Preserving techniques

[Jdd2035]

Hi good to talk to the community!
I have used the salt and borax technique to preserve turkey tails, snake skins and the like but I've never used it on something like a bear deer or elk hide. Will salt, and borax work on those too, or will I lose all the hair?

 

[archeranthony]

I know salt works on hides

 

[JimP]

If done properly it can extend the length of time that you can keep the hides before problems occur.

On my African trip one of the processes was to take the cape of the animal and bury it in their salt bins. They would then pull the hides and cover them with salt again. Then once the exporter did a dip into a solution to take care of any bugs that might be there they shipped them here to the US. When I opened up the crate the hides were folded and as hard as a rock.

 

[go_deep]

We have a couple hides that are self tanned. Just flesh them, salt, once dry they go into a salt water alum bath depending on how thick the hide is, then dry it. Got a rabbit hide that's about 5 years old fine this way, still looks good!

 

[Jdd2035]

We have a couple hides that are self tanned. Just flesh them, salt, once dry they go into a salt water alum bath depending on how thick the hide is, then dry it. Got a rabbit hide that's about 5 years old fine this way, still looks good!

May I ask how much salt and alim per gallon?

 

[go_deep]

1/2 # salt, 1/4 # alum, to one gallon of water.
Something like a racoon, or bear would need a couple days. Rabbit takes like 12 hours.

 

[sneakypete]

I’ve used milling salt, you can get it at any feed store!