I tanned a 8 1/2' gator as described in Breakthrough. This is going to be a flat skin, I tacked it out on plywood for 10 days with a fan blowing. I then removed the staples and turned it over for additional drying on the underside.But now the skin has buckled up (crinckled). I managed to turn it back over and retack it down. What can I do to flatten it?
Return to Tanning Category Menu
What you can do is lightly dampen it with a spray bottle and water then oil it with a thin coat of Tanning oil #1, Knoblochs makes the oil and it will help soften it and keep it pliable. You can get this at one of my distributors.
Thanks Mark, I did reoil it before tacking it back down, but I didnt spray it. I used a sulfonated oil from Van Dykes. I do use Liqua Tan on most every thing else. Does Knoblochs have an oil for heavy hides like gators?
I am asuming the crinkling up is near the leg attachment areas. You have to make relief cuts on gators prior to rugging in the arm pit area so the skin will lay flat. This area is normally round like a normal leg, but when splayed open the skin has to have someplace to og. You have to cut a wedge incision, remove the section, and then pull the two seams together and sew. This all shouldhave been done however prior to drying.