I received a bear hide for full mount. The customer brought it too a meat processing shop to have the meat packaged and too have the hide saved with skull in tact. The processor went further and skinned, "fleshed" and salted the bear. It was then placed in a pickling solution from Van Dykes ( a supplier I have not used much). When I recieved the skin the ears were not split to the ends, the nose area had alot of fat and flesh remaining and the hide overall looked like it had been skinned with a hatchet. Pretty standard except for the pickle. When the customer saw the skin he requested it be drained and given to him. I took the bear with no guarantees', washed the hide and fleshed it more thorougly, then froze it. The system I use is saftee acid with tannery degreaser and McKenzie tan. Can anyone tell me if these are compatable? Is this hide salvagable? Are there any safeguards I can use to help save the hide at this point, products, physical process' etc? The pickle they used was intented for 24 hrs but only in for 12hrs.
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I like those same products and they are compatible. I guess it would have to be fleshed well, and in this case salted again, pickled, then shaved tight and degreased before I was comfortable with it. Personally, I dont care to do my own bears. Im not sure Im any help here, but I can tell you that safety acid, McKenzies tannery degreaser and McKenzie tan is compatible, as I just did 2 reds and a coyote that way.
Thank you for your response, Do you know if the Van Dyke pickle is compatable with the McKenzie products? And does the pickle wash out thoroughly? Like I said, the Van Dyke pickle was used for 12 hours intended for 24. Do you know?