DeerhoundLurcherMan 997 Posted February 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2013 Well I got some nice fresh rabbit skins.....er, how long do I salt them for? or who can give a quick step by step? cheers Quote Link to post Share on other sites
micckey 106 Posted February 14, 2013 Report Share Posted February 14, 2013 Well I got some nice fresh rabbit skins.....er, how long do I salt them for? or who can give a quick step by step? cheers google it bud ,, It was years ago when I tryed it , It was all trail nd error for me, now days you get any answer in 5 mins lol Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tyla 3,179 Posted February 14, 2013 Report Share Posted February 14, 2013 (edited) Brains does work, milegago is the expert i believe. I've done both fox and deer skins using the bicarb and diesel method, gives a lovely white finish but not supple enough to use in clothing. It might be possible to work it to make it supple but as mine are rugs i didnt bother. Thanks Tyla. Excuse my ignorance but what is the bicarbonate and diesel method? Basically you soak the skin in a dust bin or similar and then scrape it clean. This is the hard bit, deer arent to bad but fox or sheep skins just ooze fat which is grim. I was shown to use a draw knife with the skin draped over a log, hold it against your belly and scrape away from you starting at the neck and working backwards. You then wash it in washing powder, cant remember now if it was bio or non bio, rinse it and leave to drip dry. Once the water has stopped running off it, stretch it out to dry either on a board or on a frame. Let it dry a bit more until its damp and the then apply the solution using a paint brush and working it into the skin as much as possible. Make the solution in a jam jar, half fill with bicarb and mix in red diesel until its the consistency of wallpaper paste. Leave the skin somewhere dry with good ventilation until its dry to the touch and the solution is a dry powder on the surface, scrape this off and sand either with palm sander or just paper. Then re apply the solution. Repeat this three times and its done, should end up as a stiff white suede type surface. I stopped here and the rugs have lasted years now but if you worked it and maybe oiled it it might go supple? I havent done one in ages but I am planning to when i get a nice spotty fallow skin. There are only so many roe rugs you can have in a house and the fox ones are so grim to do that i dont fancy it again! Edited February 14, 2013 by Tyla 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tegater 789 Posted February 14, 2013 Report Share Posted February 14, 2013 Brains does work, milegago is the expert i believe. I've done both fox and deer skins using the bicarb and diesel method, gives a lovely white finish but not supple enough to use in clothing. It might be possible to work it to make it supple but as mine are rugs i didnt bother. Thanks Tyla. Excuse my ignorance but what is the bicarbonate and diesel method? Basically you soak the skin in a dust bin or similar and then scrape it clean. This is the hard bit, deer arent to bad but fox or sheep skins just ooze fat which is grim. I was shown to use a draw knife with the skin draped over a log, hold it against your belly and scrape away from you starting at the neck and working backwards. You then wash it in washing powder, cant remember now if it was bio or non bio, rinse it and leave to drip dry. Once the water has stopped running off it, stretch it out to dry either on a board or on a frame. Let it dry a bit more until its damp and the then apply the solution using a paint brush and working it into the skin as much as possible. Make the solution in a jam jar, half fill with bicarb and mix in red diesel until its the consistency of wallpaper paste. Leave the skin somewhere dry with good ventilation until its dry to the touch and the solution is a dry powder on the surface, scrape this off and sand either with palm sander or just paper. Then re apply the solution. Repeat this three times and its done, should end up as a stiff white suede type surface. I stopped here and the rugs have lasted years now but if you worked it and maybe oiled it it might go supple? I havent done one in ages but I am planning to when i get a nice spotty fallow skin. There are only so many roe rugs you can have in a house and the fox ones are so grim to do that i dont fancy it again! Thanks tyla for posting that, I will give it a try. I am hoping one of these white hares is going to get pegged by a stoat in front of me as that would be a pretty cool pelt to try it on. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tyla 3,179 Posted February 14, 2013 Report Share Posted February 14, 2013 No worries, i've never done rabbits but reckon they would be ideal to start on. I have been meaning to save up enough to do a rug but never got round to it this season. Let us see when you've given it a try Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tegater 789 Posted February 14, 2013 Report Share Posted February 14, 2013 No worries, i've never done rabbits but reckon they would be ideal to start on. I have been meaning to save up enough to do a rug but never got round to it this season. Let us see when you've given it a try Will do, and thanks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bosun11 537 Posted February 14, 2013 Report Share Posted February 14, 2013 Went to a blokes house 20 plus years back, the bloke wasn't short of a bob or two, he had a 'snug', a room just for him, chock full of old hunting stuff, prints ornaments etc. Big chesterfield suit, and over it draped some very well done fox pelts... Looked cool as feck in there, what a den..!! Knew an old bird once too, she came from 'old money', different breed, different time. She drove a smart little MG sports car that she loved to work on herself. Over the back seat was a pelt and for a long time I couldn't figure what it was, so I had to ask... Old 'Rover', her beloved Curly Coated Retriever. She couldn't bear to be parted from him, so she kept him close... In the place he always used to sit.... It'd be a very dull world if we were all the same..!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tegater 789 Posted February 14, 2013 Report Share Posted February 14, 2013 Went to a blokes house 20 plus years back, the bloke wasn't short of a bob or two, he had a 'snug', a room just for him, chock full of old hunting stuff, prints ornaments etc. Big chesterfield suit, and over it draped some very well done fox pelts... Looked cool as feck in there, what a den..!! Knew an old bird once too, she came from 'old money', different breed, different time. She drove a smart little MG sports car that she loved to work on herself. Over the back seat was a pelt and for a long time I couldn't figure what it was, so I had to ask... Old 'Rover', her beloved Curly Coated Retriever. She couldn't bear to be parted from him, so she kept him close... In the place he always used to sit.... It'd be a very dull world if we were all the same..!! Great! !! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
patterdalejoel 669 Posted February 17, 2013 Report Share Posted February 17, 2013 them kits off snowdonia taxidermy supplies and similar companies are great... i used one on rabbit skins but was too tight to buy the oil to make them supple lol... so i got a lot of rabbit pelts like cardboard but they are easy and step by step, i think thats your best bet 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SINDASOX 255 Posted February 18, 2013 Report Share Posted February 18, 2013 How much is the oil then to soften them...???? SINDASOX Quote Link to post Share on other sites
benji benji 60 Posted February 19, 2013 Report Share Posted February 19, 2013 Just sat here watching "Yukon men" on Discovery, trapping for fur. There all wearing real fur gear while hunting... Anyone made anything with rabbit or fox pelts? id be interested in having ago if its possible and with some advice...........Might not wear it thou Been trying to get a bit of deer skin to cover my knive sheaf .. Made same thing from rabbit skin in past ive got some if you want it free Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Terrier Sam 297 Posted February 21, 2013 Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 Have a look on our website mate. If you can't find the info you need then give us a ring. We do Borax, Alum etc. etc. if you don't want to spend that much but these tanning kits are the easiest way to go. http://sportingcutlery.co.uk/tanning-kits/one-bath-tanning-systems/cp0502.html If you need anything else then pm me Sam Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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