Hello. Saw a teddy bear made out of sheared beaver at last years National Trappers Convention. My daughter wants one so I decided to get one made from one of the beavers I got this year. To make it more of a keepsake I decided to do the tanning myself. I have pickled it and now have it tanning in ammonium sulfate. My question is that I see alot of responses on the chrome tan being more durable (or withstanding washing better). Would this type of tan be better then the aluminum sulfate for a teddy bear type use? I would also have to get the chrome tan but if it would be better then I'll do that. Thanks.
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Use EZ-100, Lutan-F, or the Chrome Tan (Oxochrome from Van Dyke's?) or your teddy bear keepsake is going to be a fly-tying potato chip in about 3 or 4 years! Alum dry rots skins and is not a real tan. Plus it's irritating to skin, especially kids.
You will be able to get GREAT results with any of the above three methods and you'll actually have a teddy bear for years.
Most commercially made teddy bears of fur are alum-tawed (not tanned), so you choosing to tan yourself and NOT using alum is a great step in the correct direction.
Best of luck!
...chromium is considered to be far more toxic than alum. I know at least two persons at my workplace who can't wear ordinary working gloves because they're allergic to chrome tanned leather.
I would definitely not use chrome tan for a kid's toy.
I've never heard of anyone having allergy problems with alum tans. However, in this case maybe a non-metallic tan would be the best choice.
Good luck!
You're doing just fine. Make sure you get it de-greased good, and neutralised right, don't wash it as in submerging it, and don't store it in damp conditions. Those bears you saw at the NTA were all fur dressed, just like all the fur garments you see, and as long as you care for them properly, they'll last for years! Those were some really nice bears, as well as all the other animals they had made from different furs. We, Ohio State Trappers Assoc., are considering getting some made for donations to different fund raising auctions, I think they'd go over real well.
Thanks guys for your responses. I see from the responses that different people prefer different methods. I don't know if this makes a difference or not but the aluminum sulfate is about 18+ years old and caked together. I just ordered some EZ100 and will redo it. Thanks again.
We have been brain tanning since the beginning of time and no chemical tanned hide has last as long as a brain tanned one and that is a fact,it is just as easy as using chemicals.You can't go wrong very eviromentally friendly.