The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Food & crafts => Crafts => Topic started by: pigsatlesrues on September 08, 2008, 01:37:11 pm
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Not wanting to sound macarb, but how do you process rabbit skin once it is dried?
Continuing my need to waste nothing, I have washed and dried out the pelt, but now need to know how to make it soft to process further.
Any advice greatfully recieved. John suggested chewing it - sick that man of mine! - does he think I am an Eskimo!!
Kate :-\
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Depends how you 'processed' it and what you want it for.
When my cat brings back rabbits, I peel them, cook the carcase to make meals for the dogs and cats, and put the skin fur side down in a basin then cover with salt and leave for a few days. I don't wash the fur as that can harden it. I then wrap the skin round a canvas dummy for retrieve training.
Annie
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i would say dry it via salting it (curing).
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I did put salt on it and it is hard and stiff now. Is it possible to make it nice and soft now? A suede sort of texture? I have a friend who thought she might sew it - make it into a purse or something.
Kate ???
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mmmmmmmmmmm if only my Nan and Granddad Where still around, I would be able to ask them (they where fur machinest/fur cutter in their time)
If you going to salt them i would imagine you would need to get it in shape first. I have a go a good old googling.
Linz
um not sure if this is any good for you http://msucares.com/livestock/small_animal/slaughter.html (http://msucares.com/livestock/small_animal/slaughter.html)
I'll have a look in my books later to see if they say anything.
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hello,
salting skins of any sort is a temporary way of stopping them from rotting till you can actually cure them .There are a few web sites that cover different ways of curing skins, I have only just got in , but will have a search as soon as I am in some dry clothes.....got soaked again. Just did a quick google and found this one ... looks like a good one too. It is a pdf so will need to be downloaded and saved.
http://www.cahe.nmsu.edu/pubs/_l/l-103.html
Hope it helps ...cheers
Russ
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Thank you so much. Now I know the terminology it makes it easier to google. I will let you know how I get on.
How is it going Russ? I have been off line for a while, so have missed you ! I just knew you would respond to this one - you are always up for the challenge!
Kate ;)
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hello Kate,
yes , exactly , once you know what things are called it is very easy to find out all the info. That is one of the great things about pc's and the WWW . Other than that I hate them ... lol.
Things are going fine thanks , hope they are with you too, glad to see you back online again .It has been so very wet here, that , what I thought was going to be a good year for growing , has turned out to be a total wash out. Oh well , thats life , lets hope it is a better year next year !!!
I have cured rabbit skins before , years ago , along with sheep skins a couple of calf skins and even a badger skin (road kill) , and a fox skin , god they stink .....But I can never remember all the ins and outs of doing it . So thought it better to pop a link up , would need one myself now. The thing I can remember about doing them is once cured you have to work them a lot , to make them supple , otherwise they turn into something like cardboard. Good luck with them and let us know how it all goes .....
cheers for now ...Russ