Author Topic: Hide info  (Read 2350 times)

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Offline JEB

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Hide info
« on: March 28, 2020, 11:48:15 am »
For you folks that know hides.  I have two bear hides in the freezer that my son and I shot 3 falls ago while bow hunting.

Are they ruined for tanning? I want to remove the skull from mine and do a skull mount which I know shouldn't be a problem, and remove the claws  to use for a few arrow head necklaces for the grand kids so I have no concern about the head and paws.

So basically I would have 2 square sections of bear hide to have tanned. No legs or head.

Offline BowEd

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Re: Hide info
« Reply #1 on: March 28, 2020, 12:21:50 pm »
Jeb....Your bear hides should be good as gold yet if your freezer has stayed running this whole time.Look up in Van Dykes Taxidermy catalog for a degreaser and bleaching powder called magnesium carbonate or you could get a bleaching kit containing both products from them.



I would remove 1 bear hide at a time to thaw and get a good sharp knife.Skin out the skull.Debone it best you can.Boil it in a big pot with reccommended amount of degreaser.Usually boiling it a good hour.After boiling take skull and lower jaws out and clean them up.Reboil if neccessary.I use a long narrow knife and wire brush.You'll need to remove brains from brain cavity also from a back side hole.

While bone is moist yet mix up magnesium carbonate and regular hydrogen house hold peroxide to a consistency of tooth paste.Brush it on.Let it dry over night and brush off dried paste.Skull and lower jaws will be snow white.

If teeth have come out from boiling refit those back in with gell super glue.....Your done.Enjoy.

Remove claws with a sharp knife right down to last joint and leave as is.
BowEd
You got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything.
Ed

Offline JEB

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Re: Hide info
« Reply #2 on: March 28, 2020, 01:09:36 pm »
Thanks for the info Ed. It has been a very tough year as I lost my wife to cancer and my head hasn't been on straight since. Made up my mind to get to work and get things done and this will be one project when the weather clears up.


Thanks again for the info.

Offline BowEd

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Re: Hide info
« Reply #3 on: March 28, 2020, 01:33:54 pm »
I'm truly sorry to hear that about your wife.Quite an adjustment to make.Good to hear your thinking of things to do.My mother died from cancer too.
I forgot to say a longish needle nosed pliers is handy to have extracting brain from brain cavity after boiling.
BowEd
You got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything.
Ed