How do you tan hides?

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kg6ysf

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I've done just two now and it hasn't been great. I scraped the hide then tacked it out and let it dry. I then washed the hair and it wasn't very nice. I am doing sections of different hides for fly tying. I need the furs in good shape and this isn't coming out well. I am using my .17HMR or my .22LR to reduce destruction of the small critters. So if any of you fur hunt or are taxidermists please give me some help? All of the furs I buy have had soft skins, so what's the secret?
 
tanning is way more than scrape and dry. The hide has to be chemically treated to soften and "cure" it (my word, a taxidermist would have the correct one).
 
I tie many jigs, and just use Borax on the hides . Works great and you can get it in the store. Does not tan, but preserves them. Hope this helps...
 
Curatan is the stuff I use to cure a hide after I scrape all the flesh and hair off them.
 
So oldfox do you mean that you scrape the hide and then tack it out fur side down and then cover it in Borax? How long do you let it set? Then do you wash it after to get the Borax off and clean the hair.
I guess "tanning" was the wrong term. :oops:
I really don't know the correct term so in loo of the right word I guess that I would say preserve as oldfox did.
Thanks guys for the input.
 
kg6ysf said:
So oldfox do you mean that you scrape the hide and then tack it out fur side down and then cover it in Borax? How long do you let it set? Then do you wash it after to get the Borax off and clean the hair.
I guess "tanning" was the wrong term. :oops:
I really don't know the correct term so in loo of the right word I guess that I would say preserve as oldfox did.
Thanks guys for the input.

Yup...scrape as much as you can...tack it down...cover it with borax and check it in a few day to see if it might need more. I let it set for 2 or 4 weeks, brush off the borax, and store them in resealable bags. I have done this with squirrel's, coyote, fox, deer and turkeys. Works great..
 
Great, thanks I do appreciate the help. I am wanting to do squirrel, both grey and ground, hair, rabbit, coyote and coon. As well as a bit of deer and elk as they become available.
Now do you wash the hair befor or after or both?
 
kg6ysf said:
Great, thanks I do appreciate the help. I am wanting to do squirrel, both grey and ground, hair, rabbit, coyote and coon. As well as a bit of deer and elk as they become available.
Now do you wash the hair befor or after or both?

I don't usually wash it, unless it is bloody. Wash it first in that case, let it dry and then use the borax. The borax will also kill any little critters that might be hiding in there (ticks, fleas, etc) :D
 
I don't usually wash it, unless it is bloody. Wash it first in that case, let it dry and then use the borax. The borax will also kill any little critters that might be hiding in there (ticks, fleas, etc) :D[/quote]

That's what I was interested in, both removing the blood and bugs. Beautiful thanks for the info! :D
 
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