How to tan fur?

[brewer12345]

I shot a muskrat today and want to preserve the hide. Suggestions? I know I need to flesh it and salt it. What then?

[skeettx]

https://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php?topic=60240.0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzqeMJHQ5tE

[dangitgriff]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200202/5dc48b0f8e973040d54fe320b2c33298.jpg

[MrWolf]

Hehe - ouch:drinks:

[Geezer in NH]

Cabelas has this one so do many outdoor suppliers

https://www.cabelas.com/product/Deer-Hunters-Hide-Tanning-Formula-Per-Each/734058.uts?slotId=0

[CastingFool]

Look up brain tanning

[brewer12345]

Look up brain tanning

In this case, the skrat was taken with a headshot. Brain tanning not an option with this one.

[Winger Ed.]

Years ago, I brought in a deer and processed it.
My girlfriend's kid was there, and big time into getting Boy Scout merit badges.

I told him he could tan the hide himself for some kind of Indian lore badge, or primitive leather sort of thing.

He asked me about how to do it......
I told him since he was too young to have a squaw, he'd need to get his Mom to chew it.
He grabbed it and took off into the house.

I quickly learned to never do that again, but maybe you'll have better luck with the idea.:bigsmyl2:

[hawkenhunter50]

I shot a muskrat today and want to preserve the hide. Suggestions? I know I need to flesh it and salt it. What then?

I have used this with a few beaver pelts. No need to salt. Flesh the hide and soak in this. https://www.minntrapprod.com/Johnny-Thorpes-Indian-Tan/productinfo/JT-ITAN/

[trapper9260]

There is more then one way to tan a skin, it depends on how much you want to put into it. I used the old alum and salt way then work neatsfoot oil into it ,I also made leather out of deer hides with the same mix and that was back in about 77 and I still have some of that leather today I made a bag for my muzzle loading. There is also one you use Murphy oil soap for the brain way it is to take the place of the brain of the animal. I also done the Chrome tan way also it make the leather turn on the blue side ,for the alum and salt it is on the white to the light tan way. It all depend on what you looking for in the end for the leather.

[soflarick]

I've seen videos of people fleshing with pressure washers. I thought excessive water would cause the hair to separate from the flesh.

[umwminer]

If you just want to “preserve “ it , flesh as much fat off as you can and then stretch it and rub 20 mule team Borax into it and leave a heavy layer in the fattier areas .
Make sure the pelt is fur side out ( if cased ) as the borax will preserve it “hard”.
If you choose this method , do not salt it .

[blackthorn]

Try your local library. There are several publications explain the various processes. With respect to the advise to " flesh as much fat off as you can and then stretch it and rub 20 mule team Borax into it and leave a heavy layer in the fattier areas", you will need to get all the fat off the hide or you will have trouble later.

[gwpercle]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200202/5dc48b0f8e973040d54fe320b2c33298.jpg

That's Funny !

[elmacgyver0]

I've heard of Mexicans tanning hides with urine.
Then later a saddle tanned with it while ridding in the rain, smelling like an outhouse.

[white eagle]

I have tanned deer hides with the alum method worked real well
\that was a long time ago thou /

[largom]

very little fat on muskrat pelt. do not over flesh or you will thin hide.

[472x1B/A]

If you are not in a hurry try Tannit solution. I have used this on hundreds of hides. Just follow the directions to get a good fur on tanned hide.

[brewer12345]

If you are not in a hurry try Tannit solution. I have used this on hundreds of hides. Just follow the directions to get a good fur on tanned hide.

Can you give me a brief idea of the process and time required?

[slim1836]

http://blog.flemingtraps.com/2013/12/05/trappers-hide-tanning-instructions

Slim

[472x1B/A]

I would never get in a hurry doing any hide. You rush it and hair starts slipping in less than a year. Just follow the directions and always use NON IODIZED salt, if you do decide to. A rat would take me 2 weeks to do start to finished. Always comb the fur out well and wash it in cold water and shampoo, you do not want any dirt or blood in the fur.

