I am about to start my first tanning, so I have been reading the old posts to prepare. I plan on using Liqua-Tan for tanning. I have been reading of people tanning with Liqua-Tan and then freezing their hides. Why is this? Isn't it complete after the tanning process using Liqua-Tan? I figured it would be done and 100% preserved after that step.?!
Thanks for the help,
Todd
Why people freeze after you use liqua-tan can be different reasons.
1 Freezing it after it sits for atleast 4 hours does this to it. One it freezes the water and lets the oil get into the hide better.
Second reason is space. Instead of leaving the hide dry out and then having to rehydrate it causes some space troubles for some folks. So they freeze it. When a persons tans a hide it doesn't mean that their going to mount it that day. It may be until next week or until the manikins come in.
#3rd intstead of having to rehydrate the hide and sweating it over night in a bag it's easier to take a hide out of the freezer, it thaws quick and many may give it a quick wash at this time. Then tumble the hide and mount it.
It's just a convience for people to do it this way. It's just a matter of choice and personal reasons for freezing a hide. So in reality after you use liqua-tan and it sets it does tan the hide and you can what ever you may like to do with your tanned hides.
I just get the impression that you be doing one hide at a time and your ready to mount it then. If so thats fine. I know taxidermists that do it this way and I have done this from time to time and that is to tan the hide just before I call it quicks for the day, come back the following morning and wash the hide,tumble it then mount it. So as you can see there really is not real reason or a particular way of freezing a tanned hide. Hope this helped you out some what.
Thanks for the help Frank.
Todd