Alligator

$22 per inch of length for the skull. Never KrowTanned a gator. If he wants it soft tanned, send it to Amtan and save yourself a lot of heartburn.

 

I have read of people using KrowTan on gators, but I have no personal experience

 

Here is my process for alligators...

Mix 3 lbs ammonium alum, 30 lbs of salt, and 1 ounce of Dawn detergent in 30 gallons of lukewarm water. I use a 100 gallon Rubbermaid water trough.

Pressure was gator skin, allow to drip. Clean out head if head is attached (before pressure washing).

Salt heavy for 12 hours, shake out salt and place in tanning solution. Leave in solution 36-72 hours, moving around twice daily to insure tan is reaching all parts. Monitor closely. If scales are beginning to loosen, get it out of the tan and procced.

After removing from the tan, drip dry, place on drying board made of ¾” plywood, and secure with dry wall nails around perimeter and place some down the center. Undercut bottom of legs and toes, leaving only the top side.

Allow to dry for 60 days. Remove nails, trace out on a sheet of ¾ plywood that will be the panel. Paint edges of panel with black paint, then attach skin using Loctite Power Grab 3X.

Fill all nail holes with Apoxie-Sculpt, air brush where needed. Coat entire skin and edges of board with Enviro-Tex. Flash it with a propane torch or heat gun to remove air bubbles as you apply.

Use the same tanning solution if you are planning on mounting the gator. This recipe was given to me by David Spiess at an NTA seminar.

 

I used Krowtann on a gator, and yes it works, use it after it's done follow up with some good oil, Ozark Woods, sells the Krow Oil to compliment Krowtann, Works well, I even made the guy some paper weights out of the gators feet.

 

You will need to remove any remaining meat off the skin after pressure washing.

 

Use a wire brush on an angle grinder. Salt overnight first to tighten up the flesh, rinse and flesh away. It will be messy and take some time, but I've done several this way. Drape the skin over a 55 gallon drum (plastic with smooth sides). Adjust the height so it's not killing your back. If you are going to glue it to a board, use 3/4 plywood to prevent curling. Tack it down first for 30-60 days until hard dry after tanning. Gator is like fish, you don't have to remove every speck of flesh, it will dry to nothing. Remove dry wall nails and adhere to the panel with Powergrab 3X.

 

Alligator skin and skull are one in the same. The skin stays on the skull during tanning. There is no way to remove it. Breakthrough Magazine currently has a three part series on alligator taxidermy. Educate yourself before doing anything.

 

If Kulis Kastaway business is still going, they have DVDs on the subject.

 

I just looked and they appear to still be open. It is Kastaway.com. several videos on the subject.