Using Animal Hide - Colorado Prospector - Gem and mineral prospecting and mining forums

Using Animal Hide

swizz View Member Profile	Apr 2 2014, 08:11 AM Post #1
Moderator Group: Members Posts: 4,459 Joined: 25-August 09 From: way on up thar Member No.: 6,983	I dying Rabbit hide (sorry Denise!)... one wine and one tan. The hides were white originally. These will be used for fly tying! I'll get many dozens of flies out of these. -------------------- /l ,[____], l---L-OlllllllO- ()_) ()_)--o-)_) BLACK SANDS MATTER! Very Happy CP Lifetime Member CP CORE TEAM *Referral Code CE213*

Denise View Member Profile	Apr 2 2014, 08:24 AM Post #2
Master Mucker! Group: Admin Posts: 7,208 Joined: 7-October 03 From: Colorado Member No.: 4	Vey cool Chris!! No reason to apologize, I use them myself in my art projects sometimes. The "Talking stick" I made for the MRT in 04' had a piece of a rabbit hide that I had since I was 9. I will have me a full sized rabbit blanket someday. Will take about 50 bunnies though. Not sure I will use this way but here is one way to make one..... Rabbit Skin Blanket -------------------- Education is the key to the future, and participation opens the door to opportunity. Discover your prospecting independence & success! ColoradoProspector.com Owner/Webmaster Core team member ♥

swizz View Member Profile	Apr 2 2014, 08:52 AM Post #3
Moderator Group: Members Posts: 4,459 Joined: 25-August 09 From: way on up thar Member No.: 6,983	That would be an incredible blanket! Now you have me wanting one. But ya, 50 pelts is a lot. They're not expensive. I can get them from fly shops for under $5 each, tanned and soft. I bet you could get em for about half that price in bulk. -------------------- /l ,[____], l---L-OlllllllO- ()_) ()_)--o-)_) BLACK SANDS MATTER! Very Happy CP Lifetime Member CP CORE TEAM *Referral Code CE213*

Denise View Member Profile	Apr 2 2014, 09:58 AM Post #4
Master Mucker! Group: Admin Posts: 7,208 Joined: 7-October 03 From: Colorado Member No.: 4	Worth looking into! If you can find a good deal in the bulk, might just be interested in splitting a bulk batch with you. Natural color would be best I think......mix of brown, grey and white. -------------------- Education is the key to the future, and participation opens the door to opportunity. Discover your prospecting independence & success! ColoradoProspector.com Owner/Webmaster Core team member ♥

swizz View Member Profile	Apr 2 2014, 10:55 AM Post #5
Moderator Group: Members Posts: 4,459 Joined: 25-August 09 From: way on up thar Member No.: 6,983	$3.49 each is as low as I see first glance.... that's about $200 for 50. That's too pricey for me so far but I might dig deeper. Pelts -------------------- /l ,[____], l---L-OlllllllO- ()_) ()_)--o-)_) BLACK SANDS MATTER! Very Happy CP Lifetime Member CP CORE TEAM *Referral Code CE213*

professor_kosher View Member Profile	Apr 2 2014, 11:46 AM Post #6
Diggin' In! Group: Members Posts: 26 Joined: 16-February 14 Member No.: 116,701	sounds to me like your in need of a group hunt and BBQ lol

Denise View Member Profile	Apr 2 2014, 11:54 AM Post #7
Master Mucker! Group: Admin Posts: 7,208 Joined: 7-October 03 From: Colorado Member No.: 4	With that many, there might even end up being some meat to BBQ. That's actually a pretty good price! Chris, did we give you any feathers for fly tying yet? We have several saved from the chickens we use to have for fly tying. Some pretty elaborate ones too. -------------------- Education is the key to the future, and participation opens the door to opportunity. Discover your prospecting independence & success! ColoradoProspector.com Owner/Webmaster Core team member ♥

swizz View Member Profile	Apr 2 2014, 01:26 PM Post #8
Moderator Group: Members Posts: 4,459 Joined: 25-August 09 From: way on up thar Member No.: 6,983	I can always use unique feathers. -------------------- /l ,[____], l---L-OlllllllO- ()_) ()_)--o-)_) BLACK SANDS MATTER! Very Happy CP Lifetime Member CP CORE TEAM *Referral Code CE213*

