If you dont damp-dry them then the moisture next to skin pulps and weakens the epidermis - causing slippage!