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Relaxing African Capes/hides

Discussion in 'Lifesize Mammals' started by falco, Jul 12, 2010.

  1. Jul 12, 2010 #1
    falco

    falco Trapping is fun

    917
    97
    folks,,,
    I will be getting some african capes in near future,,, they will be salted and I will send them to the commercial tannery,.
    When they are back,,, although with a good tan job,, but still they will feel different than NA capes as you know,, kind of like card board,,, I was wondering how can we relax them after they are tanned..,, any recommended product?
    . I have mounted some african capes,, but had the struggle with them too.
    Any input is appreciated.
     
  3. Jul 12, 2010 #2
    Jerry Huffaker

    Jerry Huffaker Well-Known Member

    2,508
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    My african capes come back from South Texas fur dressing exactly like north American skins. Sounds to me like you need to change tanneries.
     

  5. Jul 12, 2010 #3
    taxyman

    taxyman Member

    76
    0
    Indiana
    Right on Jerry! When I get my capes back from the tannery, I don’t have to struggle with them.
     
  6. Jul 13, 2010 #4
    Museum Man

    Museum Man Well-Known Member

    3,982
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    where i've always been
    i also have used tom at south texas for years for my african capes and have no problems at all with any of them
     
  7. Jul 13, 2010 #5
    snowhare

    snowhare New Member

    3,220
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    Falco

    Where did they came from RSA ORE Zimbabwe, that ll make a differnts like hell

    Snow
     
  8. Jul 13, 2010 #6
    rigbobby

    rigbobby Active Member

    338
    51
    Victoria, Texas
    Yes, I have used South Texas Fur Dressers since before Tom went public, I can tell you, I have kept African capes that he tanned in the freezer for over 6 years and pulled them, soaked them up, and mounted them just like a fresh skin (well, maybe a little of usual fantastic stretch is gone, but they mount up great) NO PROBLEMS. Use South Texas Fur Dressers.
     
  9. Jul 14, 2010 #7
    LordRusty

    LordRusty If I agreed with you, we'd both be wrong.

    5,710
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    Ohio
    The right tanning makes all the difference in the world! The best Tannery for African game is Wilderness East End Tannery, Inc., in Manorville, New York ... that's out on Long Island to the uninitiated! ;) ;D

    Contact them by phone at (631) 467-1458. Bobby Peragine has been tanning for 38 years, and really has this tanning thing down! ;) He too was trained by the Master Tanner of all time ... Mr. Sinclair Clark, and uses Sinclair's recipes and formulas for proper tanning. He is one of the best.

    John.
     
  10. Jul 14, 2010 #8
    falco

    falco Trapping is fun

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    97
    guys,, appreciate your input,, but I should have mentioned that Im in Canada :-\
    There are not too many Tanneries here,.

    and Snowhare,,, the ones I have done before they came from south Africa,,, and the new ones are coming from Zimbabwe.
    whats the difference?
     
  11. Jul 14, 2010 #9
    Martin

    Martin roes, my obsession, my fate

    368
    0
    Germany
    There are many differences! Zimbabwe skins mostly get soaked in formalin - it makes the skin hard and less strechable. South african? It depends on the guy who prepares your skins, got very good ones and bad ones! My best skins come from Namibia, Tanzania and Sambia!
    But: if you use a real good tannery they should be able to fix the problems with hard skins (like my tannery here in germany :) )
     
  12. Jul 14, 2010 #10
    falco

    falco Trapping is fun

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    97
    I see what you mean by that,,,,
    so the differences are in the people who prep them,, first I thought there is a difference in the Animal itself..
     
  13. Jul 14, 2010 #11
    RDA

    RDA Well-Known Member

    14,051
    180
    CARSON CITY, NEVADA
    sometimes, a little soda mized with water till its a paste then applied to the skin will relax them further. You MUST expiremnt with this though as the levels of saoda and how long its on the skin makes the difference. They can start to slip if on isnt carefull..