Help Me i'm getting terrible hair slippage!!!!

0ak

New member
So my dad killed a prime grey fox monday morning and i skinned it and left it hang for about an hour. I fleshed it up all nice and everything and then salted it. I shook it off everyday and resalted for a total of 3 days. After this the hide was nearly completely dry. I put it on the stretcher but it didnt really stretch cuz of how dry it was. Anyways i got to the hydration process and i waited 24 hours to pull it out. I pull it out and the hair is practically falling out of the thing. This is the 2nd fox this year that ive had this problem with. I'm doing a thorough job fleshing so i know its not that. I also tanned a coyote this year and he turned out great using the exact same method. What's happening?? Im extremely frustrated right now. Thanks for the help
 
Sounds like your fleshing and salting process was fine.
My guess would be that you got some bacteria working really quick in the hydration bath.
Did you re-hydrate it in a brine or plain water, and did you add any kind of a bacteriacide?
Did it take the full 24 hours to re-hydrate?
 
Originally Posted By: fw707Sounds like your fleshing and salting process was fine.
My guess would be that you got some bacteria working really quick in the hydration bath.
Did you re-hydrate it in a brine or plain water, and did you add any kind of a bacteriacide?
Did it take the full 24 hours to re-hydrate?

Im using river runners method. I used 1 lb salt per 1 gallon water with like 1/2 cap of Lysol concentrate. Maybe I let it soak too long? I did it yesterday and then didn't check it til today cuz I was deer hunting all day
 
Oak said
[/quote]Im using river runners method. I used 1 lb salt per 1 gallon water with like 1/2 cap of Lysol concentrate. Maybe I let it soak too long? I did it yesterday and then didn't check it til today cuz I was deer hunting all day [/quote]

Are you using cold or hot water to rehydrate? Hot water will promote bacteria growth any temp over 40 degree's in fact. Just wondering, it's kind of weird cause fox and coyotes have such thin skin that the salt should be killing the bacteria.
 
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Originally Posted By: R15 VTROak said
Im using river runners method. I used 1 lb salt per 1 gallon water with like 1/2 cap of Lysol concentrate. Maybe I let it soak too long? I did it yesterday and then didn't check it til today cuz I was deer hunting all day [/quote]

Are you using cold or hot water to rehydrate? Hot water will promote bacteria growth any temp over 40 degree's in fact. Just wondering, it's kind of weird cause fox and coyotes have such thin skin that the salt should be killing the bacteria.[/quote] Originally Posted By: R15 VTROak said
Im using river runners method. I used 1 lb salt per 1 gallon water with like 1/2 cap of Lysol concentrate. Maybe I let it soak too long? I did it yesterday and then didn't check it til today cuz I was deer hunting all day [/quote]

Are you using cold or hot water to rehydrate? Hot water will promote bacteria growth any temp over 40 degree's in fact. Just wondering, it's kind of weird cause fox and coyotes have such thin skin that the salt should be killing the bacteria.[/quote] I'm using very cold water but the hide is sitting in my garage which is kept around 60 degrees at all times which leads to the water heating up at night and possibly hair slip I guess
 
Originally Posted By: Tim NeitzkeSoaking it way to long... A fox hide will only take a few hours to rehydrate.

That would be my guess too. I can't see anything else you are doing that would cause slippage.
Do you do an acid/pickle after the re-hydrate?
If you do, maybe try a quick soak in cold water and Lysol only, and then go to an acid/salt solution and stay under a 2.0 ph.
 
Jeff,
I was thinking today on this.

Fox are very thin and like you said a quick soak,then a cold rinse to get any extra blood /dirt out,then to the pickle ASAP .
 
Yep, soaking wayyy too long.You can also forget the Lysol, it used to work but a few years back they changed the formula and now it does no good.
 
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