Sometimes The Wrong Things Work

[bucksnort]

I put this piece of rawhide in the window to show how clear it is. This hide was given to me by a friend who is about 200 miles away. Since I knew it would be several days before I was over that way, I ask him to have the slaughter house put it in the freezer. This particular facility doesn't always follow directions very well, they the same ones that recently salted a hide that was being saved for me. Anyway, instead of freezing it they stuck it in a box & set it in an old cooler that wasn't running, cool & dark & the weather was cool. It sat that way for 5 days before I picked it up. When I got home & stretched it all of the excess meat & fat had started to rot & came off with no effort & the hair was slipping. As you can see, I didn't get all of the membrane off (ran out of time). End result is one of the nicest hides I've had in a while. In fairness, this is off of a very old (20 yrs.) & poor longhorn cow which certainly helps the quality. I know that on dead animals the hide will last long after everything else rots away. Judging from this hide, I may try this again. Give me your thoughts. Buck

[LTC]

I guess if you ask them to put it in the unused cooler next time, they'll put it in the freezer then...

[bucksnort]

Good point, next time I'll ask them to double salt it & make sure it doesn't freeze. Buck

[zopi69]

Had the same thing happen with a goat hide the other day...I left it in the vinegar overnight instead of the usual half hour or so...it was perfectly clear..although a bit brittle.

[acox4t4]

Ok not far I tried to do the RIGHT things on 3 hides and they all became a big mess. I want your kind of luck