Preserving skins

[perchjerker 0]

I think I would try to catch that guy and pen him up for "safe keeping" until the season opens, and before someone else gets him! You could always tell the warden that you were doing on the bird's behalf!

[Piker20 0]

I think I would try to catch that guy and pen him up for "safe keeping" until the season opens, and before someone else gets him! You could always tell the warden that you were doing on the bird's behalf!

 

I'm in Scotland so its a bit different for hunting stuff and unless your on the lords lawn shooting his pheasants no one really gives a hoot about the odd one. Grouse and deer are different but if you know the wrong folk

[ashley 0]

Hey guys, can I summarise then that birds and thin skinned stuff daily salt till salt stops getting 'sweaty' and for deer rabbit badger etc borax. Is the borax daily too or just a heap on and leave somewhere cool for the 2-3 weeks?

 

 

Most would say, like what as been already been replied, that its the other way round. However, I use borax for both has I have found that salt is absorbant of water in the air so I tend not to use it. I have had far to many skins ruined my continued dampness due to the salt problem. if the air is dry it will be fine but where I live its a case of it not being practical.

[Piker20 0]

Most would say, like what as been already been replied, that its the other way round. However, I use borax for both has I have found that salt is absorbant of water in the air so I tend not to use it. I have had far to many skins ruined my continued dampness due to the salt problem. if the air is dry it will be fine but where I live its a case of it not being practical.

 

I hadn't thought of the humidity and it certainly ain't dry here in the far north east. I'm getting the Borax and I'll prob be starting with birds so I'll let everyone know how I get on.

[perchjerker 0]

I have NEVER had a problem with humidity, and I live on the Golden Gulf Coast of Texas, where, if the humidity drops below 33%, the girls shrivel up like prunes! The secret is to tack the hide to a piece of plywood, and then prop the whole thing UP! NEVER lay it out horizontally! By propping it up, the excess moisture drains out, and does NOT pool or puddle on the hide; which can, and DOES, lead to problems!

 

CAUTION NOTE: DO NOT PROP IT UP NEAR A LAWN OR DESIRABLE SHRUBBERY. SALT KILLS SUCH THINGS!

[Gene L 0]

I just finished curing a grouse skin. It was partially cured when I got it, but had a lot of fat and flesh on it still. I used borax and let it alone for a while in the air. I then scraped off the fat which had sponified (I think that's the proper term) and could be scraped off, grease and all. Well, most of the grease.

 

I have a commercially prepared partridge skin, and it's still a bit greasy, about like the one I prepared. I don't think you can ever remove all the grease from a bird.

[ashley 0]

I have NEVER had a problem with humidity, and I live on the Golden Gulf Coast of Texas, where, if the humidity drops below 33%, the girls shrivel up like prunes! The secret is to tack the hide to a piece of plywood, and then prop the whole thing UP! NEVER lay it out horizontally! By propping it up, the excess moisture drains out, and does NOT pool or puddle on the hide; which can, and DOES, lead to problems!

 

CAUTION NOTE: DO NOT PROP IT UP NEAR A LAWN OR DESIRABLE SHRUBBERY. SALT KILLS SUCH THINGS!

 

 

Good point about propping the board up and is something not mentioned else where. But doesn't the salt fall off apart from what is rubbed in?

[perchjerker 0]

If applied too liberally, YES, it will fall off.I never rub it in. I just sprinkle all over the hide and rub it around to make sure every part is coated. The moisture in the hide is usually sufficient to get it to stick.

[Piker20 0]

Collecting a deer hide tomorrow so take out some shares in table salt and pray it works out. I plan to snip it into small size packages and hopefully get something useful out of it.

[perchjerker 0]

I am not the least bit worried about your success! Let us know how it turns out.

 

Cheers!

[Gene L 0]

The best deer comes from the spine area of the deer. Other are better, but those are the best.

[Piker20 0]

The best deer comes from the spine area of the deer. Other are better, but those are the best.

 

I'll look for that part then. About to go collect the hide now.

[Piker20 0]

Right thats the spine of the deer from ass to neck and approx 40cm across pinned to an old door, vertical with rock salt liberally rubbed over. Take it I check the salt in 24hrs and replace it daily till its 'dry'? approx 2-3 weeks I'm estimating.

 

Would hair need bleaching before dying or would dying it as its create some barred effects?

[phg 0]

Be sure to use non-iodized salt for curing skins. That may be the problem some people were having above.

 

I use both salt and borax on most of my skins, although, as pointed out, bird skins are thin (if properly scraped of fat) and can be cured with borax alone. Generally speaking, borax "sets" the hair/fur/feathers so they don't fall off, and salt cures the skin. Cured only with salt, though, the skin remains "rawhide" and needs to be kept in a dry place. If you want to tan it, you have to go to the extra steps of soaking the hide in a tanning solution.

 

Interestingly enough, the professionally prepared skins you purchase in fly shops go both ways. Some are tanned, others are merely cured.

[perchjerker 0]

There is only one real advantage to using non-iodized salt: It is cheaper!

 

There is NO disadvantage to using iodized salt.

 

Rock salt is probably the most economical salt to use when you consider that it is highly recommended that you use one pound of salt for every pound of 'green' hide. This is of greatest value when working with large hides, such as, large deer, elk, moose, etc.

 

An alternative to coating with salt is to brine it. However, one needs a salinometer to properly make the brining solution, which should register 90%. Also, it requires frequent agitation of the hide to work properly (like in an old washing machine).