How long can I leave a deer skin in the pickle bath?It is to be used for a wall rug.It has not been fleshed.Do not have time to work with it right now;THANKS somebody,anybody.
What kind of Pickle is it? Sulphuric, Oxalic, Saftee, Formic, Vinegar, Citric? Most of them will easily keep your skin safe for up to 4 months, providing it was mixed properly according to the directions. The only ones I don't consider "long term" pickling agents are Citric and Vinegar! At the most, I would leave a skin in them for only 2 weeks.
Outside of those 2 - as long as it has the right amount of Salt, and acid, you should be OK. You should however, check the Ph from time to time, and very definitly stir it every day.
I used 1/4 cup+1 table spoon of SA200 with each 5gals. of water....5lbs of salt to each 5gals of water....1 table spoon of Kemal to each 5gals. of water. I stir the bath each day.The skin looks good,no hair is floating in solution.THANK every one.
Saftee Acid is a good pickling agent but it should be kept simple - only mix Saftee Acid, Salt, and Water. I have no idea what the Kemel is for, but it may drive up your PH, and if high enough destroy its effectiveness. Skins in Saftee Acid are sterilized by the acid being below a 2.0 PH so theres no reason to add a bacteriacide or anything else.
I just reread your question and noticed that I'd overlooked the fact that this Deerskin is unfleshed? I had assumed it was skinned, fleshed, salted and dried, then rehydrated.
To be honest, unfleshed, I don't know whether it will make it or not. Normally, this isnt done. You would have been better off freezing it until you had a chance to work on it.
Every one knows what the Kemal 4 is, This degreaser does have a low Ph
and will not drive up any Ph. It is formulated for the taxidermy
and tanning industry.. You can use this at any stage that degreasing
needs to be done.
Mark