I do around 10 animals per year so I'm no expert. I have used Safetee Acid for my pickle the past year and have lost 5 hides due to slippage of hair. I recently lost 3 deer capes due to this problem.The hides were skinned in a good manor I saw the skinning to the end of the neck andthey were frozen. I then skin out the head around 6 months later, split the lips,turned the ears and placed in solution. I mantained a PH of 1.0 and stirred daily. I can not afford having this happen and wish to find a better way. I started with WASCO beginner kit and had great luck so I really don't understand. Is there a better product? HELP!
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You don't mention salt drying your capes prior to putting them in the pickle. I use saftee acid and have great success with it. After the capes are fleshed and turned they should be dried for at least a couple days after double salting. The salt shrinks the pores and follicles and helps set the hair. Check the archives for more info.
Chris
Chris said it all! It isnt the Acid - you're skipping the salting and drying of the capes. No matter what acid you use - if you dont want loose hair - salt and dry!
i tan hundreds of capes and furs without salt dring. no slippage! why tighten up the skin threw the drying process, then open it up threw the re-hydrating process?
i have two lifesize moose in the pickle right now,and both could have been fleshed alot better than they were, and no slippage. where was the slipping occurring? randomly on the cape, or just a certain area? are you getting the slipping before you shave or thin the cape or after?
Unless you use Alum - which shrinks the skin and tightens the hair - you better Salt and dry to tighten the hair roots! Alum tanners dont have this problem - but EZ-100 and Lutan F Tanners do! EZ-100 and Lutan F tan the skins to their original dimensions whereas Alum can shrink a finished skin as much as 2" in some cases. Plus - why drag all the skin fluids, like mucous, blood and other fluids into the pickle? Salting helps to leach and drain them out. You start out with a cleaner piece of material to work with!
It is a popular misconception that just because an item is frozen that all bacterial action is stopped. Bacteria live and thrive in Arctic ice. They also thrive in raw skins in your freezer although their metabolic rate is slowed. It's not the saftee acid pal. Skin, salt and dry ASAP. I have tanned deer capes that were 4 years in the salt with no problems. Dry them HARD. The only time I put deer or bears in the freezer is when I'm backed up, and then they are only in there for a week or so.
Ok guys I did use salt but did not let it soak overnite. I have a deer cape salted and will pickle after at least 24 hours with the salt. I thimk this is my problem thanks for the help!
6 months months in the freezer and you'll have a heck of a time turning those ears.
You don't soak the hide in a salt solution, you put liberal amounts of granular salt onto the flesh side, roll it up and let it suck up the hide fluids overnight. You shake all of that off and resalt with fresh salt. let em dry til nearly hard or completly hard depending on your work schedule. Either way, let them dry until that pink flesh color has turned to white.