Never roll up a skin and place it in a plastic bag to freeze. This causes sweating, plus it takes longer to freeze.
Always thaw a raw skin in a salt solution with Basacryl NB KU. This prevents bacterial growth.
To rehydrate a dry salted skin, first place the skin in plain water at room temperature. We recommend Basacryl NB KU. Soak until semi-relaxed, then place in salt or pickle solution. Trying to rehydrate in a strong salt or pickle solution only is time-consuming. Using Relax R and Bascal S will help speed up rehydration.
It’s recommended to use a fleshing machine or a currier’s knife. If not available, a heavy-duty wire wheel on a minimum of one-half horsepower motor will do an adequate job. For best results, let the skin stiffen up after removing it from the salt or pickle solution before fleshing. Wear a respirator or dust mask and safety glasses when fleshing.
Heavy degreasing can be done through the use of Kerosene, unleaded gasoline, Coleman Fuel, or mineral spirits (always use these fuels or thinners outdoors). An option to these is Kemsol Degreaser, which works like solvents but is almost odorless and safe to use indoors. Soak in degreaser for two hours and drain well. Wash skin in a strong detergent to remove any grease left in the skin. We recommend using Kemal-4.
If a fur drum or old clothes dryer is available, the skin can be drummed with dry towels or rags to remove moisture. Set the dryer on the “No Heat” setting.
After being tanned, rehydrate by soaking in plain water with a small amount of bactericide. Soak for at least one-half to two hours, depending on the thickness of the skin. Drain, roll up, and cover with a damp towel until the skin is completely rehydrated. Resoak for an additional half hour if necessary.
