Been looking at a [a supply company] catalog, and although Mr. Chase has been in taxidermy for many years, he gives me the impression that his "Easy Mount Dry Tan" preservative can be used on just about any raw, fleshed skin, and immediately mounted, with excellent results.
What is your experience with and opinion of this method? I would love to do my own tanning, but do not want to short cut the quality. Is this as good as it sounds?
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As if you're wondering why this name doesn't come up, you're awfully new to this forum. The snake oil he's selling, if he didn't steal it from another reputable supplier, is DRY PRESERVATIVE. Go to the SEARCH icon to the left and type in "Wet Tan, Dry Tan, Dry Preservative" if yours was an honest mistake.
Thanks for the input, George. And yes, I am new to the Forum and to taxidermy so will take this as good advise.
A dry tan is one that has been tanned and then tumbled (dried) in sawdust and a wet tan is one that has the oil applied but has not been tanned
Dry preservative should not even have the word "tan" in it as there is no chemical reaction just a dried hide. Salt is an example of what dry preservative actually does to a hide. If it is rehydrated it will trun back into what it is.... raw hide.
Dave T
I asked a full time taxidermist friend and he said that dry tan is mostly salt and borax. I see what you mean.
Dry "tan" Preservative has no salt in it. It's borax, alum, talc and a few other things thrown in just for fun by different manufacturers, but no salt. And after you read the post I told you to check, click on the Taxidermy Net Home above. Then click "Related Links", then "Taxidermy Industry", and then "Copying Mannikins & The Law" to get the whole story about that supplier you mentioned.
It appears that piracy comes in many forms. That rag is going in the trash.