I have a quick question. This is the first time that I am trying some home tanning. I believe that I have done, everything correct up till now. I now have my hide in a alum, salt solution. My question is how long do I need to let it sit in the immersion bath. How will I know when it is finished. I have been mixing it twice daily and it doesn't appear any different than when I started. It's only been soaking for four days. Please advise.
Thanks
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It should tell you on the alum instructions how long to tan per weight of hide. 4 days to me for one deer hide that was properly de haired and pickled should be enough. I use Lutan F and I dont go more then 48 hours on a deer hide.
I plan to dehair a bull hide and am trying to locate a source for dehydrated lime. Locally, all that's available is hydrated lime. Can anyone tell me what the difference is too?
Dehydrated lime is lime that has not been "activated" by water. When water comes in contact with dehydrated lime it creates heat. An exothermic reaction. Hydrated lime has already had this reaction occur. And does not give off heat in the presence of water. I am no science whiz, but in the last job I held we used both, in water clarification, and eventually switched to hydrated cause of eats ease of use. Anyway, maybe this helps, I dunno. :-)