How to Tan Rabbit Skins
Tanning is the process by which the raw hide of an animal is turned into leather. This conversion permanently alters the protein structure of the skin, making it more pliable, durable as well as more resistant to water and decay. Tanning rabbit hides is not difficult, nor is it expensive. You shouldn't expect flawless results after your first attempt, but with effort and practice, you will be tanning quality pelts in no time.
Things You'll Need
- For the tanning solution:
- 2-gallon container
- Rubber gloves
- 2 oz. concentrated sulfuric acid
- 1 oz. formaldehyde
- 1 lb. non-iodized salt
- 1 lb. potassium alum
- For finishing the hide:
- Flat board
- Tacks
- 6 drops glycerin
- 1 tsp. cooking oil
- Dull knife
- 1 cup coarse sawdust or cornmeal
- 1 oz. non-bleach household cleaning liquid
- Talcum powder
Instructions
-
Preparation
-
1
Most rabbit skins are frequently cased when they are removed from the carcass, the hide coming off in one, tube-like piece. To make the tanning process easier, cut down the center of the chest and abdomen to spread the hide out flat.
-
2
Use a dull knife to scrape away all the fat and flesh from the non-fur side of the pelt. You can also cut off any ragged edges.
-
-
3
Gently wash the hide in warm (never hot) water and a mild soap to remove leftover fat and blood.
Tanning
-
4
Pour the gallon of water into your container. Put on your gloves and carefully add the sulfuric acid before any of the other ingredients.
-
5
Add the formaldehyde, salt and potassium alum. Stir the mixture until the salt and potassium are dissolved.
-
6
Place the prepared hide into the mixture. Cover the container, and leave it there for seven to 10 days. Stir the hide around in the liquid once or twice daily to ensure every part of the skin is treated. One gallon of solution will be adequate for tanning several hides. You can also reuse the solution to tan future skins.
Finishing
-
7
Remove the hide from the liquid. Drain the excess fluid back into the container. Do not wring the hide, as this will damage it. For the best results, the following steps should all take place in an environment that maintains room temperature.
-
8
Thoroughly wash the hide in lukewarm water, and drain it.
-
9
While the pelt is still wet, spread it out, fur-side down, on a flat board. Stretch it slightly, and tack it down.
-
10
Mix six drops of glycerin and a teaspoon of cooking oil. Rub this mixture into the hide, kneading it with your hands.
-
11
When the pelt is almost dry, remove it from the board and work it with your hands. Stretch and work the skin until it is dry. You can also scrape the non-fur side with the dull knife to soften the skin. At this stage, the more the pelt is worked, the softer it will become.
-
12
Once the pelt is completely dry, mix the sawdust or cornmeal with the one ounce of household cleaning agent, and rub this mixture into the hair. Leave it for a few minutes, then brush or shake it out of the fur.
-
13
Finally, rub a small amount of talcum powder into the leather side of the pelt to give it a pleasant scent. This should leave you with a fully tanned rabbit hide.
-
1
