rabbits skinning, tanning, eating

[stringstretcher]

Vinemaple, forget about the skins, send me the rabbit....lol.  Man that would be good right about now.

[darwin]

Everything is still going fine, my girlfriend wont admit it but i'm keeping the guest bathroom cleaner than she ever did.

Just a question though when skinning a rabbit do you leave the cartilage in the ear or skin around it?

[anasazi]

Never tried tanning one but the white rabbits seem to have a thinner hide even for a rabbit. You can use them raw in the blankets though just tube skin them then cut the hide into one long strip about 1/2 to 3/4 in wide take a piece of heavy cordage or rope about 3/8 dia open up the rope a little from one end just enough to get the end of the rabbit skin through and wrap the skin around the rope tightly just overlapping each wrap and secure the tail end the same as before. The rope gives the skin strength use as is for a belt or something or make 30 or so and weave into a blanket.

[anasazi]

This one was done with a commercial tanned skin split up the belly. One of these days i will get enough to do the blanket. Sorry the pictures are a little dark

[Dharma]

By the way, jackrabbits are very good eating also. Liver is big enough to make a pate and spread on a baguette.

[richardzane]

I posted this blanket I made before but this is what Anasazi is talking about.
its alot easier to twist the fur strips over twine when the twine is stretched taut.
this one If i remember correct, was made of aprox. 120 rabbits. some strands were double wrapped
the skins don't have to be "tanned" but they should be softened ...just watch for  D#$% moths!

[BowEd]

richardzane....That's pretty darn cool..uhhh I mean a very warm blanket there.Looks like a time consuming project there.Congrats.What does that blanket measure in size?
darwin....here is  an alternative tan for you.I've used it dozens and dozens of times on lots of different hides.No smell.No deterioration when getting wet.Drying back soft again with a little scuffing.Alumunum sulfate and pickling salt on a 1 to 2 ratio in weight.Do it in a 5 to 30 gallon plastic container depending on how many you want to do.Cover with soft water,enough that they are suspended so you can readjust their position in the solution twice a day.The trick with rabbit hides is that you have to flesh and salt them to dry to set the hairs in good prior to tanning.That way you don't have any shedding of hair later on.Neats foot oil is massaged in after they are partially dry to help keep them supple.A pound of aluminum sulfate and two pounds of pickling salt will do 1 deer hide in a week or so,so adjust your measurements accordingly for smaller projects,but don't worry if you put too much it is'nt toxic or anything and won't ruin the hide.

[richardzane]

the blanket WAS aprox. 4' x 5 1/2'. that thing was amazingly warm in winter...and HEAVY.
 I say "was" because moths destroyed it  ... i was trying to do it as authentically as i'd imagine ancestors could have done
the rabbit project took over a few years, and trying to learn the process of fur tanning/softening.
probably only 2/3 of the hides I "tanned" made it. I didn't tube skin them or salt them(which in hind sight DOES seem like a good idea)
I tacked them out as round as i could and cut them into circles (for spiral cutting)

where does one get aluminum sulfate ?

[BowEd]

You get a maximum effort nod from me making that blanket.I could see that had to take a long time.I'm not surprised the hide deteriorated on you either.There is'nt a rabbit hide out there that I've seen that does'nt shed some amount of hair [even the rabbit lined gloves] at one time or another but setting the root hairs in good salting & drying is your best chance of reducing that.
Aluminum sulfate can be looked up for on the computer.It is in a granular form.It is not a dangerous chemical.In fact it can be ingested with no ill affects.Even then though I did'nt try that......LOL.The salt used needs to be a pickling salt gotten at grocery stores.It does'nt have the iodine in it.This process keeps the pests away.

[richardzane]

'preciate the good advice about salting and alum. sulf.
don't know if i'll ever do another one...but it sure was a great learning process!

[CherokeeKC]

Rabbit fur was used by some native americans to line there mocassins.  You would not have to "tan" the hide to use it in this way.  Rabbit skins are pretty thin.  Just scrape the meat/membrane off.  You could just work it in rawhide form to loosen it up some.

[BowEd]

richardzane......BTW you've got a heck of a nice work area there.Is that some sort of kiln you made for your pottery?

[BowEd]

Excuse me richardzane I meant to ask darwin.

[richardzane]

yeah Beadman,
that was my woodfire mud kiln in New Mexico. It kind of evolved from a series, from a basic slap together mud kiln made in the desert.
the one i have here in Okl. is more geared towards humid weather,so the adobe is covered with a stucco, but the same principle.

[primitivepaulette]

Alum and salt=good recipe for moisture, which might very well impair skins turning them "sulphuric". Perhaps better 'raw'. Probably a bit more Tradish, like Cherokee suggests.

Richard Zane, my heart goes out to you, as I have learned lessons like yours!