For those who use liqua tan

Yes you can give it a quick rinse to get the excess tanning agents off the cape. The hide paste will stick but it will take longer to dry cause the skin has to soak up the excess tanning oil first, that's why you rinse it so this doesn't happen to you.

 

Use the same method I use. It will also not effect the Liquid Tan - Tanning agent.

Instead of doing that - I'd simply fill a Black Plastic Garbage Bag with some Sawdust, add some Odorless Mineral Spirits to it to make the sawdust only damp (not soupy) and then I'd tie it off and give it a few bounces to mix it up. Afterwards, I'd place the skins or capes in, and then bounce them for 5-10 minutes - then untie the Bag and remove them. All of this being done outdoors of course - then I'd shake out the loose sawdust and blow them to groom them out!

I find that way easy - you don't end up taking any oil out of the skins or capes - and they're clean!

 

once a cape is tanned using liqua-tan it won't wash out like you think. It's already tanned and what you see is excess from too much applied. I wash my capes all the time prior to mounting them. Your only rinsing them not using harsh detergents that can damage many tanned hides if soaked in them. Just try pert shampoo and dee what it does to the hair plus nice and clean.

 

After it's on and lets say over night, it's tanned, all your doing is rinsing off the excess. I really don't know how much clearer I can be for you other than call knoblochs and ask them and get the same answer. Not trying to be asinine here and I do see your new at this. Your not going to wash the tan out.............

 

When I "wet tan" with Liqua tan, I quickly wash it with water and a little Kemal 4 before I mount it. When I let it dry out and soak it up later to mount I put a little Kemal 4 in the soak up.

 

Do Not wash.
Like Bruce said, you will remove the oils plus you will also be adding excess moisture. When you remove the oil and add moisture your shrinkage will go way up.
Ive been using Liqua Tan for a long time, 18+ years, with great results. I take extra care to not get any on the hair when applying the liqua tan. I use only the amount needed. No extra. Some on the hair will be unavoidable. Don't worry about it.
I use thin rubber gloves to apply and rub it in.
Before I mount the cape I will "mist" the skin side with just a little moisture to help loosen it up a little. Ive used this technique with great success.

 

Ok here's the thought on washing hides and shrinkage, Yes if you wash a hide you will lose some oils hey it happens when you hydrate a dry tanned hide. What is lost during a quick wash will not do any thing in hurting you as far as shrinkage goes.

Now if your afraid of shrinkage around the eyes and nose pad just take some oil after mounting your deer and paint it on. It will aid in slow drying the skin and slow the shrinkage down. If your getting shrinkage through out your cape well then I would say you need to thin your cape down more for it's not thin enough, I've seen this so often while teaching in my shop where a student who wants to up their game come in with a cape that is prepared for mounting (their way) After I get done showing what thin means then they understand that they thought it was thin enough even though they've been shaving for years and mounting them as well.

Shrinkage is just caused by mainly thick skin and not washing a cape. Now if your using heavy detergents and washing a cape for 15 minutes then you can expect some shrinkage. Heavy detergents can do harm to your cape and it may cause slippage.

One of the best products for washing capes is pert shampoo. I just add it to the water place my cape in it stir the cape in it , rinse and squeeze as much excess water off and then place in the dryer with a bunch of towels set on cool. Tumble for 20 minutes and you should have one nice cape to mount.