I thought I had the problems with the foxes worked out...WRONG!
So, I need to know,
Do I need to get ALL fat off, none left what so ever?
Can I degrease before I salt to dry?
with Kwik N Eze tan, what should be the LOWEST & MAX ph level?
If I use alum. sulf. do you stil tan? since I understood it is a tan, although I may be wrong on that one.
And anything else that will help.
Here is what I did start to finish, pickle rather,
immediately into freezer, spread-eagle, froze, took out and let thaw, until I could pull hide enough to cut off. Split out foot and salt,split another, salt, skin belly, salt when up to the ribs, then complete up to head, pull ears off at butt muscle, salt, get head off and salt, the go back and split ears, salt, then eyes and nose. Then resalt. Split tail, salt. then go back and try to rough flesh, meat and most of the major fat, only about an 1/8 in. left on the back of fox. Resalt, let dry til next day, beat off old salt and resalt. then leave til week or more.
I then, went to put in the pickle and hair was even coming off of the tail! and everywhere, oh this was after rehydrating in ultra soft overnight and then putting in cooler at 45 degrees for a couple of hours, I'll stretch it and say 5 hours.
so I figure I can do no more harm, I put it in safetee acid, vinegar and a small box of alum! Hair is still going everywhere.
I think I included everything.
Any help!?
I need a lot of it with these critters
Thanks,
Sherrie
Return to Lifesize Mammal Taxidermy Category Menu
I use a very heavy salt brine to rehydrate. You are also trying to combine the acid and Alum? I rehydrate until the skin gets soft, immediately goes into the acid for 3 days, shave, degrease, wash and then back into the acid. I then tan it, oil and then tumble. Get a hold of Bruce Rittle and ask for his directions for EZ Tan 100, it is free. Follow them and your problems should go away. With all the stuff you added to the acid did you recheck the PH? Fox can be toublesome but no one should be having as much trouble tanning a fox as you have been?
Dave
need to get All of the fat and meat off. No need to salt as you go. Skin, split, flesh then salt repeatedly. At that point start you tanning process. Good Luck!
I never had any trouble with foxes. All i did was skin and put on strecher, and sell to fur buer on Saturdays. GOT YA!