Can shrink tonic be used on a cape that has been McKenzie tanned and the final rinsing done? How is it applied and at what step should it be used. I am also curios about stop rot.....should it be used directly after skinning or after turning and fleshing...thanks.
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SHRINK-TONIC was the first product that I developed a number of years ago. I did that in order to combat shrinking with existing products already on the market.
Everyone seems to want to overlook the role of acids in tanning, and the effects that acids have on skin. NO ONE BOTHERED to take a look and see and figure out what is actually taking place.
Different acids have different chemical properties (second time this week I've pointed that out), they also have different "individual" names. Actually they are classed in genus and species.
SHRINK-TONIC works in conjunction with a "group" of acids called carboxylic acids. These are organic acids. HOWEVER, formic acid is a carboxylic acid, and it is a "hot" acid. SHRINK-TONIC WILL NOT work with it, no how, no way.
Hydrochloric and sulfuric acids are mineral acids and arealso "hot". Forget those too. You done had the lick.
There are thousands of acids commercially available, BUT there are but few in use in "in-house" tanning. It doesn't make any differnce if you use the term "cost effective" or "cheap", the end results are the same. Very few available, regardless of what they are named. I've been told repeatedly that I was the only one known to have developed an acid formulation specifically for taxidermy, and it is not cheap, in fact, it is the most expensive acid offered, until you actually figure real cost. It could break a guy up using it, heck, it'll probably cost you about two dollars per whitetail cape.
As far as using SHTINK-TONIC with McKenzie Tan, I have no idea. Was the cape pickled prior? If so, it could be used PRIOR to putting on the tan.
In regards to your second question on STOP-ROT use, put it on as soon after skinning as possible. The Archives here has a number of posts by STOP-ROT users, and I can't remember seeing any inaccuracies on any of the posts I saw go in. I'm sure you could pick up a trick or two there.
Speaking of tricks, below is a copy and paste of part of an article I have on hidetanning.net at the specified address. Compute the measurements.
www.hidetanning.net/DoeButtonBuckAlteration.html
"She brought me the head with half the neck still attached. This allowed me to take a number of measurements and photos prior to skinning. After skinning the head out, I took a number of photos again, and then froze the head and neck for future reference.
I brought the head out through the mouth when I skinned it in order to do it as a seamless mount. I make some of my most useful tools out of brass brazing rod, that way I can make any kind of shape or edge that I want. A brass tool is what I run in up under the buttons in order to slide them off.
The button buck was a 6 1/2" x 14". The circumference around the nubbins and jaw was 19". To gain that much relaxation to gain 5" of circumference, I used the Whitetail Designer Systems on it. This is the same button buck cape that was on the RESULTS OF LONG TERM FREEZING OF A STOP-ROT TREATED CAPE <http://www.hidetanning.net/STOP-ROTfreezer.html> article."
I have a passionate hate for inner tubes.