BrownSheep
Lost in the flock
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Any one know how to do this ?
Hides to rugs
- Thread starter BrownSheep
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I think all you have to do is tan it. But I've never done it so I'm not sure.
purplequeenvt
Herd Master
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.
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
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How much do they charge do you know?
Bridgemoof
Overrun with beasties
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.
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.
purplequeenvt
Herd Master
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.
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.
PendergrassRanch
Loving the herd life
boothcreek
Loving the herd life
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.
)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.
Bridgemoof
Overrun with beasties
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.
aggieterpkatie
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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.