Caveman View Member Profile	Apr 2 2014, 04:24 PM Post #9
Master Mucker! Group: Members Posts: 1,301 Joined: 17-February 12 From: Central CO Member No.: 41,357	Denise, you have enough bunnies "on the hoof" at your place now to make a blanket, and there would be enough meat as we all know they are very well fed! Just kidding, I know those guys are more pets than a food/pelt source...... unless the boot drops. I hope to be long in the ground before that happens! -------------------- Caveman Aulus Livius Maximus World Traveler, 7 Continent Walker LEVEL 3 LIFETIME MEMBER Referral Code: SE2104

fenixsmom View Member Profile	Apr 2 2014, 04:47 PM Post #10
Master Mucker! Group: Members Posts: 1,282 Joined: 13-January 14 From: Lakewood, Colorado Member No.: 116,305	Swizz, you need pheasant, goose or turkey feathers? I have 2 full turkey tails ans beards and a clutch of pheasant feathers lying around collecting dust.

Denise View Member Profile	Apr 3 2014, 07:21 AM Post #11
Master Mucker! Group: Admin Posts: 7,208 Joined: 7-October 03 From: Colorado Member No.: 4	Definitely enough bunnies here to make a blanket. Would be a lot of work killing, skinning, tanning the hides and preparing the meat though. $3.50 a pelt sounds like a better plan! Have you seen how much those things go for yet? Sure are beautiful though and I bet really warm. Fur Blankets -------------------- Education is the key to the future, and participation opens the door to opportunity. Discover your prospecting independence & success! ColoradoProspector.com Owner/Webmaster Core team member ♥

swizz View Member Profile	Apr 3 2014, 08:52 AM Post #12
Moderator Group: Members Posts: 4,459 Joined: 25-August 09 From: way on up thar Member No.: 6,983	QUOTE (fenixsmom @ Apr 2 2014, 04:47 PM) Swizz, you need pheasant, goose or turkey feathers? I have 2 full turkey tails ans beards and a clutch of pheasant feathers lying around collecting dust. Cool!! Pheasant: Tails only Goose: Biot feathers Turkey: Tail feathers! I use these a lot. -------------------- /l ,[____], l---L-OlllllllO- ()_) ()_)--o-)_) BLACK SANDS MATTER! Very Happy CP Lifetime Member CP CORE TEAM *Referral Code CE213*

swizz View Member Profile	Apr 3 2014, 08:55 AM Post #13
Moderator Group: Members Posts: 4,459 Joined: 25-August 09 From: way on up thar Member No.: 6,983	QUOTE (Mrs.CP @ Apr 3 2014, 07:21 AM) Definitely enough bunnies here to make a blanket. Would be a lot of work killing, skinning, tanning the hides and preparing the meat though. $3.50 a pelt sounds like a better plan! Have you seen how much those things go for yet? Sure are beautiful though and I bet really warm. Fur Blankets Oh my god, I had no idea. Ok.... the $200 investment doesn't sound bad at all now. -------------------- /l ,[____], l---L-OlllllllO- ()_) ()_)--o-)_) BLACK SANDS MATTER! Very Happy CP Lifetime Member CP CORE TEAM *Referral Code CE213*

Denise View Member Profile	Apr 3 2014, 09:01 AM Post #14
Master Mucker! Group: Admin Posts: 7,208 Joined: 7-October 03 From: Colorado Member No.: 4	A lot of work putting them together but definitely doable! -------------------- Education is the key to the future, and participation opens the door to opportunity. Discover your prospecting independence & success! ColoradoProspector.com Owner/Webmaster Core team member ♥

swizz View Member Profile	Apr 3 2014, 09:06 AM Post #15
Moderator Group: Members Posts: 4,459 Joined: 25-August 09 From: way on up thar Member No.: 6,983	It is officially on my bucket list. You first! -------------------- /l ,[____], l---L-OlllllllO- ()_) ()_)--o-)_) BLACK SANDS MATTER! Very Happy CP Lifetime Member CP CORE TEAM *Referral Code CE213*

Caveman View Member Profile	Apr 3 2014, 09:51 AM Post #16
Master Mucker! Group: Members Posts: 1,301 Joined: 17-February 12 From: Central CO Member No.: 41,357	That's good stuff, the blankets that is! -------------------- Caveman Aulus Livius Maximus World Traveler, 7 Continent Walker LEVEL 3 LIFETIME MEMBER Referral Code: SE2104

