I am seeking anothers oppinion on some Tanning I did for another Taxidermist. He wanted me to do some Kiabab Squirrels for him, and He gave me the squirrels to skin out and tan. he had drawn the intrails from them and then froze them in seperate Plastic bags. I do not know how long the squirrels where dead before they were frozen, and I know they were left out over night by me to skin out the following day, which I set them outside as we had 25 to 30 degree weather outside. I figured they would be okay till mourning to skin, and might be thawed enough in my garage to skin. They were almost thawed as the garage didn't get below freezing. I skinned them all out. some of them really were stinky from gut shot and also from the entrails being drawn and some fluids getting on the skin. I salted them over night. I used a string to get salt into the tails. all of them were pretty dry the following day, so I washed in bacterial soap and rinsed them off and put into pickle which is still at a 1.5ph after they were removed. I them mixed up my lutan F and tested the mixture and left the hides in the bucket for about four to five days, stirring them every day a few times, and pulling them each out and rotating there position. My questions start after this step. I pulled the skins out and put into my tumbler. I like to tumble them for about an hour and then stop to check, continuing if they are not dry. Well, I pull out one skin and the tail and some of the stomach fur is slipping. I pulled out the rest, and most of them are doing the same thing. Is there anything any of you can see I did wrong? I have not told this other Taxidermist yet, and I want to know if I should try to find some replacement squirrels. I had some rabbit capes for Jackolopes in the same bucket that are fur tight. the tanned up great, as well as a badger skin I had in the tan with them. I feel I did them all correctly and want to tell him he just took care of his critters incorrectly, but want another's oppinion to fall back on. I have basically decided to not do any more tanning for others, as I do not want to deal with the hassles. I haven't had a skin of my own slip ever, but I would have taken salt with me hunting, and skinned the squirrels and slated them as I harvested them. I am just that way about critters I want to mount. I hope I have not rambled on, I have been tanning for more than ten years for myself, and for mounting, and Have been doing taxidermy for twenty plus years as a hobby/ bussiness. I took these squirrels as a trade, half of them were going to be mine for tanning the others. Not only is he out his critters, I am out all my time and skinning and Tanning as well as my critters. Do you think I should charge him for things he cannot use? well, I know some of you will have oppinions on this. all comments will be taken to heart good or bad. i have a thicker Hide than most when it comes to taking critisism. Even about my spelling if I did it wrong as well.
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Sounds like you did everything right though I'd have pushed the pH down a little more "just in case". The likely culprit was the "body fluids" as they probaby digested the epidermal layer around the stomach cavity. This is exactly why I discourage tanning "for someone else". Home tans just can't be controlled to the specifications that computer driven vats can be at the larger tanneries. Neither can the excuses when they go bad. (Ever notice that little disclaimer when you send hides out that says the tannery is not responsible if your hide turns to snot?) Tanning for yourself is one thing, but it sure opens up a whole nuther bucket of worms when you do it for pay for someone else. (Course, I wouldn't waste my time tanning small game no matter what Yox and Frank say. LOL That's why God made Dry Preservative.) As for charging, you're gonna have to decide that one for yourself.
He says he left them in the Lutan-F for 4-5 days! That's like 3-4 days longer than the instructions say. 22-24 hours in the Lutan-F only.
How long were they in the pickle, and then did you neutralize? How long? Did you stir during neutralizing? Did you degrease? Then, how long were they in the Lutan-F? What temp. did the Lutanning go at (was this in your 40 degree area or did you have it above 60)?
i had the same problem way back when....i put 2 deer capes in the lutan-f (after all the other required steps) then got called out for a work emergency and they stayed in the lutan for 4 1/2 days well thats about 3 1/2 days more than required and ive always heard it stressed never to overtan...well needless to say they ended up getting buried in the back yard, massive hair loss,(luckily they were mine so i did not have to explain to someone else why there trophies were gone.....now i dont know if that was the cause but that is the only time ive had slippage of any kind in the last 4 years and i tan everything....(dont like DP except for birds but thats another debate)
I did neutralize, stirring and so forth. I also degreased the skins after deneutralizing.denutralizing went for about thirty minutes and then wash in degreeser and rinse right after. They were in the pickle for about five days. Now I put skins in the tanning solution for five days all the time, I know about over tanning, but when you work alot and cannot get to them, you do what you can. I have never had the skins slip before when left in the tan that long. My tanning vat is outside as well, and it is between 35 to 45 degrees as it is always very cold when I tan. I figured the cool temps would slow the tan a bit and buy me time. The funny thing is that the Rabbit skins were done at the same time as well as the Badger. the only differance is the Badger was fleshed while the others didn't need any. The rabbit skins are fine, and the badger is fine. no slippage at all.