I recently finished my first bear rug and I was very pleased with the results. The only think that I did not like is that the hide does not feel very soft and pliable. The hide was commercially tanned and I soaked it in water prior to stretching it. Other rugs that I have seen feel more soft and pliable. What should I have done different?
Thanks,
Tom
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You may have soaked it too long to rehydrate, larger bears have thicker skins ans will be stiffer than small bears and different tanneries have different qualities of "soft".
I have never found softness or lact of softness to be a problem with a bear rug. Almost all of my customers are hanging their "rug" on the wall and they actually display better when they are stiffer.
If your customer desires a soft bear rug try this next time. Don't soak the hide to rehydrate, lay it hair side down and sponge it wet on the flesh side(you may have to soak the ears) refrigerate it overnight and then proceed. Keep in mind, anytime you get water on leather, the dried out product will be stiffer than before.
I have found that Carolina Fur Dressing gives me the softest completed bear rugs of any tannery. The original size of the bear is still a factor, and there is nothing you will be able to do about that.
Lastly, after you get done with the stretching and let the bear dry, you can try to "break" the skin a little to regain some softness. I am not sure that I would recommend this, as some areas of the bear are thinner and will soften easier and may cause distortion in your skin.