does it need to be oiled?

I am tanning a baby racoon skin, since it is going to be made life size is there a reason to oil it when im done tanning?

Return to Tanning Category Menu

Yes

All tanned skins should be oiled.

yes

yes, you need to use oil to make the leather. use a high quality oil like Rittels supersoft $. for once john is right! John Smatter, he has a mouth for every matter!
ej

Did you

ever figure out how to cool the Gulf of Mexico EJ. I figured you were hard at work getting it figured out and implementing the plan before Rita hit. Jeff, it is not the oil that makes leather, it is the oil that keeps the skin pliable once it is mounted. If you don't oil the skin it will eventually split or crack.

And your skin or cape will shrink!

Obviously oiling traps water (moisture) and lends softness and flexibility to the finished piece. But - it also acts like sizing. Without it when the skin or cape dries - it will tend to shrink. A tanned skin must be oiled.