Curing a Rabbit hide

[enocifer]

Okay, so my dog killed a rabbit yesterday and rather than letting it go to waste, I skinned it and we cooked and ate it. It was my first time skinning, but I'd seen it before and did all right. Anyways, now I have this rabbit pelt and I want to keep it, but I'm not sure of the best way to preserve the hide. Can anybody help me out? Traditionally I think they used brains, but I already discarded the head. Are there any other methods?

 

[skiptown]

I found this website for cheap home tanning and hide preservation. I haven't used it but probably will soon. http://www.motherearthnews.com/Sust...-01/Home-Tanning-Process-Preserves-Pelts.aspx. If you try let me know if it works well.

 

[derekja]

Rabbit skin is so thin that's it's hard to do much with without tearing it. A couple eggs spread over it (not the fur side!) and then stretch it by hand for a couple hours until it's dry. Goes easier if you do it in a warm room or by a fire or something.

 

[skunkpit]

black tea also works, many tannins

 

[Tailz]

black tea also works, many tannins

whats the low down on the tea deal? ive never heard of that... sounds interesting.

 

[kai]

i use black tea all the time on small animals if I don't get the brain (hard if it's head is crushed under a tire). I may not have the best method but it works, I tan work the tea n for an hour let it dry and stretch, then just keep working tea into it every day and work it till it's dry, then after I get desired softness I smoke the shit out of it.

 

[Tailz]

i use black tea all the time on small animals if I don't get the brain (hard if it's head is crushed under a tire). I may not have the best method but it works, I tan work the tea n for an hour let it dry and stretch, then just keep working tea into it every day and work it till it's dry, then after I get desired softness I smoke the shit out of it.

hmm, ill have to try that. does it take longer than usin brain?

 

[spearchukka]

I used to cure a few hides and I allways used Saltpeter (Potassium Nitrate) and Alum crystals, both are available from chemists etc. Just work the mixed powder (2 parts Alum to 1 Saltpeter) into a well scraped wet hide, wrap in plastic for a few days depending on hide size, store in a cool place and unwrap it let it dry before washing away the residue. You can gain a better quality cure and a faster cure time if you add some of the animals boiled down brains to the mixture and do as above but with a dryer skin. This is a good method if you are trying to keep the hide as a pelt.

 

[kai]

there's lots of ways and I know not the best yet but i've even seen hides that were tanned in jars of urine for three days then smoked that turned out great.

 

[Tailz]

hmm, that urine idea sounds alot easier than anything ive tried. geuss i better get a 40oz. and a jar...

 

[skunkpit]

i just used heavy sumac leaf+seed tea lots o tannins there too, or oak bark

 

[Tailz]

im likin the urine, thats about as self sufficient as you can get.

 

[skunkpit]

i think urine wont tan, it will just make it easier to take fat and hair off, so youll still have a raw hide if thats what your goin for
maybe i read wrong though
[ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanning[/ame]

 

[Tailz]

alright, good to know.

 

[crumb]

look into brain tanning, if you've still got the brains.... thats how tanning started, i did it a couple of times and still got the leather after 5 years or so. it's a laborous process but very rewarding.