Main Discussion Area > Primitive Skills
Tan fish skins
mullet:
Don, you will need to degrease and remove the scales before you use them for Bow backing. Shark skin is to stiff to use for a bow backing. I was looking more towards a non-slip handle material. It makes a good sand paper, too.
Zuma:
Thanks guys
You should see the mess I just made out of this bugger. :-[
Zuma
nclonghunter:
I agree, for bow backing then no tan oils and use a degreaser. Those sewn together or used as a flap on a bag would be cool but then you would need to tan them. Van Dykes Taxidermy has an online site and offers degreasers and fish tanning kits. Take a look at the website. I believe they offer free information on tanning to help you pick the right products.
Good Luck
aaron:
scrape and freeze is always a good option with any skin. You say you want to "process" them, but what are you going to do with them? Bow backing or leather goods or what? One way to produce useable leather from fish is bark tanning- the guy Yosemitie Ben mentioned is great at this technique. Basically, you scrape and descale, then soak in cool tannin solution. when dry, it's a stiff, but useable leather. For Bow backing, you don't tan it, just use it like "rawhide".
Zuma:
Thanks aaron.
No immeadiate plans. I will get them
thawed out soon and de-scale them.
Tha tannin sounds good.
Zuma
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