I pulled out a deer cape last night and i am going to flesh it, then salt dry it inside out until it is almost completely dry. How long will it take to salt dry it almost completely dry? Then should i pack the cape in a cardboard box with newspaper insulation around the cape? thanks
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it depends on where you live (humidity, temperature) and how well you fleshed it in determining how long it will take to dry.
There are a bunch of different techniques you can use. I lay mine out nice and flat, put a nice coat of salt all over it making sure you get it in all the wrinkles around the ears and face. Let it sit for 24 hours, shake off all the wet salt and resalt.
Some people resalt and roll it up for a few days. I prefer to keep mine flat the whole time with a fan on it. If you can elevate it, it will be even better because moisture can drain and you can get airflow underneath it.
One thing I do that is I prop the face/head up vertically with a stick stuck inside the head, and get a fan on it. I want the head to dry as quick as possible. If you just salt the head and fold the head back towards the body, the chin doesn't get any air on it.
You just have to check it every day and work out any wrinkles, salting is not a job to salt and forget. It can take a week or so to dry, just make sure you fold it up right before it dries completely or you will never get it in a box to ship. And most tanneries want them totally dry before accepting them.
Until proven differently, I salt only once. I use a fine salt (table salt or baking salt) and I insure all the surface is covered completely, rubbing it into the fleshy side with gloved hands. I let it drain. When the water stops dripping, that means that there's no more water in the skin to be drawn out and the next day, I fold it so that it will fit my shipping container. On SOME hides, like elk and buffalo, there are some times that a second salting might be required, but for whitetails, once in the deal. "We always did it that way" is the only reason I've ever been give for a hide drying flint hard and since it's going to be rehydrated, what sense does bone dry make?
I take an old rack from a fridge or stove and place my cape on it at an angle so that it can get good air and the liquids can drain properly. If you have a rent to own around, they usually pick up peoples old appliances and dispose of them. Racks=FREE! P.S. I salt both sides of the cape,set it on one side,salt heavily for a day, shake salt off,flip and salt heavy on the other side for another day,and then use a fan to get it dry enough that I still have enough flexibility to package properly. I don't insulate but I do make sure the box is sealed TIGHT and I mark "contains salt" on the box so that nobody thinks there's an anthrax attack if something happens to work it's way out of the box. Anywho, good luck and hope you've done your homework to find a good tannery. Peace. Jeff F.
Salt 24 hours, shake old salt off, lightly salt a new layer on, put a fan on it, when it starts to stiffen up, fold in thirds with the head or face on the outside of the folded bundle. Leave it under the fan and flip it a few times until it is dry. Throw it in a box and send it out.