Preserving fur bearer skins

[HWooldridge]

I have trapped small fur bearers most of my life but the people I sold to always took them whole after gutting, so I never caped out anything to preserve the skin/fur and I’ve never tanned one.

Where we currently live, I can trap 2-3 raccoons every week with my setup - more if I put out additional traps. Of course, the fur quality is poor in midsummer but I see some gorgeous ones in fall and winter, so I’m thinking about getting into making a few nice pelts. I also have 7 grandchildren and suspect all of them might like a cap.

For those of you who tan hides, how much trouble am I looking at to process a few coons every week? Is this something where I should just get on Youtube and watch videos? I am very experienced in cleaning game for the table so this will just be a matter of spending the time.

[CastingFool]

Look up brain tanning. Every animal has enough brains to tan its own skin.

[Saxon]

Salt and freeze, till you get enough then

salt and alum
i have used this since the 70's

https://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/...s%20in%20water.

[trapper9260]

Salt and freeze, till you get enough then

salt and alum
i have used this since the 70's

https://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/...s%20in%20water.

The thing about what is wrote in this link is not a good way to do it , what for to do tanning in a 5 gal pail use plastic , use 1 pound of salt and alum if you put a little more will not hurt. Use luke warm water to make sure there is no more powder left. Also you do not want to put your skin hot water just luke warm .Also you flesh the skin down before you put it in the solution so the solution can work the whole skin. you normally let it sit for 3 days and the skin will turn white. Then you rinse it out and then make a mixture of borax and water just enough Borax . in luke warm water . Then you take the skin and wash it in that to stop the tanning solution from working the skin anymore . Then you squeeze out the water the best you can and then take Neatsfoot oil and water 50/50 mix and heat it up hot . Take a brush and brush the flesh side of the skin heavy . Then after roll up the skin with flesh side in and let sit till the next day then you can work the skin on a frame that you tye it off to stretch it out and use a knife to work the skin or you can work it over a fleshing beam with a dull fleshing knife till it is all worked then , you do the same thing again with the oil mix 2 more times to get the skin soft and pliable. You do not want the skin to dry out like stated because it will be hard to work and you will have to soak it back in water to soften it up to work it. after the last oil mix is put on it will be 3 times you done it . Then keep work the skin till it is dry . Work the skin one day and roll it back up and then work the next day till dry . After it is dry you can take medium sand paper and sand the leather side of the skin lightly it will make it more soft and pliable. Then after you have your tan skin . You can do this way with hair or hair off . Any size skin you can do it with. I done rabbit up to deer and cow hides . If you like to remove the hair is after you flesh it , you make up a solution of hard wood ashes and lime in warm water and then put the skin in it and move it around every day till the hair comes off easy by hand then take it out and rise it out in water and scrape the hair off and then wash in Borax mix with warm water . then put it in your alum and salt mix. It is best after you first flesh the skin to salt it with regular salt only and roll it up flesh side in over night and in a area that it will drain for the salt will work the skin and will have fluid coming out of it . Main it will break down the fats or anything else . If you do not get all that you can fleshing, it will take longer to have the alum and salt mix work the skin. This is always works for me and I used it to tan skins for taxidermy also but I do not oil the skin for that . If have any thing to ask send me a PM then I will reply back .

[Saxon]

with no disrespect sir, i have used the salt alum many times as the directions say and get clean hair on hides that i still have some of somewhere.

The thing about what is wrote in this link is not a good way to do it , what for to do tanning in a 5 gal pail use plastic , use 1 pound of salt and alum if you put a little more will not hurt. Use luke warm water to make sure there is no more powder left. Also you do not want to put your skin hot water just luke warm .Also you flesh the skin down before you put it in the solution so the solution can work the whole skin. you normally let it sit for 3 days and the skin will turn white. Then you rinse it out and then make a mixture of borax and water just enough Borax . in luke warm water . Then you take the skin and wash it in that to stop the tanning solution from working the skin anymore . Then you squeeze out the water the best you can and then take Neatsfoot oil and water 50/50 mix and heat it up hot . Take a brush and brush the flesh side of the skin heavy . Then after roll up the skin with flesh side in and let sit till the next day then you can work the skin on a frame that you tye it off to stretch it out and use a knife to work the skin or you can work it over a fleshing beam with a dull fleshing knife till it is all worked then , you do the same thing again with the oil mix 2 more times to get the skin soft and pliable. You do not want the skin to dry out like stated because it will be hard to work and you will have to soak it back in water to soften it up to work it. after the last oil mix is put on it will be 3 times you done it . Then keep work the skin till it is dry . Work the skin one day and roll it back up and then work the next day till dry . After it is dry you can take medium sand paper and sand the leather side of the skin lightly it will make it more soft and pliable. Then after you have your tan skin . You can do this way with hair or hair off . Any size skin you can do it with. I done rabbit up to deer and cow hides . If you like to remove the hair is after you flesh it , you make up a solution of hard wood ashes and lime in warm water and then put the skin in it and move it around every day till the hair comes off easy by hand then take it out and rise it out in water and scrape the hair off and then wash in Borax mix with warm water . then put it in your alum and salt mix. It is best after you first flesh the skin to salt it with regular salt only and roll it up flesh side in over night and in a area that it will drain for the salt will work the skin and will have fluid coming out of it . Main it will break down the fats or anything else . If you do not get all that you can fleshing, it will take longer to have the alum and salt mix work the skin. This is always works for me and I used it to tan skins for taxidermy also but I do not oil the skin for that . If have any thing to ask send me a PM then I will reply back .

[poppy42]

From what I understand from your op you sold your pelts raw? If that’s the case before you think about tanning, best you learn how to properly flesh a hide before you even think about tanning. If I misinterpreted your original post disregard this post.

[trapper9260]

with no disrespect sir, i have used the salt alum many times as the directions say and get clean hair on hides that i still have some of somewhere.

For what I wrote works for me and it is from a taxidermy lesson book from 1968 . I had tan from squirrel to cow and bear skins with the way I stated and I done fox and coyote and coon and made leather from deer also and squirrel. It get the hair and fur clean I have some deer hides I tanned from 1977 and 1978 . and coon skins that I done and I also have some pig skins leather I done . Yes I know how to do taxidermy also and tanned fish and snake skins also. The key thing is make sure your skin is well flesh like was stated , I do sell my furs from trapping to a fur buyer that is finish for the market . I done this for many years now .