I have a problem with a bear hide I just got back from the tannery. It stinks! Is there anything I can do? I got it tanned at a commercial tannery and I am going to make a rug but I am having second thoughts, is there anything I can spray it with or soak it in before I stretch it out for a rug mount? Thanks
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Bear hide smells
Submitted by Chas Pat on 06/30/2003. ( chazpat@sympatico.ca ) 206.172.185.176
Hello,
I had a nice 450lb bear hide tanned by a local taxidermist. I won't mention any names as to protect the inocent. I received it about 2 years ago and it had a strong smell to it. Subsequently I was not able to put it out for display because it would stink up the whole finised basement (humidity controlled. I took it back and the guy tumbled it but it still had a strong smell to it. I tried to display it again and it stunk again. I said to try spraying it with lysol and that mold was the problem. There is no mold on the hide. It would show I think. I have it hanging in my garage and you can smell it out there when you go in. I read back in the archives to try sawdust and mineral spirits that was used on a coon hide. Will this work or was this hide not degreased properly.
Is there any recourse I have with this guy. I don't want my money back. I just want to be able to display my bear hide without it smelling bad. I have had 4 deer heads in the same location in my basement and they don't have mold on them and they don't smell a bit.
Any ideas? Thanks in advance.
GOD BLESS,
Chas
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re-tan
This response submitted by jim on 06/30/2003. ( ) 209.193.81.139
Send the hide to a tannery like New Method Fur dressers and have them retan and dry it. It will cost wholesale around $100.00+ when its all said and done. Or try and get him to send it there or a comperable tannery. He probably won't, but if he does will your bear hide will be nice when it gets back. I'm guessing he did not get all the grease out of the hair root area and this residue is what stinks. Its hard for a home/shop tan to get big greasy bears really nice every time.
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What kind of smell?
This response submitted by John C on 06/30/2003. ( ) 208.180.205.191
If it smells like leather, well thats what it should smell like.
Assuming the hair is not slipping (rancid or smell of roadkill) from the hide and the hide is in good shape, maybe there is nothing wrong with it.
Seriously, a hide should smell like leather, think about it your local shoe store smells like leather.
Are you expecting it to be totally free of any smell?
Well thats not going to happen.
This was under the last 24 hour button.
It doesn't smell like rotting road kill, but it doesn't smell like leather from a shoe store either. It has a dry, salty, stale smell. I took it out of my den and put it in the garage (the garage smells now), Are you suposed to oil it or soak it in anything, the hide is really dry but the hair looks good, not slipping. I have to do something, my wife doesn't want it back in the house.
Thanks
You mean to tell me, your wife told you to put that bear in the garage. I would have said "This is my friggen trophy, your just lucky it's not on your bed" If I was in your leathery smelling shoes I would send it back to the tannery for a little fix up. Or put a new car air freshener around its neck. X8A
A good thing for getting odor from most anything is baking soda. Assuming that the hide is good and dry, sprinkle it onto the hair on side, and move the fur back and forth to allow the soda to work down toward the skin. Let it sit in a DRY place for a couple of days, then take it ouside and shake like mad to get all the powder out. Repeat with the other side. It will really help. Dryness during this process is key. I did this with a smelly deerhide, and I can now have it on my wall in the house... no more odor. Good luck, Barb
Yeah, I had a panda bear hide (I'd appreciate it if you kept it hush hush, it's not exactly legal). Anyhow, my wife, she's a free spirit, you know the type, she was dead set on wearing this smelly thing as her wedding gown. I was like whatever, cuz you know I was drunk and out of my mind. So the wedding comes around and she's wearing this panda bear hide and smells to holy hell. My dear grandmother vomited on my young child stroller (he was in it!) and that just ruined the mood. The priest was angry, I was angry we got into a fist fight and the marriage was off (priest won). So, if any ladies are lookin' for a man who's into to bear skins (not stinky ones) drop me a line...