skoronesa Report post Posted July 2, 2017 Mostly from michaels leather bundles but I sometimes buy from ebay or I also tan my own furs. This morning was great, started off with getting a squirrel, my buddy got me a chipmunk, and then I got a rabbit! For the first time I ate some of what I shot instead of just going for the fur. The rabbit just tasted like really strong dark chicken meat that was tough. I know this might strike an animal rights chord with some of you but I mean this is the basis for leatherworking so cut me some slack. My 4 year old wants rabbit fur mittens for next winter and my 2 year old I am making his first marble bag from the squirrel. Apparently I am limited to 1.4MB, really annoying to have to resize and make multiple posts. The brining bucket, before I got the rabbit. Decided to keep the tails this time, maybe to make key rings or a cat toys? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skoronesa Report post Posted July 2, 2017 I got two hind legs and a front from the rabbit. I actually cooked it like you would squirrel because I wanted to be sure it was fully cooked. My wife picked me some wild raspberries which I think really made the presentation and was a great fit. The seasoning is just some montreal steak seasoning. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JD62 Report post Posted July 2, 2017 Cool, what kind of tan do you use? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skoronesa Report post Posted July 2, 2017 I egg tan. -After skinning and getting off most of the fat I brine them for a day or two shaking the bucket whenever I walk by. It's in the porch so I guess like every 6 hours. I honestly just use sidewalk salt, like for the winter. The stuff I had this time was mostly nacl with some mgcl. Not sure how cacl would do and I wouldn't want to try kcl. -Then I wring them out, remove more of the gunk, cover them in table salt and wrap them in paper towels. I prefer table salt here because it is finer. -Change the paper towels after a day and make sure they have enough salt. -Then when they are good and dried out ensuring any breakdown has stopped I scrape them when they are dry. -Re-wet them and do a final scraping. -Wring them out and cover them in egg yolks which I also rub in. Put them in some tupper ware and leave it for about two more days rubbing in the yolks about every 12 hours or when ever I feel like it. I don't stretch my furs like most as I prefer a thick supple skin and fur mass instead of trying to maximize area. The only thing I need to worry about is our alkaline water from the lime but it's only an issue if I use warm water, the hair falls out. If you stick to chloride salts and your water is nuetral the ph should remain nuetral. This time I added some lime juice just to be safe as it is my first rabbit fur, usually I just get squirrels. I shoot woodchucks too but they have coarse fur, are kinda grody, and usually get roughed up so I don't keep the pelts. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JD62 Report post Posted July 2, 2017 Interesting, I've never heard of egg tanning, I'll have to give it a try. I've heard that woodchuck rawhide makes good banjo heads! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skoronesa Report post Posted July 2, 2017 4 minutes ago, JD62 said: Interesting, I've never heard of egg tanning, I'll have to give it a try. I've heard that woodchuck rawhide makes good banjo heads! I suppose I could make a drum out of one then. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JD62 Report post Posted July 3, 2017 hides can be a lil greasy but not too bad. Hope to see what you do with the rabbit. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
