Easy Tanning at Home?

Mountain Mike

Mountain Mike

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Kelowna B.C.
I have a few fur bearing creatures that are currently living in my deep-freeze.
I would like to save the tannery costs by doing it at home, but I'm not sure how to home tan and keep the fur attached to the hides.
I've heard of a few ways, like battery acid in a garbage can, but I'm not sure that will ruin it.
If they did it in the stone-age, there has to be a method for it.
Any Ideas?
 
Bi-carb & kero? I recently done a Dog skin with this method, seems to have worked ok?

its an old wives tail, not sure on its longevity though

WL
 
I was in a WalMart or CT store last week, can't remember which, and saw a hide tanning solution available. It was in a orange or coppertone colored container.
 
My son is working on a coyote right now, some solution of salt and alum, seems to be a long project with lots of soaking and stirring.
 
Check with local taxidermists, I had a local guy tan a red fox for me for 65 bucks, not worth dealing with the disaster of trying to do it at home for that.

I tried the orange bottle stuff on a small beaver, but didn't work the pelt enough and it was hard as a rock.
 
nexgen said:
Check with local taxidermists, I had a local guy tan a red fox for me for 65 bucks, not worth dealing with the disaster of trying to do it at home for that.

I tried the orange bottle stuff on a small beaver, but didn't work the pelt enough and it was hard as a rock.
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+1 It's not really that easy and if your not experienced you can ruin a nice pelt I would go the Taxidermist route..
 
I'm with Silverfox; just get it done by a professional. I think that the term 'easy' and tanning at home applies to your wife buying a tanning bed.
My father has been trapping, shooting , skinning and stretching his own pelts for about 50 years now; and he doesn't dyck about with tanning at home. Not worth it troublewise IHO
 
I've done a fair bit when I was younger and you can produce some nice leather at home with some elbow grease, the fleshing and breaking are the two biggest steps. You can get a kit from AAA taxidermy supply in Calgary.
Chrome tan is what it used to be?
 
Just be warned: I started up bringing small amounts of pelts and hides into the house for fly tying purposes, and ended up being infested with clothes moths. Treat whatever you bring in, and treat it in storage too. It was an older place with lots of nooks and crannies and mothballs became my best chemical friends for years and years.
 
Oh I have all the time in the world, especially with winter coming. I'm a bit concerned that if i put the bucket with the solution and the hides in the laundry room, it might smell up the house.
 
Check out the cost of Halford hides or Edmonton fur tanners before you sink a lot in equipment . There prices are very reasonable. Unless you want to be able to say I did it. Beware the formulas using alum are a pickle and not a tanning process

Neil
 
Laugh2

'Easy Tanning At Home' ...i expected to find that we had been infiltrated and a tanning bed infomercial playing full-bore!
 
Mount Sweetness said:
Gander mountain sells an aluminum tanning kit. It is easy, effective and not costly. It does take some time and effort but all tanning does. I would highly recommend it. The tannery company also has a forum and they answer all questions quick.
http://www.thetanneryinc.com/basic_home_tanning_kit.html
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+1 I have used this kit several times and have had good results each time. Did the entire process in the basement with no smell or complaints from the wife. One kit will easily do a deer or 2 depending on the area.
 
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