Main Discussion Area > Primitive Skills
tanning rabbit hide
stickbender:
Actually battery acid is "Sulphuric Acid, and Vinegar is Acetic acid. ;) Careful when using Sulphuric acid. years ago there was an article on how to tan a rattlesnake skin, using battery acid, in Sports Afield, or Outdoor Life, and I tried it when I was a kid. Didn't work very well for me. Of course, I was 12, but still I am pretty sure I followed the directions. ::) What about the egg method? Or Neatsfoot oil?
Wayne
Eric Krewson:
Just remember if using acid you add the acid to water not the other way around. The old saying holds true" add waster to acid, prepare to be blasted"
stickbender:
Absolutely correct Eric. Also after whatever amount of time it takes, for the acid to do it's job, you would then bathe the hide in a solution of baking soda and water, for a couple of hours, and then rinse. The baking soda stops and neutralizes the action of the acid. ;)
Wayne
El Destructo:
Salt-Acid Tanning
Prepare the solution as follows:
Dissolve 1 pound of sodium chloride (salt) in 1 gallon of water.
Carefully add 1/2 ounce of concentrated sulfuric acid to the salt solution....never add water to the Acid!! (Caution: Sulfuric acid is very corrosive and must be handled with care. Avoid contact with skin or clothing. Store acid and the finished solution in glass or earthen containers--never metal.) When adding acid to the salt solution, pour in slowly with constant stirring. If the acid or mixture contacts the skin, rinse immediately with a solution of bicarbonate of soda.
Addition of the acid generates heat; the solution is ready for use after it has cooled.
Place the skin in the salt-acid solution so that it is fully covered and allow it to remain for 1-3 days with periodic stirring. When tanned, remove from tanning bath, rinse in plain water, rinse a second time in a solution of borax or soda (1 ounce per gallon of water), and finish with another water rinse. Squeeze out excess water, stretch, allow to partially dry, Stretch, and when nearly dry, work the skin by rubbing and pulling over the edge of a table, as in polishing shoes with a cloth. Stretching and working the skin is necessary for softening the finished skin. If the skin is rough, it can be sanded with a coarse sandpaper block. A thin coating of Neat's foot oil, glycerin, or other leather conditioner improves pliability.
stickbender:
Well there you go David, it doesn't get any easier than that! ;)
Wayne
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