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Steps Before Tanning?

Discussion in 'Tanning' started by Catscratch1, Jan 18, 2022.

  1. Jan 18, 2022 #1
    Catscratch1

    Catscratch1 New Member

    11
    7
    Kansas
    I'm very new here so go easy on me.

    I have a bobcat I want to tan. Have ordered Trubond's 1000b Wallhanger kit. It didn't come with instructions.

    Here's the situation; I skinned the cat, wrapped in paper, put in a plastic bag and froze. I did not flesh, salt, or dry.

    Can I thaw it in a pickle solution, flesh, soak in the pickle, neutralize, then tan? Or do I need to go about it differently?

    It seems you can come up with just about anything you want on the internet, which is why I'm confused on what I "should" do with this thing. A list of steps would be great!

    Thanks!
     
  3. Jan 18, 2022 #2
    drob

    drob Well-Known Member

    462
    450
    western new york
    Check Truebond .com. for instrutions on your product
     
    Catscratch1 likes this.

  5. Jan 18, 2022 #3
    Catscratch1

    Catscratch1 New Member

    11
    7
    Kansas
    The site says to flesh, salt, dry, rehydrate, pickle, tan. Guess I was looking for a shortcut to skip the salting and drying steps. Just didn't know if those steps were actually needed.
    Thanks for the reply!
     
    drob likes this.
  6. Jan 18, 2022 #4
    drob

    drob Well-Known Member

    462
    450
    western new york
    the salt pulls out a lot of fluids.I tanned a couple of deer hides one year without salting,and they came out fine.
     
    Catscratch1 likes this.
  7. Jan 18, 2022 #5
    Catscratch1

    Catscratch1 New Member

    11
    7
    Kansas
    Did you go from green hides to tanning, or were they stretched and dried?
     
  8. Jan 18, 2022 #6
    drob

    drob Well-Known Member

    462
    450
    western new york
    Green /no salting but put threw pickle before tanning.
     
    Catscratch1 likes this.
  9. Jan 18, 2022 #7
    Catscratch1

    Catscratch1 New Member

    11
    7
    Kansas
    Thanks for the input. Depending on my mood I might try to pickle the green hide... or go ahead and salt/dry it. It's good to know that I'm not crazy thinking that I could do it without salting/drying. It's not a great pelt and it's my first try at tanning, so other than spending money on chemical I'm in for the experience. I would like to someday have a wall hanger for every species that a trap on our place.
     
    drob likes this.
  10. Jan 19, 2022 #8
    Frank E. Kotula

    Frank E. Kotula master, judge, instructor

    3,792
    1,881
    wilkes barre
    What I don’t understand is when the manufacturer of a product explains to you the proper steps on using their products that the person tanning wants a quicker way of doing it. Why are you folks in such a rush in tanning? There are reasons why we follow steps. Salting pulls a lot of nontanable fluids from a hide, puts bacteria to sleep, aids in setting hair.
    Now can you throw it right into a pickle? Yes but the pickle actually doesn’t do what salting does. You will actually get better swell with a salt dried cape, shaving is easier and you get a better skin.
    Yes I do throw certain skins right into a pickle but doing this over 20 plus yrs I know what’s going to happen by doing this and I have reasons for it and they’ll sit in a pickle over a month before I do any shaving or degreasing on them.
    Folks learning this trade should always follow the manufacturer directions. There done this way so you don’t fail in the process.
    We even had a manufacturer say just throw it in a pickle. Many listened to him and followed his directions well after many of us talking about salting decided to change his method to now say do a salt brine prior to the pickle. Why did he change his way is because the proof shows salting does a lot of good to a skin.
     
    Tr@ce, Thorn Creek Taxidermy, Valley Fur Shed and 3 others like this.
  11. Jan 19, 2022 #9
    Catscratch1

    Catscratch1 New Member

    11
    7
    Kansas
    I asked because per the manufacture's instructions it says; "Remove the skin to be tanned from the carcass of the animal, ASAP, and freeze, OR prepare for salting.". When I read that I was confused on if you still have to salt or if it's a step you can skip. So... I went on a online search and found lots of conflicting information. I came here hoping people of experience would tell me the right way to do it, and maybe explain why to do it that way.
     
  12. Jan 20, 2022 #10
    Frank E. Kotula

    Frank E. Kotula master, judge, instructor

    3,792
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    wilkes barre
    Proper method for any skin is this.
    Skin, spilt, flesh, salt overnight so the fluids can drain off. Next day, shake off, salt and hang to dry.
    Then in just plain water you can hydrate the skin which can take 4-24 hours depending on thickness and age of dried skin. Once hydrated, I’ll rinse and place in a pickle pH 1.5-2 stir twice a day once in the morning then end of work day. The next morning recheck the pH making sure it didn’t rise and if it did ( it’s normal) readjust the pH . Leave in solution for 3 days minimum.
    Then you take out, drain, shave, degrease then back in pickle overnight. Next day, drain, neutralize in a solution of 1 oz of sodium bicarbonate, 4 oz of salt to a gallon of water. Follow manufacturer procedures on how long to neutralize as many different tans require 20-60 minutes. Drain and now your ready to tan. Again follow the manufacturer directions.
    Hopefully this will aid you in getting the best tan for what your doing
     
    Tr@ce, cyclone and qltycapes like this.
  13. Jan 20, 2022 #11
    Catscratch1

    Catscratch1 New Member

    11
    7
    Kansas
    Thank you so much for this post. I just saved it to a word document for future references. Easy peasy instructions that clarifies several things for me. Thanks again!
     
    Frank E. Kotula likes this.
  14. Nov 10, 2022 #12
    Catscratch1

    Catscratch1 New Member

    11
    7
    Kansas
    Just an update for this OLD thread but I finally pulled the cat out of the freezer, fleshed it, salted it, dried it, pickled it, tanned it. Turned out really well except for some slippage where there was freezer burn and some missing fur on the face from me getting carried away while fleshing. Otherwise it went great.

    Anyway, I always hate when someone asks questions then never gives an update so here's a big thanks for the help and the outcome. Have a great season!
     
    SolarDeer, Frank E. Kotula and Tanglewood Taxidermy like this.