Hi guys N gals!
I need a little help. I sent a bear skin to a tannery and they did a real nice job for me but I need a little advice on getting the ears turned inside. They are hard as a rock and was wondering if I wet them down and let it soak in for a while if they would become pliable enough to get them turned right side to ? I've never sent a bear hide to a tannery before . It will be used as a flat rug with no border. Just need some advice?
Thanks Lance!
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If your bear is dry tanned, it needs to be rehydrated and sweated in a plastic bag overnite in the refrigerator, the day before you rug it and mount the head shell. The tannery I sent bear to sent instructions for rehydrating in the return package, check with your tannery or just check the archives on this. It entails soaking the bear in a salt solution for 20-30 min, then placing in a plastic bag and sweating it overnite in the frig. Also, you will want to stretch the hide back out after rehydrating, especially in width to get it back to its original dimensions. When you mount the head, stretch the hide out and place it fur side up on a 4x8 sheet of peg board, staple the hide on the border all the way around the perimeter as you stretch it out. I staple it down the middle first and then stretch it out from there to make sure the line is straight from nose to tail. After it is all stapled down, let it dry against a wall, head down. This will encourage the fur to fluff up with gravity toward the head. After it dries, remove the staples and continue with the rug backing and felt borders.Good luck, and as I said Check the archives. CTA
They should have sent you directions on how to rehydrate the skin. If not add 4 oz of salt to a gallon of water.
All I do is soak the head only for 30 min. Then take a spray bottle or a sponge and wet the skin side of the bear. Wrap it up in a plastic bag and refridge it overnight. The ears should be fine if not it may take another soaking to soften up the ears.
Reread your message, didn't catch the "no borders" the first time. I guess its up to you if you want to stretch it out then, are you putting in a rug shell? To just rehydrate the ears you could just soak them for 20-30 min in a salt solution, that should do it. The salt prevents acid swelling, the acid used to pickle the hide may still reside in the hide and will attract water, possibly causing acid swell. so the salt acts as an osmotic regulator and controls the rehydration so the hide doesn't soak up water too fast.
I know 4 ounces isn't much, but East Coast says warm water only and Carolina says warm water and some Downey to make the water wetter before sweating. I like the ease of East Coast's rehydration process. Now if I could just teach Joe how to set a new blade...LOL
On what you say about my buddy Joe, I'll get Eric after ya LOL
I had to go downstairs and get the instruction sheet, couldn't remember exactly what "The Wildlife Gallery,Inc." recommends. But here it is:
To every five(5) gallons of water add 1 lb. of salt. (optional-in extremely warm, humid weather add 1 capful of liquid Lysol)
Soak the skins for approximately 20 to 30 minutes.
Drain skins, place them in a plastic bag and sweat them overnight in a cool place.
Next day, mount and enjoy!
I am just a pawn in this game of tanning, I try to do what I'm told and ask questions later. It is neat to see all of the different ways people accomplish the same task, it adds a lot to the individualality of the business.
Yep it is from East Coast! Eric is a very helpful guy. I'm new at this game of commercial tanneries. NO there will be no border around the skin. Just going to be used as a throw rug. I'm not going to mount the head. I'm just looking to find out how to soak and what formula to use and how to strech it. Also I need to know how to get the skin even softer than it is ?
Thanks Guys !
Lance!
what exactly do you do when you sweat the hide? Do you place it in the bag while it is still wet, and if so how wet should it be?
Thanks Pat
please email response.
East Coast tells you that's sufficient, and you can believe that. As for "sweating", you soak the hide for 30 minutes and then hang until it stops dripping. Roll it up, put it into a plastic bag and refrigerate over night. A zillion years ago, that's how line-dried, starched clothes were always done before they were ironed. Works the same way on tanned hides to put the moisture back into the cell structure.
And thanx Mike. I loved you "pawn" bit. I think most of us are just like you on that issue in particular.