The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Jane & Richard Suffolk on September 13, 2016, 10:19:10 am
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Hi all
Has anybody done any tanning of sheep skins?
If so were they sucsseful and what technique did you use?
Thanks in advance
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Sorry, didn't tan them myself. Just salted and then sent them off to be done
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Where do you send them? I was looking for some places which do that but couldn't find!
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We used to salt ours (immediately after slaughter is important) over a period of weeks then send them to Nicki Port in Hereford for organic tanning. www.organicsheepskins.com (http://www.organicsheepskins.com)
Problem was they used to yellow after a year or so and we stopped bothering.
I was told the only tanners available now are in France?
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Nicki was still tanning last spring ....so probably still is ..... does a fab job too.
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Nicki Port is where I sent my skins too
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There is a place in Dartington, Devon/
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I use Devonia Ltd in Buckfastleigh, South Devon. They do an excellent job and are very helpful on the phone to new customers. They have a web site and their no. Is 01364 643355. Basically, they will tell you to lay out the skins inner side up, trim off excess residual fat and straggly bits and spread a kilo of table salt all over it. Leave for 24 hrs and repeat the salt treatment. After a further 24 hrs, fold each skin wet surface to wet surface along the 'spine' line ( or put two skins together) and folc again. Then pack them into waterproof feed bags and send them off.( or take them, depending where you are). On arrival, they will be assessed as to their suitability for processing, so ring them to find out after a couple of days.
Now for the bad news. Because there are so few tanners now, they have a huge backlog. When I rang them yesterday, the waiting time is currently 8 months. But you will be amazed at the transformation from what you send to what you get back.
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Wow! 8 months!
What the cost of tanning?
Would they do other species as well or only sheep?
I have lots of rabbits and they all get wasted usually :thinking:
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Nicky Port did a deer hide for me once, but it was really too thick, so difficult to tan.
For me it's moles I'd like to do/have done, but I don't know anyone who would do them. When I tried myself the rats stole them all to line their nests!
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I've read an article about tanning at home once. You can actually buy the right chemicals on ebay. I just never had time to do it. Maybe once I have sheep skins
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I don't know if they do other species. I have only ever seen sheepskins in the warehouse. Phone them.
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Just bringing this up again....how much was it per skin to have done?
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Devonia are about £30 + vat - well, they were last year for shetland size sheep...
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Thanks, I'm waiting for an email back from the organic place. Thinking of getting a few done and maybe selling to friends and family...
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My Llanwenogs cost about £45 done by Nicki organically.
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We tried doing one in the summer ourselves following directions found on the net. we obviously failed at the drying stage as it said to hang it outside and keep stretching it as it dried so that it remained pliable, ours stayed wet for several days and then dried all of a sudden over the space of a few hours which we didn't notice so it is very rigid :( so have put it in front of the fire for the dogs to lie on and they loooooove it but its not suitable for human usage. Not sure I can be bothered to go through it all again, we'll see.
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I did rabbit skins with stuff from eBay. Went fine then the dog chewed them all up! :roflanim:
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Skye Skyns round the corner from us here do it - not sure how much though.
The ones in their showroom are lovely.
https://www.skyeskyns.co.uk/ (https://www.skyeskyns.co.uk/)
recently featured in An Lot (The Croft) on bbc alba
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/search?q=an+lot (http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/search?q=an+lot)
can't remember which episode - think it was 3 or 4.
Hope that helps
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Skye Skyns round the corner from us here do it - not sure how much though.
The ones in their showroom are lovely.
https://www.skyeskyns.co.uk/ (https://www.skyeskyns.co.uk/)
recently featured in An Lot (The Croft) on bbc alba
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/search?q=an+lot (http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/search?q=an+lot)
can't remember which episode - think it was 3 or 4.
Hope that helps
I've watched that series on the iPlayer! Bit far away for me I think?
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Did some a few years ago - doing was the main cost! I like Nicki Port for being so helpful and having more eco friendly processes. But you do pay for it.
Other one was Devonia - are they still going?? I hear something different every time they are mentioned. The fleece came back nice but the skin was very thin and had a few nips out of the edge. Fine for me but not for a perfectionist buyer, for example.
I tried rabbit skins myself, ended up with rabbit planks :dunce:
I did come across a Wales-based taxidermy company that sold tanning kits, but didn't get around to buying.
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Just send them royal mail - costs the same wherever in the country you are posting just depends on size and weight...
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Just send them royal mail - costs the same wherever in the country you are posting just depends on size and weight...
Isn't postage to Islands and Highlands alot more expensive??
Will google it :-)
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Not via royal mail its the same anywhere in the country determined by size, weight, speed and if you want proof of delivery i.e. signed for etc.
Although commercial senders often claim its more for them, but I'm pretty sure the same is true for bulk senders.
Obviously not the best solution in environmental terms but cost should be fixed.
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Thanks, have emailed them for more info. The organic place hasn't replied yet....
Obviously no rush as the lambs I want doing are just being born, I just want to be prepared with all the right paperwork and timings.