tail splitting/skinning

I have done both. I prefer to split it out. When sewing, lay the tail out with split up. Comb hair out to the side so the split skin is visible. put 2" tape on the the hair and that will keep the hair out of your stitches. I believe that I saw this on a video by Brian Hendricks.

 

You can also leave it tubed then take a piece of wire and run it down the tail all the way to the tip. Use the wire to hold pressure at the tip and make a small slit. Then run a piece of cotton string through (I use a long crochet loop and go in through the end of the tail and pull the string through. Tie the string back to itself so it makes a loop. Make sure you have plenty. Then you can salt, pickle and tan. Use the string to work the product down into the tail. Slide it one way to your knot, then reverse.

 

Look up Brian Hendricks red fox videos on YouTube.

 

Brooke, the way you discribed is how I did it when I was home tanning, however, the majority of the tanneries that I used wouldn't take tubed legs or tails and if they did, they would split them and they were not careful in doing so. So, I had to split the tail. I just got used to splitting the tail regardless of who tanned it.

 

Best to split them, there is a good amount of fat in the tails