# alum



## THE SHADOW 1000 177 CAL (Dec 18, 2006)

I got a question what is alum how do I prep the skins with it and where can I get it please help :bowdown:


----------



## Remington 7400 (Dec 14, 2005)

When mixed in salt water you can use Alum as a pickling agent/preservative. You can usually find it at WINN-DIXIE, Slones, IGA, Save-A-Lot (basically any grocery store) in the spice section. It replaced arsenic as a taxidermy preservative and has since been replaced by a powdered chemical known as Instant Preserve. It also makes really, REALLY good dill pickles. :wink:

Hope this helps.


----------



## THE SHADOW 1000 177 CAL (Dec 18, 2006)

yeah that helps alot thanks but how whould you use it how much for cotton tail rabbit pelts how do you do it?


----------



## Remington 7400 (Dec 14, 2005)

Bring about 3 gallons of water to a boil, add about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds salt add alum (2 small cans or 1 large tall can) stir untill everything is dissolved. Let cool, transfer to a clean bucket with a lid (5 gallon dry wall bucket works well). To get pelts ready for solution scrape every last bit of fat and meat from the back side and comb out all burrs. Finally place pelts in solution weighting them down with bricks, it takes about 45 days for the pelt to fully pickle and they can be left in this solution indeffinately untill you are ready for them. When you remove the pelts from the solution spread them out and let dry for atleast 24 hours, them comb out the fur ONLY after the pelt is dry. This is the same method that taxidermists used in the 70s and 80s it works great. I have one deer that was mounted in 1974 using this method, still looks as good as the day I picked him up.

:beer:


----------



## THE SHADOW 1000 177 CAL (Dec 18, 2006)

oh that sounds pretty easy ill have to try that thank you very much :strapped:


----------



## THE SHADOW 1000 177 CAL (Dec 18, 2006)

one more question does it go bad or can it be reused


----------



## gray squirrel (Apr 23, 2006)

going to mack sum of the paist this weekend


----------



## chabla (Apr 21, 2007)

here a natural tanning way that takes 2-5 days and all you need is an egg no need to wait 45 days and its quite easy im 13 and i do it with my squirrel hides

This is my basic process:

1)Flesh and dry or wet scape hide

2)Prepare sloution of egg yolks ( i have used the whole egg as well and didn't really notice a difference, if you try both and find one way works better than the other I'd love to hear about it) mixed with a small amount of warm water. - for the squirrel I only used one egg and maby a 1/4 cup of water. for the fox and ground hog I used 6 eggs and about 1 1/2 cups of water

3) rub solution with hand into side of hide with out fur for several minutes.

4) wrap hide in slightly moist towel with another egg worked into towel and sit over night

5) lightly scrape off egg residue and sew any wholes

6) work between your hand or over rope until dry and soft.

7) smoke hide

8) let the hide sit out side for a while to air out the Smokey smell away from animals

I am still a long ways from being a master hide tanner but have found egg tanning a great way to practice and learn about the process. If anyone tries this method or a variation of it please let me know!! if you have any questions feel free to ask


----------

