# Hides to rugs



## BrownSheep (Nov 13, 2012)

Any one know how to do this ?


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## SheepGirl (Nov 13, 2012)

I think all you have to do is tan it. But I've never done it so I'm not sure.


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## purplequeenvt (Nov 13, 2012)

The best thing would be to find a tannery to do it for you. We send all of our hides to Bucks County Fur Products in PA. 

The first step is to salt the fresh hide heavily, make sure the salt completely covers the skin. When the skin is dry (shouldn't take too long) you can then send it off to a tannery. If you are trying to tan it yourself, I'm pretty sure you don't have to salt it first.


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## BrownSheep (Nov 13, 2012)

How much do they charge do you know?


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## Bridgemoof (Nov 14, 2012)

Hi Brownsheep,

Everybody uses that Bucks County tannery from what I hear. I believe it costs between $60-80 per hide. 

We are going to try and do some ourselves. I've read about using this stuff called oxalic acid. I think you can buy it online or maybe Home Depot. I'm sure it's very caustic so you have to be careful. But we will get around to trying one of these days. I have Snowcap and Beastie's hides hanging and salted outside. They have dried out but are kind of crispy. The acid helps soften them up I believe.


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## purplequeenvt (Nov 14, 2012)

From what I recall, Bucks charges about $30-$60 (depends on the dimensions of the hide), but I can't find my receipt from last time to verify that. We've always been happy with their work. 

I would love to be able to tan my own hides, but it is a big project. I've done some small pelts (beaver, squirrel, ground hog, rabbit), but I think a sheep skin is way too much for me.


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## PendergrassRanch (Nov 14, 2012)

This guy had a series of videos that I found helpful  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yvG_lQPp20


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## boothcreek (Nov 14, 2012)

I send mine away to a tannery, just because they get the leather side very nice white and soft. Just got back a complete mule deer hide from my first ever buck I shot(he was too little to mount but had a nice hide so I got him tanned from nose to tail). They did a very nice job with it, everytime I go past it I gotta pet it(I know crazy...)
Also got 1 sheep and goat hide done, I just love it, they are all on the foot end of my bed. The deer hide esspecially is warm, it feels like I got a heavy hot cat sleeping on my feet, gotta get a couple more and make winter attire out of it.

I work at a taxidermy and even if you self tan, salt the hide first because the salt locks the hair in so it wont slip(unless you salt too late and the bacteria already had a good go at it). I have tried to tan a bighorn sheep hindquarter a couple weeks ago, it is very work intensive, doesn't really matter what chemicals you use as long as the hair is set in the hide all you have to do is work it, work it and work it somemore to break down the fibres in the leather that make it go stiff as a board.... I put 2 days of constant working over sharp edges  into my skin and it is like a thick sheet of paper, it bends but is not soft and plyable. If I didnt have to work so much I would work on it some more, but there just is no time right now.

Just watch out with the self-tan liquids, most are designed for taxidermies for wet tans(what your looking for is a dry tan) and it stiffens up if you let it dry and dont work it.
Yes they advertise subtle leather but that is in the wet-tan stage.


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## Bridgemoof (Nov 16, 2012)

I just watched that whole video and that guy doesn't even use any chemicals at all. Wow. I  might try it with Beastie's skin. Looks like a rather lengthy process, just because you have to dry it after you wash it and so forth.


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## aggieterpkatie (Nov 16, 2012)

I've used Bucks Co and love them.  I believe my hide was about $50, and it may have been that high because it was big (from a yearling Romney ram) and the fleece was long (almost 6" long).  They did a great job. I get the washable tan, because I wanted it to be easy to care for and soft, and it is!  I'll be sending 2 more hides to them as soon as I process my ram lambs.


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## RemudaOne (Nov 16, 2012)

Aggie, what do you have to do to the hide to prep it for shipping to them and how do you ship?


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## aggieterpkatie (Nov 16, 2012)

RemudaOne said:
			
		

> Aggie, what do you have to do to the hide to prep it for shipping to them and how do you ship?


It's very easy!  I told my processor I was going to have the hide tanned, so he salted it for me!  If you send your lamb to a processor, ask if they'll salt it. If not, you'll need to pick the hide up ASAP so you can get it salting.  Just spread it out skin side up, preferrably on a slanted surface for liquid to drain off.  Then use plain table salt and rub it all over the hide.  You want it fairly thick, but not crazy thick.   Check it every day until no more liquid is running off it.  Then, roll it up, wrap it in newspapers, and mail it to Buck's County.  I didn't wrap it in any plastic, just a ton of newspapers.  Then I mailed it, probably priority mail.  They had it about 2 months, and then they'll send you a bill saying it's ready.  As soon as you send in a check, they'll ship it to you.


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## aggieterpkatie (Nov 16, 2012)

Here's my blog post..the "before ", and here's  the "after".


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## PendergrassRanch (Nov 16, 2012)

Bridgemoof said:
			
		

> I just watched that whole video and that guy doesn't even use any chemicals at all. Wow. I  might try it with Beastie's skin. Looks like a rather lengthy process, just because you have to dry it after you wash it and so forth.


It does look like it will take about a month to get the final product and you do have to have good dry weather.  I like how it didn't matter when he salted it, I think he said it had it stored for a few months.  I love the idea of doing them myself with no chemicals.


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## Bridgemoof (Nov 16, 2012)

Aww Aggie, I could barely get to the "after" pics because there were tears in my eyes after reading the "before" blog.   But then I perked up when I saw the after pics and read your blog about how you can pet him whenever you want now. That's why I want to get Beastie's pelt tanned so I can snuggle him whenever I want. And it will go on MY desk chair! It looks beautiful and I think it is well worth the money when you look at how much work it would be to do it yourself.

Thanks for posting the pics!


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## aggieterpkatie (Nov 16, 2012)

Bridgemoof said:
			
		

> Aww Aggie, I could barely get to the "after" pics because there were tears in my eyes after reading the "before" blog.   But then I perked up when I saw the after pics and read your blog about how you can pet him whenever you want now. That's why I want to get Beastie's pelt tanned so I can snuggle him whenever I want. And it will go on MY desk chair! It looks beautiful and I think it is well worth the money when you look at how much work it would be to do it yourself.
> 
> Thanks for posting the pics!


Aw, yeah, I still miss the big guy sometimes.  My favorite thing to do with the hide is put it on the couch, and then I lay on it and over up with a blanket. SO toasty warm!  I usually have to fight my dog for that spot though!    It's definitely worth the money, especially seeing how much they cost to buy!


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## boothcreek (Nov 22, 2012)

Sheesh, that tannery sounds so cheap! I wish it was that cheap to tan a sheep here. For my hairsheep hides I pay $150 each, dont even want to think what a large long wooled one would cost me, probably comparable to a mountain goat($400-500).
My whole deer hide was $350 to tan, but one has to remember I kept the whole face/ears etc on so that will rack up the bill quick, they are hard to tan.

And yes those hides are super warm! My mulie hide is on my bed ontop of the covers and I know exactly where it is by where I am baking 

Another amazingly warm hide is caribou, when we do a shoulder mount at work I get to take the excess hide home. Usually ends up being a piece thats around 1.5 ft wide and 3-4 ft long. Work it for a few days while it dries and even the wet tan will be nice and plyable when dry. So cozy, almost have enough to make a jacket!


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