I am using the Lutan-F method of tanning and have been following the instructions to the letter. (Yes, I have checked the archives. I shave the meat, fat, membrane-then salt. Then rehydrate. When I make the pickle, I follow the instructions and my PH paper reads at about a 1.0. When I take it out of the pickle, I always seem to get 1 small patch that has completely lost its hair. I can easily pull out hairs in other spots, but it seems to turn out ok. (I do get hairs coming out after hide is mounted and dried). Is it possible that my hides are getting a chemical burn or something while in the pickle? Also, I noticed some have posted that the neutralizing solution should be around a 4.5 to 5.0 Ph. I checked mine and it was around 8.0 PH.(I used sodium bicarbonate) Is that too high? I followed the instructions for the solution. Stupid question here, they call for 1 ounce per gallon of water. I'm using a laundry detergent measuring cup. Is that labeled for liquid ounces and they're refering to weight ounces? Could this be why my solution is around an 8? Thanks for any input. Scott
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yes, 8 is way to high. and i'm a bit puzzeled by your procedure. no chemical burn is not your problem. yes, they are referring to weight oz. perhaps you could rephase your questions for a better solution on here. slowly for guys like me. and bruce too.
ej
Yep its there maybe you should look closer.
Several hundred post and in your directions about 4.5pH or close.
NOT 8.0
I do all my stuff in small batches because I do this as a part time job and only have one or two things going at a time. I shave off meat and fat etc., then salt/dry until hard. Then I rehydrate. For pickle I am using 5 gal water with 2.5 ounces of Saftee acid and 5 lbs salt-as per instructions. I soak this for 72 hrs. Then take out-thin and put back in pickle for 24 hrs. Then neutralize 5 gals water with 5 ounces of sodium bicarbonate. Then tan etc. My problem seems to be coming in the pickling phase. The last caribou I did had an awful smell to it when I took it out of the pickle and had one small patch 3" x 3" hairles spot. The caribou I just did had a 1" X 1" bald spot. The last deer that I did last year had a 4" X 4" bald spot. The rest seems ok, but I do get hairs that pull out. The Ph level in my pickle is at least a 1.0, if not lower. The litmus paper I use only has colors down to 1.0 to compare my pickle solution to. The litmus paper always goes to the lowest color (1.0). When I used to do just a cream tan without pickling, I never had this problem, but I had to contend with a lot more shrinkage. I hope this posting is more understandable. My second issue is the wight ounce vs. liquid ounce. Apparently I should be weighing the sodium bicarbonate(and Lutan-F),seeing it is a powder, instead of measuring with the laundry cup? Its marked with cups on one side and ounces one the other. I guess I assumed this was for powdered laundry detergent. Thanks again.
acid require more steps than i like to use - i use krowtann for everything except soft tanning - for them i use lutanf - i have not had any slippage so far
It seems to me that your doing it the right way. But a question here. How are you rehydrating your hides and are the hides that are coming in good shape or do one or two of them have a funky smell to them?
Most of this problem starts off in the field and the care they take. Some bring hides in that are a week old and think all will be fine.
Next you could be shaving to close to the hair roots and cutting them and that will cause not ahir slippage but loose hair that you may think is slipping.
Also mix one tablespoon of sodium bacarbonate to a gallon of water for neturlizing and only do it no more than 20 minutes and then rinse well.
split, turn, and salt, wait one hour, THEN FLESH, then re-salt. This should stop your hair problems, if you are getting them skinned, split, and turned in a timely manner. It will also firm up the flesh, and membrane, and make for easier fleshing. And no, the salt wont dull a fleshing machine blade, moisture will soften it up. (shake off loose salt) As EJ said, your final ph is way too high! Frank also touched on some good points.
as old shave said. wait an hour. you do not need to dry hard. also safty acid tends to weeken. you need to check you ph every 1/2 hour or so at first. make sure it does not raise above the acceptable limits. and you might try neutralizing while in the tan. this works well with delicates i use the eze 100 method.
I'm kindof baffled by that last statement.Safety acid is a pretty stable acid,I've kept hides in the acid for up to eight months,checking ph levels 3 times a week,and had no change.
Why would you need to keep a hide in pickle for eight months?I sure am glad I dont have to wait eight months on my money!Eight months to wait on tanning aint too good either, the Taxidermist starts getting pissed after five months. I talk to some on occasion, that are nice guys and gals, until you start messing with their money, and being on my end aint a good place to be.
it's more important to check ph often early in the pickeling. [first couple days] that's the time the acid may drop [ph rising] the most.
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I cant quite understand why you have that repeat slippage but here is some info that may generate some ideas for you to think about.
When you neutralize - 1 oz. of Baking soda to each 1 gallon of water - the PH of the solution is approximately an 8.0 PH (7.8 on my Meter - here). When you place the cape in it - it slowly neutralizes and the acid/alkaline mixture goes down to approximately 4.5-5.0 Ph. This is normal.
As for the Caribou - they are typically very thinned skin and heavily haired. I rarely shave them except to touch up the face and upper neck. Is it possible you over shaved this one?
PS - I also keep shaved samples in the Saftee Acid pickle for up 1 year. That way I can easily use them for R&D. I stir them 2-3 times a week, check the PH once a week and have a loose cover on the top. No problems!
I can see your one of those smart butts!For your info. ,like you needto know anyway,those hides were my own,one was a whitetail,the other a coyote.So now you can understand I didn't have any customer relation problems,thanks for caring!
I couldnt give a crape less. I wasnt trying to be a smart butt, I just didnt understand the purpose of an eight month pickle, and most other folks on here dont either. To each his own. Have a good one.
Talk to the hand,you have a Merry Christmas anyway,I know your concerns are for my business and my well being,well I love you too!
Yep, your hand probablly has more tanning knowledge than your head does. I would be better off talking to my Dog about tanning.