[brewer12345]

Appreciate all the advice. I am trying to go slow and not mess it up. If I do, I guess that is part of the learning curve.

So far, I have washed the hide in soap and water, fleshed it, stretched it, and salted it with Kosher salt. I am wondering if I should hit it with another layer of salt.

[gwpercle]

Appreciate all the advice. I am trying to go slow and not mess it up. If I do, I guess that is part of the learning curve.

So far, I have washed the hide in soap and water, fleshed it, stretched it, and salted it with Kosher salt. I am wondering if I should hit it with another layer of salt.

What you are doing now is preserving the hide , it will not be tanned and it will not be leather . The hide will be stiff...rawhide !!! It will be preserved if you rub in some Borax it will keep bugs from eating the raw hide.
For turning it into leather use the Johnny Thorpe Indian Tan (Minnesota Trapline link in earlier post) to make leather...much easier than trying to scrounge up the correct chemicals and you will have proper directions . The net is full of screwy ways to ruin a pelt...be careful.
I was a Taxidermist for many years ... Go with Johnny Thorpe's Tan for good results.
Gary

[brewer12345]

Thanks, gw. I have only a rudimentary grasp of this stuff despite being a beginner leathercrafter, but I about figured out that getting as far as salting would mean that the hide would be preserved and then I could figure out what to do with it to get it tanned. I suspect we will try for beavers and muskrats again this weekend. If I can get enough furs and get them tanned, I am hoping to put together a hat or perhaps line a set of mittens.

[dangitgriff]

Hey, Brewer, if you’re into trapping, check out The Meat Trapper on YouTube. He just posted up a nifty how-to video on making quality snares.
R/Griff

[Tripplebeards]

I remember about 25 years ago trying to tame a couple of coon Hyde’s. They look great I laid them on the wood floor in my house. About six months or so they both left grease spots soaked in my wood floor that never came out.

[Reverend Al]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200202/5dc48b0f8e973040d54fe320b2c33298.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/VGiK5hm.gif

[Elkins45]

If you have a public library nearby see if they have the Foxfire series of books. When I did my deer rugs I used their method and it worked well.

[bikerbeans]

My dad used to tan hides with the belt from his work pants.:(

BB

[Kev18]

If brain tanning is to complicated for you, you can jsut use egg yolks. Depending if its a monster rat, 2 yolks will be enough.

[GregLaROCHE]

What do you plan to do with it? If it’s just going to be tacked on a wall, plain salt should be enough or some Borax. If you want to make something with it, then you better use one of the many methods available.

I’ve never done anything that small, but for bigger animals like wolves, you have to turn their ears so they dry before they spoil. Good luck and have fun with it!

[brewer12345]

I am hoping to use it in leather crafting. Line mittens, make a hat, etc.

[GregLaROCHE]

I am hoping to use it in leather crafting. Line mittens, make a hat, etc.

What you are looking for is not only to tan the leather, but one that will also hold the hairs tight so they don’t « slip ». Make sure you have that in mind when choosing a method.

[Rally]

Buy a Dixietan kit or have it done at a tannery. It cost about $12 or less to get it garment tanned.

[Tripplebeards]

Buy a Dixietan kit or have it done at a tannery. It cost about $12 or less to get it garment tanned.


That’s what I was thinking I’ve had hides tanned before and it’s not very much to get something like that tanned. To get things made out of them cost money. I have a mountain man hat made from a coyote or bobcat and it took two foxes to make one mountain man fox hat. I also had a raccoon hat made. Someday I Gotta wear all those.

[brewer12345]

I whacked 3 more skrats today. I am going to freeze the pelts individually so that I can defrost and tan one at a time so I can learn how to do this well.

[Chad5005]

getting hides tanned has got expensive,they wanted 150.00 to do a deer hide this year