M.Magis

I think what Bill's saying is to minimize the handeling time. Get it fleshed in into the salt as quickly as possible. Again, what your seeing isn't slippage, and likely not anything to be worried about, assuming I understand what your seeing. Pull on a single hair on a live deer and it too may pull out. Theskin is at it's weakest point when wet, so just stop pulling on it andit should be fine.When you have slippage, large clumps of hair will slough off, with almost no pressure needed.There's no mistaking it. As for the salt, ask the feed store for plain white mixing salt. I'd be awfully suprised if they didn't have it. Tractor Supply usually has it too.

livbucks

It is not slipping then. The numerous hairs floating in the pickle had me worried. I guess I have a problem though because my own hair is getting thinner by the day.

"Is this mole getting redder, Clark?"
"Well yea, Mom, you keep touching it, it's gonna get redder"

Thanks all!

M.Magis

I just realized, I shouldn't have said "large" clumps will slough off. It can also be a small area. Still, you won't have to pull on it for it to slip. Eventually, your going to have one slip on you. Sometimes you just can't help it. I once handled a buck that I could push large clumps of hair out, within 1 hour of it being shot, with just a finger. I'm not sure if it was technically "slippage", but I doubt it would have made it through the tanning process. All you can do is do your best to follow the directions and hope for the best.It get's easier as you go.

livbucks

I now noticed that the areas that are drying are turning dark brown. If I stretch the area it turns cream colored and gets leathery. Does that mean that a skin you tan for mounting will turn dark brown as it dries on the form? I just wonder if this is normal or ifI did something wrong in the whole tanning process. I need to know what is right before I waste a skin from a nice buck someday. I thought that Mckenzie states that their tan produces a white stretchy leather. This whole hide is gonna turn dark brown when it dries, I can see it coming now. I didn't get the kit with a video, just the basic tanning kit. I followed the instructions from their caping, fleshing and tanning for mounting video thatI bought before.

Bill Yox

Im trying to be as basic and simple as I can...

Start with the raw skin. Hoping its fresh off the animal, you quickly pull the meat and fat from it, beam it, and get the salt on it, the additive you spoke of is simply there to keep it from clumping. Let it drain in salt for a few days or so, shake it all off and get it into the pickle. Hair floating on the surface DOES mean its slipping. You can have slipping in chunks or just random loose hairs. You havent mentioned, but you have to check the pH. If its freshly beamed and CLEAN of all membranes, and salted correctly, and put into a pickle with the proper pH, then theres not much room for error. The exception would be well water, with bacteria present, or possibly some high mineral levels, I suppose. Im also assuming you know to put the pickle in a plastic pail, NOT METAL. Then youll need to thin the skin some, before neutralizing the skin, draining, and applying the tan. Even then, once the skin is tanned, you have to break it as it dries to produce that light colored tanned skin you desire.

So, you need to address those questions before these guys can advise you further. Now you see why we love our commercial tanneries? LOL! Good luck livbucks.

M.Magis

Perhaps I'm giving some bad advice. I typically have some loose hairs from trimming off the back part of the hide. I made an ASSUMPTION that's what you were seeing, and I shouldn't have. I don't know exactly what the dark skin is from. All mine are white, but I thin them down. That could be the difference, but that's another assumption.Yep, those tanneries are sounding better and better, aren't they?

livbucks

Are you saying that your hides stay white after they completely dry? The dark brown is forming in the thin skin areas of the inside rear legs (butt cheeks). I don't think you are giving bad advice at all. The hair is much tighter now that it is drying, just like you said Magis. I can grab a pinch and tug like hell and it holds tight. I probably goofed up somewhere but it will turn out good enough for it's intended purpose. Thanks!

Thanks Bill Y. for spelling it all out to me.

M.Magis

To be honest, I don't pay much attention to what it looks like when dry. It's white when wet (actually a very faint light blue when thinned properly), but maybe off white when dry. The only part I can see dryare the scraps I throw away, and I don't watch them close. Maybe try shaving off a thin layer with a knife to see if it's just on the surface. I shouldn't have said it WASN'T slippage, because it certainly could have been. I was just being optimistic.

Bill Yox

M.Magis and I are of course speaking in generalities, as theres variables in this. He and I both are just throwing some thoughts out there, as we would have to be quite specific before we could say with certainty what was what. Hope it all works well for you.