tanning this weekend

[happy acres]

I've got several hides and feet in the freezer, I'm hoping to start them tanning this weekend while I'm off. Y'all wish me luck!

 

[animalmom]

I do hope you will keep us posted on your progress with tanning. Wishing you the best of luck. I'd like to know your successes and/or failures, but especially how you do it right.

 

[happy acres]

I think I'll start with lucky rabbits feet first, then do the skins on my next day off.

 

[happy acres]

The feet are on the drying rack now, and they are looking lovely!

 

[animalmom]

Ahem! You are going to post pictures, aren't you? Inquiring minds would like to know!

 

[happy acres]

As soon as I get the bells on!

 

[happy acres]

As you can see, I left them naturally colored and didn't dye them. I think they turned out rather well, especially since it's my first time tanning anything! I thought I'd sell them for $3.00 each. Is that a fair price?

 

[animalmom]

The feet look great! I have no clue as to what that would cost... but $3 doesn't seem excessive. I remember paying $1 when I was a very young kit back at the dawn of time.

Would love to see your results when you tackle the hides.

Also any pointers you can give the rest of us on your tanning process would be ab fab!

 

[happy acres]

I've got the rest of the feet in the alcohol now. I thawed and scraped the hides Thursday, and put them in the battery acid mixture Friday. I'm only doing a few at a time. Six hides is all for this first time. Be at least a week before they're ready for the drying part.

 

[happy acres]

Well, my first foray into hide tanning is not so good. My acid mixture was a failure. The acid mixture was too strong and ate away most of the skin. What was left was mostly falling apart. I'm trying to dry it now, hoping to save what I can. When it says 5%, that's exactly what it means! My solution was nearly 25%. Doh!