home tanning solution

[Jim Uran]

What do people typically use to Tan there small hides, rabbits in this case. What sort of chemicals can I buy at my hardware store, I've heard alcohol and turpentine work good but not sure on which type of alcohol. Also for finishing the skin what kind of oil is good for the final product. I've heard neatsfoot oil, what the heck is that and where can I get it? Any help would be great guys.

[harvey lee]

Go to Van Dykes and you will find all the better chemicals and directions to tan almost anything. You will first need to flesh the hide of all the fat and tissue and then go from there. For thinner hides you could use a product called Instant Preserve.

[Jim Uran]

I've heard of that but I was looking at something I can just pick up at the hardware store on the way home from work. Your right though I'm sure the products they offer are my best bet but I'm not one to buy anything off of the internet. But maybe i'll give this one a shot. Just lookin for what the ol timers used when there was no Van Dykes besides brain tanning, I don't wanna get into that.

[icehousebob]

Leech, I've seen some hides done with neatsfoot oil. Just flesh and de-fat the hide and let it dry. Then rub in a coat of neatsfoot once a day until it starts coming through on the hair side. You might have to rub the flesh side a bit to soften it up. Its a low buck method and isn't the best if you want to wear the skin. You can buy neatfoot at many stores. But, look closely, there is neatsfoot pure and neatsfoot compound and the pure is more expensive but worth the extra cost. I saw a couple of buffalo robes done that way that were really nice.

[Jim Uran]

Thanks, icehouse that helps out. Yeah it's just for tinkering around starting out. Something to lay on the coffee table or something. It'll only grow from there. Come this spring I want to start on some beavers and stuff like that. I'm a do it yourself kind of guy and the more knowledge about this stuff I can obtain the more I'll be able to pass on to my children and that's what's important to me. I've got a few elders around here that have passed away and they knew how to do this stuff but at the time I wasn't interested in it. I totally regret it now. BUt anyways thanks for the info.