Taxidermist question on deer hide

[Dusty Britches]

My sis shot her first doe this year and did it with her bow. She was really excited about it and decided to get the hide tanned.

The taxi she took it to sent it off and six weeks later she got it back. It is stiff as a board and he did not sew up the shot holes. He told her she could do that, but she doesn't know how since he trimmed the flaps of the holes, creating a diamond shaped hole. And he said she should sit and work the hide with her fingers and hands by stretching it and rubbing it to soften it.

First - is this normal for a $90 tanning?

Second - can she use some sort of leather conditioner, neatsfoot oil or something to help soften it or will that damage the hair on the hide?

Thanks for your advice.

[Texastaxi]

This is a perfect example of why you should always ask to see samples of whatever you're going to have a taxi do for you.

More than likely, he tanned the hide in house, and didn't have the large tumblers that are used to break the hide ... the part of the tanning process that actually gets the hides soft.

I can't speak for that taxidermist, but I don't normally sew up holes on flat hides.

Yes, she can break the hide to make it softER, but chances are she'll never get it t-shirt soft, and I'm guessing that's what she's after.

The average price for a SOFT tanned flathide is anywhere from $110-$175 for a whitetail sized animal.

[Hughiam]

Yep

What Texastaxi said, home job. Sadley, your most likely stuck with what you have. Chalk it up to a learning experience.

Home tanning will not on average give you the soft tan you were looking for. The cost of the equipment needed to soft tan hides means that the taxidermist needs to be a huge operation to pay off not only the purchase price but also the operation. And even if they are a huge operation, MOST large shops send out their tanning.

Hugh

[Dusty Britches]

You missed it - I said he sent it off. I know the guy really well and he doesn't have any tanning stuff in house.

Can she use leather conditioner on it?

[Chance Love]

What TT said. Six weeks is an incredibly fast turn-around time. I don't sew holes in flat hides either. That's pretty much normal. Find out what tannery he sent it to and I might be able to help you. Different tanneries use different methods which is kinda important. I don't think just rubbing some oil on it will work. I think it will still need to dry and then be broken and who knows what else. I am not a tanning expert, which is why I send all my stuff out.

[Texastaxi]

Then that tannery sucks!

On the average, most tanneries take a MINIMUM of 3 months to process an order, unless you pay for rush service. Getting it back in 6 weeks alludes to the fact that it might not have gone to a good tannery, if in fact it did go to a tannery.

Ask him which one he sent it to, so I know to never use them.

Yes, she can use leather conditioner on the leather side (not on the hair side), but it's not going to do much ... if anything. Getting the skin soft is a mechanical process, not a chemical process ... ie. breaking the hide in a tumbler.

[Brinkley]

I don't know if many will agree with me on this, but this is what I have done to soften hides that I have tanned myself. If she has access to a dryer with an air fluff cycle on it, I have put the hide in a large sheet (to keep the hair that might come loose from getting in moma's dryer) tye up the top like a santa clause bag and throw in a couple of shoes and tumble for around 20 minutes. I know it is not the same as the huge tumblers that tanneries use but it will do ok on a small hide like a doe. I just finished one up this week like that. I'm not sure about re-oiling the hide.

[Texastaxi]

FS, that will help some ... in effect it's just a mini version of a large tumbler. But, to be really effective, the hide needs to drop at least six feet. That's why tannery tumblers are 6' diameter OR more.

[Brinkley]

TT, I agree with what your saying, I just thought that would be better than breaking it over a board or something like that.

[Texastaxi]

Yeah, that's about as good as you can get at home.

[Dusty Britches]

Thanks y'all. I'll send this link to her and see if she has more questions. She'll probably try the dryer trick and I won't use him to do my stuff.

[Brinkley]

It may go without saying, but do not use heat on the dryer!

[coachwhip]

You might try a product called Liqua-Soft (11.00 quart) that is available from Mckenzie and Van Dykes taxidermy suppliers it is normally used after a hide has been tanned and during the tumbler process. I might suggest trying some of this sprayed on the in side of the hide lightly, next tumble inside a clothing bag like you suggested repeat the spraying/tumble process again until she gets the desired results. Its a lot of work and may be easier to chalk up to experience and roll on, like TT said check out there work ahead of time.
Hope this helps.

[Birddog]

Waud it up like a piece of paper your going to through in the trash. Then pull it back open. Do this about 100 times or until its soft............................

[Texastaxi]

Waud it up like a piece of paper your going to through in the trash. Then pull it back open. Do this about 100 times or until its soft............................

Or 1000 times ... or 10000 times