Stogage of furs

[diver pete 0]

I was recently given some beautiful Possum fur to help with my fly tying adventures. I guess that the fur was plucked from a freshly killed possum. When I came to use the fur which was weeks later a fly had laid into the fur which was now crawling with maggots. I quickly disposed of it.

Since then I have been given some beautiful silver possum fur and a piece of Red deer pelt.

I would like to be able to store these furs until they are needed. Can anyone advise how to go about this without attracting fly's etc. At the moment they are store in an airtight bag.

Part of the attraction of fly tying for me is being able to use material that you would find laying around without always purchasing from a shop.

Please help!

Regards

Pete

[rockworm 0]

Pete

 

A professionally garment-tanned skin stores easily and well for many many years. Just pop it in a Zip Loc bag until you need it. A salt- or borax-cured skin is also fairly stable as long as it is kept dry. An unsalted but well-dried skin can be kept, but is susceptible to all sorts of pests (mice, insects, pets, fungus and bacteria.)

 

If someone gives you an uncured skin, you must first scrape off all the fat and meat. I would then apply borax to the skin side, press it flat between newspapers or paper towels and wait a few days. Scrape or shake off the used borax, and apply fresh. Repeat until the skin is completely dry.

 

I would not use roadkill (Think rabies.)

[Steve P 0]

Just like rockworm said... borax and salt. I mix 50/50 kosher salt to borax and rub the skin down really good after scraping. Then apply a generous amount and press flat. Check next day and remove and reapply. Daily until I check and its dry all over, and I mean dry as a bone everywhere. I also add a couple table spoons of seven dust to the mix to discourage mites. That step is frowned upon by many so use it at your own discression.

 

Steve

[diver pete 0]

Thank you for the speedy reply guys, I will try as you suggest and let you know how I got on.

Regards,

Pete

[Phish 0]

I like to use a finer salt then kosher given that it get into the skin better. I always store by itself away from tanned process hair so it doesn't get contaimanated.

[perchjerker 0]

Check the archives here as this question gets asked about every six months, and has been thoroughly answered previously. Also, there are numerous books on the subject. Even one written specifically for the fly fisher. Numerous fly tying book authors, Eric Leiser immediately comes to mind, have sections in their books on the subject.

[mikechell 0]

It's still a fun topic, roadkill. How to cure it. What's legal. Etc.

I skin out some road kill a few weeks ago ... used salt to cure it ... but try as I might, I am having a hell of a time trying to tie a decent fly with any part of this armadillo.

[troutguy 0]

Armadillo is used for shrimp and scud backs. Roadkill is only edible for the first week.

[Phish 0]

LMAO!! I have to look at them armadillos to see if I can use a piece off it.

[perchjerker 0]

It's the belly hair on the armadillo (known as Hoover Hog in these parts)! Pretty good roasted 'in the shell'(so I am told). Taste's like chicken!

[Jimr1961 0]

Possom in a half shell, yum

[Steve P 0]

You know they sound like you're stepping on a kitten when you shoot them with your bow??? No kidding, the worst sound you can imagine multiply it by 3 and that's. The noise they make when shot with an arrow.

 

Steve

[perchjerker 0]

You shoot them? REAL men run them down and catch them by their tails! If it gets ahead of you, and starts to dig a hole, it will bury it's toe nails into the sidewalls so you can't pull it out if you grab it's tail. Ha! Just take a small twig, or a Johnson Grass stem, and tickle it's belly! It will let go.

 

(Oh, the days of my misspent youth!)

 

Frank