Snake Tan

[hunte567]

Im looking for ingredients for snake tanning for leather work. Im told the 50/50 alcohol-glycerin will keep the skin from being glued. I dont want to use an any kits or solutions from a taxidermy companies. I want to do this old school. Let me know you boys that have been doing this for awhile use. Thanks

[Frodo]

About 20 days late.  

You were told correct a 50/50 mixture 

pour into glass jar make sure the skin is 100% covered

store it out of direct sunlight for 7 days

when you remove it, check for and odors, if odors put it back for a another day

using a stick, roll the hide onto the stick with the head first,  pull the hide / stretch it as you are rolling it up

then set it aside to dry

[Agarbers]

My method is to pin the skin flesh-side up on a sheet of Styrofoam. As the skin starts to dry I start painting the 50/50 mix on. I do that a few times a day for a few days. When the flesh stops absorbing it, I stop. I sometimes even wipe off the excess and maybe daub it off with an alcohol soaked rag. I do not apply any mix to the scale side. I let the skin sit for a few weeks before using. Yes, sometimes it is hard to glue to a backer. If you're using the Tandy belt buckle kits turn the buckle blank backwards so the the flesh side of the snake is glued to the skive side of the blank. Keep in mind I live in arid Arizona so if you are trying to do this in a more humid place, you may need to adjust things.

 

[chuck123wapati]

21 minutes ago, Agarbers said:

My method is to pin the skin flesh-side up on a sheet of Styrofoam. As the skin starts to dry I start painting the 50/50 mix on. I do that a few times a day for a few days. When the flesh stops absorbing it, I stop. I sometimes even wipe off the excess and maybe daub it off with an alcohol soaked rag. I do not apply any mix to the scale side. I let the skin sit for a few weeks before using. Yes, sometimes it is hard to glue to a backer. If you're using the Tandy belt buckle kits turn the buckle blank backwards so the the flesh side of the snake is glued to the skive side of the blank. Keep in mind I live in arid Arizona so if you are trying to do this in a more humid place, you may need to adjust things.

 

i let mine dry/cure for a long while and there are no problems with glue up.

[Leathershark]

I work a lot with snake skins, the glycerin method is not tanning. It only preserves the skin.

True tanning turns the skin to leather.

I will not buy glycerin preserved skins for leather work. Hard to glue, and they have a yellow look to them. The skins I get from my supplier are flat and almost white looking on the flesh side. 

He holds his formula very close. will not tell anybody how he does it. But I am in leather work not tanning business. So best to just buy the skins from him. 

[Leathershark]

I just got in some tanned rattlesnake skins. that are not glycerin preserved, you can see the difference.  no tack holes, they are perfectly dry, no oil feel , the flesh side is dry and almost white. They lay flat no curl.