Tanning you own furs?

Small game- the hunters and trappers hide tanning formula in the orange bottle works okay. Gotta be diligent about breaking the leather as it dries. I’d be willing to try it on an elk or deer hide as well. I used it on my bear and I would never ever do that again. It worked, it’s been 4 years and the hide still has hair that don’t pull out but I did get a little slippage in the eyes and nose. It was my first and only bear and he was a big muddasucker and I just wish I’d of not been so stubborn. Pay a professional for greasy ass animals.
 
I’ve tanned various furs I’ve trapped, deer and elk using Hide Tanning formula. I know how to skin and fletch from trapping.

My thoughts - it’s a lot of work. My hides were never quite right. I’d have to try harder. In my case, I now skin/fletch and send the hide to Moyles taxidermy to have them tan it much better. I have a wide array of fur from them. Cost is relatively cheap.

 
I’ve tanned various furs I’ve trapped, deer and elk using Hide Tanning formula. I know how to skin and fletch from trapping.

My thoughts - it’s a lot of work. My hides were never quite right. I’d have to try harder. In my case, I now skin/fletch and send the hide to Moyles taxidermy to have them tan it much better. I have a wide array of fur from them. Cost is relatively cheap.

This is the way ^
 
We pickle a bunch of small furs each year (Coons, Coyotes, possum, skunk, mink, otter). Essentially just pickle them like in the article linked. I don't break them, but could if you wanted them to be soft.
 
We pickle a bunch of small furs each year (Coons, Coyotes, possum, skunk, mink, otter). Essentially just pickle them like in the article linked. I don't break them, but could if you wanted them to be soft.


No tanning oil either at the end? JUST pickle/acid tan?

Hmm I might need to try this 🤔
 
Yes, pickle per the instructions on that site, then rinse really good (washing really good prior to pickle is important too) and the final bath in woollite really seems to make the fur super soft. Hang by the nose on a board until dried then we just hang them, give them away, etc. Hair sets in really well and they do great over time. Also, for some greasy raccoons I have used corn meal after they are dry to take the last of the oils out and it does seem to work pretty well.
 
Tanning is a lot of work, particularly the fleshing (removing meat/fat) and the final "breaking" or stretching process to make the hide soft and pliable.

Products like EZ 2000 Tanning solution Liqui-Tan, Tannit, and Lutan-F are great!
 
Lutan-F follow the instructions.

Fleshing is the most labor intensive part. Make sure you get all the fatty tissue around the ear butts, eyes and lips or you will have slippage.

It's not really difficult to tan hides, it's just time consuming.
 
No tanning oil either at the end? JUST pickle/acid tan?

Hmm I might need to try this 🤔
Agreed. My son has been wanting me to tan his furs from the deer he shoots every year and we never figure out a good way of doing it. The second year he shot a deer he basically slung the hide over him like he was an old mountain man. He was 9 and was obsessed with us making a nice rug out of it.
 
This year I fleshed (power washer) and salted my sheep hide and my dad's mnt goat hide. Then sent them to The Wildlife Gallery. Pretty easy. Haven't tried fleshing a shoulder mount cape with the power washer, might be a bit harder. Going to tan the sheep scrotum myself, will post a pic when its done.
 
Agreed. My son has been wanting me to tan his furs from the deer he shoots every year and we never figure out a good way of doing it. The second year he shot a deer he basically slung the hide over him like he was an old mountain man. He was 9 and was obsessed with us making a nice rug out of it.


Being hollow haired, it won’t make a great rug/blanket for long. Something to hang over the foot of his bed or the couch where it can be admired and rubbed one-way would be best. I’d like to try hair-off tanning as well and make mittens and stuff.
 
Who tans their own furs? I'd like to try doing my own and am looking for suggestions on what to do and chemicals you's use.

Huge fan of McKenzie soft tan, their acid and their relaxer/degreaser. If you make sure you're through the membrane it makes a awesome soft tan. Requires very little breaking. I've messed around with quite a bit of other tans and they were coming out stiff as a board and I hate breaking hides.

Give the hides a second flesh/scrape after a day or two in the pickle. Anything you missed sucks up the salt and acid and swells up and it makes for a really clean leather side. Then throw it back in the pickle for another day or two.

IMG_20251102_092201.jpg
 

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