vadeer

I am about to embark on my first tanning effort. I have McKenzie Tan and Leather oil. For futureefforts, can I use somethingelse they may not be as expensive?

Also what is the Safetee acid usedfor? Hair removal or pickling?

nctaxi

Safetee Acid is used for pickling. You have to have ph papers when pickling with safetee acid. You have to maintain a ph 1 - 1.5. I have to ask, what are you tanning and for what purpose?

vadeer

Thanks - The video suggests using a (50-50%) vingar & water w/ a lb of salt.
Any problem using this mix versus Saftee acid for the WT deer skin.

nctaxi

It will more than likely work but you have no idea what you're getting yourself into.Let me try to be as gentle as I can.... I did a beaver for a friend who wanted it "soft, like a towel". I bought the same thing as you have thinking "no Problem". Hours and hours later, after sweating, breaking, thinning, powdering, thinning, breaking, sweating, powdering,sweating, breaking, thinning, powdering, thinning, breaking, sweating, powdering,sweating, breaking, thinning, powdering, thinning, breaking, sweating, powdering,sweating, breaking, thinning, powdering, thinning, breaking, sweating, powdering. I finally got it where I wanted it, or he wanted it. There is not enough money for me to do it on a deer hide. Way too much work. Not when I can send it to a tannery and have it done better. That's why I asked what you were doing with it. Not that I'm trying to discourage you but what is your time worth? Hope it helps.

livbucks

Possibly you have read my posts about this. I used the Safetee acid. One step you better do is salt the thing for a day before pickling. I fleshed it as much as my hands would bear and then coated it in salt and hung it in the garage overnight with a basin under to catch the fluids. This will dehydrate the body fluid from the skin. Don't let it get too stiff though.
Your instructions should spell it out to you. The amount of skin you are pickling is much more than a cape would be and quite thicker too, so mix about 10 gallons for the pickle, or else your ph is gonna go out of range immediately when you put it in. If you go the Safetee acid route, get some ph strips and check it every so often for the number of days you leave it in. I used the McKenzie tan and it worked great. After you get done with pickling, shaving, tanning, oiling, breaking and so on, run a wire wheeled drill over it until it no longer is fuzzy, but smooth and flexible. You do this of course after it is completely dry. Breaking it will encompass the act of taking a hard, brown dry skin and stretching it with your fingers until it turns white. When you try it you will see what I mean.
If you are hard headed like me, you will get 'er done. But be ready for a month long ongoing project at least.
Check out my thread from awhile ago, or maybe you already did:
http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1576273
Good luck to you and if you have any specific questions, PM me and I'll try to help.