De skinning a hare's head....Advice required

[Traditionalist]

Since somebody else asked;  there is very little you can do once something has started rotting seriously.  This is usually very unpleasant and the stink can be eye-watering.  A lot of commercial stuff is not very well prepared and is also often filthy as well. If you have a "light" pong in hare's masks and the like  then you can try "pickling" them.  This will arrest the rotting, ( the bacteria which cause the rotting also cause the smell) and kill the bacteria.   First wash thoroughly in very hot water with fairy liquid.  Then make up a hot solution of clear spirit vinegar,  ( any will do but coloured vinegar may discolour the fur ), with very hot water  1: 1  ( a pint of vinegar to a pint of water), allow the material to soak at least four hours.  Then dry as normal.  If there is only light rot this should cure it and remove any smells.  If the flesh is too far gone it will still arrest the rot, but it can not restore the degraded flesh etc.

Things like hare's ears and such are prone to this, as it takes quite a while for ears to mummify, and if they are not bone dry when stored they will start rotting.

Using various scented stuff on such things only partly masks the smell and wont stop the rot. The pickling will.

This is a mask and ears which I prepared using the salting method some years ago. The cleaning is very well worthwhile as it makes the material more pleasant to handle and use. It also kills and removes any ticks or other insects which may be present;

http://www.wildfisher.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=16895.0

http://www.wildfisher.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=16894.0

http://www.wildfisher.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=16893.0

This fox skin and mask has been prepared in the same way;



the same method also works on any small animal or bird skins.

TL
MC

[scotty9]

I remember a tip from Andy - make sure not to rub the salt in!! I unfortunately forgot this with a hare's mask once and it'll just go soggy and rot on you.

[Traditionalist]

I remember a tip from Andy - make sure not to rub the salt in!! I unfortunately forgot this with a hare's mask once and it'll just go soggy and rot on you.

Indeed, it should just be sprinkled on thickly.  I have never had anything go soggy or anything like that.  I used to use borax or a mix of salt and borax, but I have just used salt for a long time now and had no problems at all.

TL
MC

[burnie]

If skinning an animal is removing the skin,is not de-skinning,putting it back on again,don't think it will work mind...... :worried

[Traditionalist]

If skinning an animal is removing the skin,is not de-skinning,putting it back on again,don't think it will work mind...... :worried

Works quite well actually, but they don't call it "de-skinning" they call it taxidermy.

TL
MC

[goggs]

Since somebody else asked;  there is very little you can do once something has started rotting seriously.  This is usually very unpleasant and the stink can be eye-watering.  A lot of commercial stuff is not very well prepared and is also often filthy as well. If you have a "light" pong in hare's masks and the like  then you can try "pickling" them.  This will arrest the rotting, ( the bacteria which cause the rotting also cause the smell) and kill the bacteria.   First wash thoroughly in very hot water with fairy liquid.  Then make up a hot solution of clear spirit vinegar,  ( any will do but coloured vinegar may discolour the fur ), with very hot water  1: 1  ( a pint of vinegar to a pint of water), allow the material to soak at least four hours.  Then dry as normal.  If there is only light rot this should cure it and remove any smells.  If the flesh is too far gone it will still arrest the rot, but it can not restore the degraded flesh etc.

Things like hare's ears and such are prone to this, as it takes quite a while for ears to mummify, and if they are not bone dry when stored they will start rotting.

Using various scented stuff on such things only partly masks the smell and wont stop the rot. The pickling will.

This is a mask and ears which I prepared using the salting method some years ago. The cleaning is very well worthwhile as it makes the material more pleasant to handle and use. It also kills and removes any ticks or other insects which may be present;

http://www.wildfisher.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=16895.0

http://www.wildfisher.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=16894.0

http://www.wildfisher.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=16893.0

This fox skin and mask has been prepared in the same way;



the same method also works on any small animal or bird skins.

TL
MC

Good links there Mike,cheers...
I left the pinned mask out yesterday in the sun and thats me just brushed off the salt and re salted,suns out again so back out it goes,coming along nicely,i think....

[Fishtales]

If it comes out really brittle rub some baby oil into the skin to soften it  :gay4 Remember to let it dry in though before storing.

[Traditionalist]

Good links there Mike,cheers...
I left the pinned mask out yesterday in the sun and thats me just brushed off the salt and re salted,suns out again so back out it goes,coming along nicely,i think....

No need to brush the salt off. Just wastes salt. Only add a bit more salt if you see any wet patches.

Re:  Using baby oil and the like to soften the skin after curing;  this may work with some things, but I have found that it can also cause rotting when sealed in a closed container, so I don't do it. Salt cured hides usually turn into what looks like parchment and this is usually flexible enough to use.

TL
MC

[Fishtales]

I have a squirrel skin that I did that snaps if bent I don't store it in anything it is just lying about in my fly tying box. I also have a deer skin I did with Borax that is fine when stored in the shed, it rolls and unrolls, but bring it into the house and it goes stiff and wont unroll I read in one of the tanning/taxidermy sites about the baby oil. It is the lanolin that makes the skin supple. I haven't tried it and, as Mike says, it could cause rotting inside an enclosed container.

[burnie]

"Neats foot oil" from a saddlers is very good and doesn't smell too much,used it on my falcons leather jesses when I was into falconry,much better than the red grease(the name of which escapes me just now)CHo-ko-line or something like that