it consits of mixing 5gal of water with 5lbs of tabel salt and 10oz
of formic acid. Submerse cape over nite then neutralize the acid by
subermesing cape in 3gal of water and 4 tablespoons of baking soda.
Then wash hide with dawn dish soap then rinse in clean water. Let drip
dry and then oil with tanning oil. This is my first deer and i'm scared
#@$%less to get started. This is a custermers deer but he is very under
standing and to top it off i don't have a flesher or fleshing knive and
beam. Thanks for all help. jim.
Do you mean tanning cream? Tanning oil comes after the tanning process.
Yor method is alright, except for the amount of formic acid.I think I would use 10 ccs instead of 10 oz,assuming your formic is full strength. Too much formic will make the skin hard. I think you could leave the neutralizing till later,as the tanning oil works better if the hide has salt on it.Leave the cape in the solution for36-48 hours, depending on the temprature .Check the cape often,pulling and stretching it,wearing rubber gloves. When all the raw look is gone, and it looks white, it is ready.Then take it out,drain, flesh on a machine,oil, roll up a few hours,hang up and let it dry for 3 or 4 days, or till the oil is absorbed. Rehydrate in 5 gallon bucket,using either baking soda or a big handfull of borax to neutralize.Then,shampoo,rinse, and mount. I have been using this method for years, and have had great results.Plenty of stretch,no hair loss, and no shrinkage after it is mounted.I use Rittels EZ 100 tanning oil, and have had no problems.I realize this method cuts out some steps that others advocate, but it works for me.Always use latex gloves when handling a cape that is not neutralized.
many solid proven methods have been archived here. research them some. You left salting completely out. you raise your chnace of slipping the hair when using a high pH soap such as DAWN or LYSOL.
One thing I forgot to mention. I never salt a cape before pickling.
If anyone recalls,years ago Joe Coombs had a formula for pickling capes using Liqua Tan whereby not salting was part of the formula. If the cape is fresh, the salt will work just as good in the brine as it does laying on the floor,salting, drying, rehydrating, and then pickling. On a suspect cape,ie,sour,smelly,etc,I will salt. Believe me, it will work. I know of several taxidermists that don't even use formic in their pickle.Just pre-tan 110,Kemal 4, and salt.They have great results.Also, they do not salt before pickling. I would advise yo to try all the various methods available,choose one, and GO!
Hey Jim,
Just my opinion, but if I did not own a fleshing machine or a fleshing knife I would not do my own tanning. To get the "most" benefit from any tan you need to thin "shave" the hide thin so you will retain stretch and control shrinkage. I personally would flesh and salt then send to tannery. For 30 bucks you're gonnan get back a hide you can work with. If you plan on doing your own tanning, I would recommend getting a fleshing machine (lots of good choices out there) and a fleshing knife. They have seperate uses. You can do it with knife or a scapel, but to tell you the truth, very few folks have the ability to do it that way and get a thin, evenly shaved hide. Besides that, you'll kill your back! Just my opinion
Dave Toms
Dave I think you r right. I think till I get going alittle more(doing
more deer)I will send the cape away. I think the the customer and me would
be better off for it. for got to mention the salting would be done befor
the taning started. Thanks for all the response.
Jim:
Try Rittels Safety Acid instead of Formic acid.Its Safe No Fumes,Biodegradable,Easy and safe disposal.I use it ever since Bruce developed it (Bless that Man).I then Tan using Either EZTan 100 or Knowblochs Liquatan.These products are great and I stand by it. you can see photos of my work that has been used with those products at:
www.angelfire.com/ny3/tebtaxidermy
Good Luck
Pete Tebar/Tebar Taxidermy
John ,I've read a couple of times where dawn dishsoap was refered to as a high PH soap.The fact is is that it is as nuetral as most water,I've soaked skins in dawn for days with other additives.Check it out on some litmus paper.