Washing

[RoyalWulff 0]

Hey guys, i bought a bird pelt from my tying shop, and it has a weird smell to it. Im guessing it smells something like moth balls. Anyways im going to wash it up with some warm water and mild dishsoap. But what is the proper way to dry it? Hang it? flat? and how long should i let it dry before I can start using the feathers?

 

Thanks everyone

[Alex_F 0]

Im guessing it smells something like moth balls.

 

Or Formaldehyde. If this pelt in question is the Golden Pheasant skin you've recently bought then I'd leave it alone and pluck individual feathers and wash them. The reason is that a dry GP skin can be very thin and is liable to turn to mush in water. If the skin in question is robust enough then by all means wash it.

 

For drying skins and capes place a few layers of newspaper topped by a few layers of kitchen towel on a flat surface. Place your skin on top then repeat with layers of kitchen towel and news paper to form a sandwich then place some heavy books on top to create a press.

 

This will help flatten the skin and soak up excess water. After a day remove the skin and allow to air dry or blow dry at a low heat setting.

 

[camoham 0]

if bird skins are anything remotely similar to whitetail skins.............absolutely do not wash it!

 

my experience after the initial tanning and treatments..................that if you soak something afterwards, the hair will fall out. i would imagine similar results with the rachis stuck in the skin of a bird pelt.

 

like mentioned before, i would wash individual materials that you want to use as needed, quit sniffing materials!

 

camoham

 

 

[RoyalWulff 0]

lol, ill wear my SARS mask while tying from now on. lol.

 

Thanks guys the whole skin itself isnt dirty persay, when i took it out of the bag some dust/dirt things fell out, but nothing a little shake cant take care of. Thanks for the info though, ill be sure to wash up the individual feathers.