I have recently walked thru 2 different tanneries. A few days later something hits me, neither of the tanneries had an area that was used to salt hides, and both tanneries took in green unsalted hides. Talking to one of the tannery owners I asked him about ware they salt the hides. He told me that they did not salt hides and that it was a waste of time as there were things you could add to the pickel that would do the same job as salting (skipping a step), however he would not tell me what it was. "you stick to the mounting and Ill stick to the tanning" he told me. Is anyone aware of what tanneries use so as to skip salting and has anyone ever tried these meathods.
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There is a load of info in there from some people who have made a very good living tanning capes and hides. (here is a hint... use the orange search button and type no salt Glen. then hit enter)
Have a good one!
Commercial tanneries accept frozen skins. They will put them in a freezer or right in to a pickle. If they are frozen and not fleshed, they will scour (wash) them, then they will flesh them on the fleshing machine, then pickle as usual.
When I sent frozen pelts to a tannery, I assumed they froze the pelts until it was time to bill me and then run them. Nope! My pelts were put straight in to a formic acid pickle until it was time to bill me and finish them. The pelts turned out fine, with no slippage and excellent rehydration stretch, but I wish I'd known they would be sitting in a pickle so long. I would have sent them a few weeks later.
Air dried skins are scoured (the tannery will combine the relaxation / rehydration step with the washing and some degreasing steps), sometimes tumbled to 'break up more grease', and then pickled just like a raw skin.
At some tanneries, the pickle is done hot temperature, which firms the leather just like salting would. It also helps emulsify natural fats for removal. It also cooks ear cartilage and can ruin a skin quickly if they do not have precise control.
If a tannery employee made an off-color comment to me like that and I was not friends with that employee, I would start looking really critically at their processes, and maybe take my business elsewhere unless they really did have the best deal in town, as in the best quality output.
i use both saftey acid and krowtann - never have salted naything
I do all my own tanning and never salt.