My question for all the tanners out there, is how does a tannery take a bear (black, grizz, or brown) and make it soft for a rug, and what equipment do they use?
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lots of money in equipment and manpower! joe
Do some research. In a nut shell, the skins are shaved very thin, the use of good tanning oil, and most important a large tumbler.
ANYONE who tells you that you can turn out a bear hide as good as a reputable tannery, with their products, is blowing some serious smoke [expletive deleted]! The know-how and the equiptment are most likely out of your reach, unless you have been saving for years. You could pay someone to teach you, but without owning or working at a Tannery fo 15 or 20 years, it would be just like alot of these other Tannerys flushing their money down the toilet, that are barely getting by after 5 or 6 years in business. To make a long story short, a reputable Tanner isnt going to give out that info.
I can "copy and paste" an article I wrote on the subject for you. However - e-mail me after June 6th and I will be available!
You are all right! oldshaver, true! any one can say "my product will help you get a soft hide" but the key word is "help" I do a lot of tanning in my shop! I put a LOT of hard work and dedication into my furs! I tan with EZ-100 and oil with ProPlus or knobs #1 and will soon be doing some major R&D on SuperSoft Oil. I do have a tumbler a 6x4 running at 18rpm's and it "helps" I use EZ-Tan and it "helps" I shave to about 1/8" and it "helps" I use a great oil and it "helps" I use acid bate and it "helps" and I spend a great deal of time staking and it "helps". But! with all the time and money I have invested in tanning furs, they still are not as good as ones that come from a good tannery. I think the artical Bruce is talking about is on this link and it too "helps" http://www.taxidermyweb.com/review-softtan.htm hope this helps! Joseph R. Osborn (Hunter's Dream Taxidermy)