I've been reading some of the postings on here and I'm wondering if I'm doing the right thing? I split and turn everything, rough flesh on a beam, mix the right amount of krowtan, and put in the auto tanner. I then neutralize, wash, rinse, final flesh on the machine, oil, then freeze or mount. I can have a deer skinned and tanned in a weekend. I just read all of the salting, acids, pickles, ph, ect. and it seems like a lot of work that I'm not doing. I have entered seven deer in my state competions and have taken five 2nd's and two 3rd's (no blues as of yet!). Is the work that I'm not doing during the tanning process keeping me out of the blue ribbons? Will my mounts continue to look o.k. after several years? Maybe you can help!
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There are many ways to tan a hide, what keeps the blues away is quality. Did the judges tell you that you forgot to pickle the cape? Or salt it 24 or 48 hours? The krowtan spelled "Krowtann" if you read the directions, does not call for salting or pickling. Other types of tans require it. I'm impressed that you can take 7 heads to competition with the limited tanning knowledge that you have. Maybe that's another reason why you no blues? Sorry, maybe you could try tanning each cape of next years mounts differently from each other and see what tanning method wins the blue ribbon, then use that tan forever. Sorry for being sarcastic.
I am wondering if the krowtann is supposed to be used in a excelerated (SP) manner like in the auto tanner. I don't think its the tan that wins at the shows. I would think it would be your quality and the natural look of the deer. Just my opinion.
Hi Jack, that was my point, I know nobody really knows the best way to tan or everyone would be doing the same thing. I am just trying to figure out way some people will tan using such a long process instread of something like "Krowtann"(thanks Mr......T).
We tan a lot of capes and hides every year, and Krowtann would be much more expensive than our current system.
That is it, price alone, I have Krowtann for some things, and use Lutan F for most everything else. If my work demanded a premium price, I would pass the Krowtann price along to them. Like I said, many ways to tan a cape. Now going back to Chris and his question, he should try other methods of tanning just for gaining knowledge. He can use Krowtann all he wants and I'm not knocking the great product, but he is wondering about "all of the salting, acids, pickles, ph, ect." How else will he learn unless he trains himself in the area? Seems that a lot of new beginners are set up with Krowtann from the start, nothing wrong with that, it is just good to have a backup system if he ran out on the weekend.