An Egged Squirrel

[dinorocks]

Thought you might like to see how I egg tanned a squirrel I caught the other day.

Photos of the steps below.

After you skin and flesh, put up on a board fur in and dry for a couple days.  Wipe off any beads of oil that form on the leather side as it dries.

Once dry, put in warm water with dawn dish soap to get any oils off leather.  Swish it around once it softens up.  Let it sit in soapy water for a few hours...any longer and the fur will slip.  I changed the water/soap once during the process.  If there are oils (and fat) on the leather, the dressing will not penetrate properly.  Rinse with clean water and squeeze water out.  If you wring the pelt, the fur may get damaged (slip).  Hang until tacky to the touch, turning inside out a couple times during the drying process.

To make dressing (the tanning solution), I used one egg yoke (remove the white of the egg), a few tablespoons of warm water, and a little squirt of Castile soap.  Mix up and rub onto leather side.  Massage into both sides and the tail.  Turn fur side out making sure you limit the dressing on the fur side.  Roll up and let sit overnight.

Thats as far as I got tonight.  Tomorrow I will flip pelt and rub dressing in again...stretching leather as I work the dressing in. After letting it sit overnight again, I will then do the stretching phase and smoke the leather.  I’ll post a description and photos when I get to that step.

If you tan other critters, the process is slightly different.

I hope I got you inspired to try this!  Rabbits, squirrels, and fox are easier than the thick-skinned critters.

I would be happy to answer any questions if you want to give it a try.

Note, this is the way I have tanned with success...there are lots of ways to tan.

Good Luck!

Dino

 

 

 

 

[rachunter]

Thanks for sharing this.I’m going to try this if I get anything this weekend. I never heard of Castile soap?


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[goosifer]

Thanks for taking the time to post this, Dino.

I'm reading a book on tanning now. It's confusing with all the different methods that can be done. Unfortunately, the book doesn't really give a road map as to when to use a certain method for a certain pelt. Maybe it will be more clear once I finish reading the book. 

[Dinsdale]

33 minutes ago, rachunter said:

Thanks for sharing this.I’m going to try this if I get anything this weekend. I never heard of Castile soap?


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Dr. Bronners is a very popular brand; found in many grocery stores.

It is a big hit on the campers/backpackers list because it lathers and rinses clean even with very cold stream water. Thats how I came about it; but now I use it everyday.

Edited February 15, 2020 by Dinsdale

[crappyice]

Awesome....I would really like to do a hair on deer Jude next season. I think it would make a cool wall covering


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[crappyice]

Thanks for taking the time to post this, Dino.
I'm reading a book on tanning now. It's confusing with all the different methods that can be done. Unfortunately, the book doesn't really give a road map as to when to use a certain method for a certain pelt. Maybe it will be more clear once I finish reading the book. 

Matt Richard’s Deerskin into Buckskin is what I used and did well following his plan- he does have options but all manageable.


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