Anyone tried his method in auto tanner? I pickled 2 capes and cream tanned with Kwik-N-Eze as he suggested. Both capes suffered epidermis lifting. One lost epidermis in small area on one ear base and the other was really fragile around the eyes and losing some epidermis there. I followed instructions except omitted bactericide and I ran them in tank about 2 hours longer. Since you only salt for 1 hour, then rinse (this is when bactericide is supposed to be used) and then put in pickle solution, bacteria shouldn't grow even with the omission of the bactericide, assuming the pickle is a 2 PH. The skins looked some what raw after tanning and turned that dark color around the eyes, like dry preservative does, when they dried after mounting. On the positive side, I had a lot of stretch, a little too much. I am not used to dealing with all that excess skin. I am normally cussing while trying to get cape (arrowhead crystals tanned) onto shoulders with four-pronged hide puller and hoping it dosen't tear or split in one of those too closely shaved areas. The carcass on one was 16 C 17 1/2 B. I put it on a 18 C 20 B and I could have easily ordered one inch bigger. The other carcass measured 17 3/4 C 19 1/2 B and I put it on a 17 1/2 C 19 B. This one held detail well with no pinning and using latex based glue. I could have ordered an inch larger on this one as well. The larger cape was mounted today, so no report on detail. It seems as though this post turned into a report. Any feed back with others using this method would be appreciated. Ken
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Reduce the crystals to about half the amount you have been using and pull the cape out at one hours and check it.
The tight cape is a sign you are over tanning.
John, whenever I contacted Steve in the past about excessive shrinkage around the eyes, seams trying to pull apart, and fighting cape to get it on the form, he has told me that my shrinkage was caused by under tanning. I am turning and splitting and fleshing face and ears only. Tanking for 30 minutes then fleshing neck and shoulders, removing the membrane and doing a little shaving. I return to tank for 2 hours, then shave thin and then back in tank for 1 hour. I am having to shave again to try and get some size back to cape. I then drain, towel dry (30 mins.),oil and and sweat for 4 hour, measure, freeze, thaw, tumble, mount. The three hours is the minimum that Steve reccomends, and I am using his premeasured packet of tan to 1 gallon warm water. When the mounting process is started the fight is on. Lots of shrinkage while drying around eyes, mouth trying to pull out, detail loss, drumming in neck and brisket. I have just about given up on tanner. My last 2 capes I went with a static pickle and McKenzie tanning cream. Stretch seems to be good when I measured. I have not mounted mount yet but hope to report results later, if anyone is interested. I still haven't found a
curved blade, two-handled fleshing knife with cutting edge bent at 90 degrees.
Everything split out, ears turned.
Add 1/2 the packet to two gallons of water. Tan for 30 minutes. Shave like you are going to mount it, if you are seeing any red/pink tint, run the hide another 30 minutes. Repeat, checking for pink tint.
If the skin is now gray colored or off white all the way thru I would not tan it any longer. If still pink give it another 30 minutes.
Use the 30 minutes and check until you get the time figured out.
You are tanking the cape for 3-1/2 hours, I think thats where your problem is in over tanning.
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The way I tan in the Auto-tanner:
I run mine for 2 hours and thats it.
1.Split and turned, run one hour, shave for mounting and run one more hour.
2. if hide is thick or pink, I will shave again and run the cape for one more hour.
Drain rinse and oil.