Denise View Member Profile	Apr 3 2014, 11:53 AM Post #17
Master Mucker! Group: Admin Posts: 7,208 Joined: 7-October 03 From: Colorado Member No.: 4	They are very nice!....and a Caveman would know best. QUOTE (swizz @ Apr 2 2014, 08:11 AM) I dying Rabbit hide (sorry Denise!)... one wine and one tan. The hides were white originally. These will be used for fly tying! I'll get many dozens of flies out of these. One thing that I have to research is the best ways to re soften the hide after you get it wet or dyed in your case. Becomes really stiff if you just let it dry like that. How do you Chris? We use leather for many things here! Even have a big piece for the polish wheel on the cabochon machine. -------------------- Education is the key to the future, and participation opens the door to opportunity. Discover your prospecting independence & success! ColoradoProspector.com Owner/Webmaster Core team member ♥

Denise

Apr 4 2014, 09:02 AM

Post #18

Master Mucker!

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If one was going to get their own bunnies, this is NOT the right time of year. Winter is best for that as their coats are in prime.

Here is an example of the wrong kind of coats to go for....

..Pictures taken this morning.

Looking a bit scruffy right now for pelts...(not that I would use them for that though)

Researching how to re soften pelts has been challenging. Seems there are lots of ways. Even looking into the old traditional ways that the Indians use to do....not ready to "chew on the hide" to soften it or "use brain mash".

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swizz View Member Profile	Apr 4 2014, 11:11 AM Post #19
Moderator Group: Members Posts: 4,459 Joined: 25-August 09 From: way on up thar Member No.: 6,983	QUOTE (Mrs.CP @ Apr 3 2014, 11:53 AM) Becomes really stiff if you just let it dry like that. How do you Chris? After the dye (Rit) dries..... I give it a hand-wash using hair conditioner. Let that dry and work the hide back to soft by hand teasing. I'm not a pro by any means but this works. -------------------- /l ,[____], l---L-OlllllllO- ()_) ()_)--o-)_) BLACK SANDS MATTER! Very Happy CP Lifetime Member CP CORE TEAM *Referral Code CE213*

fenixsmom View Member Profile	Apr 4 2014, 01:37 PM Post #20
Master Mucker! Group: Members Posts: 1,282 Joined: 13-January 14 From: Lakewood, Colorado Member No.: 116,305	I was watching an old Dirty Jobs episode on this last night. For one, tanning is disgusting! But they showed the softening process, they used to stake a long beveled edge (like a ho blade) into the ground and would drag the skin over the blade to loosen the fibers and make it more pliable. Looks like a massive pain in the wazoo! I thought awhile ago that tanning would be a great idea, but after watching that last night, I'll leave it to the professionals! EWWWWWW!

CP

Apr 6 2014, 01:38 PM

Post #21

Master Mucker!

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Bet the fur blankets are darn toasty but we'll have to see about that project. Might be a possible future one but I agree, the taxidermy part is best left to the pro's. Even though we do probably have enough "on the hoof" like Caveman said.

I ain't doing that many from the "hoof or paw", the $3.50 a piece is well worth it.

Take a good while to put the thing together and then where would it be stored? Gads!

Sure don't want to mess it up after all that work!

We thought of a couple cool "animal hide" uses to toss in the mix here too......lapidary related though.

Here's a pic of some leather we just replaced on our polish pad for the cabbing machine. Cut two for an extra replacement later, these are sheepskin, extremely soft.

Then this pic is of some "leather thimbles" we made from a pair of deerskin gloves. Denise needed some finger protectors to use when polishing out some of her sculpted projects with the dremel and home made brushes. She said that dang thing hurts!

Hopefully these will help, and she only needs a few at a time for the left fingers, so there should be enough with 10 to start. Couldn't really think of what to use but then it hit us, she wanted a new pair of leather fingerless gloves anyway and where else would one find a single leather thimble, let alone a full 10 set! confused0082[1].gif

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fenixsmom View Member Profile	Apr 6 2014, 08:57 PM Post #22
Master Mucker! Group: Members Posts: 1,282 Joined: 13-January 14 From: Lakewood, Colorado Member No.: 116,305	Very clever!!!! Sheepskin....

Denise View Member Profile	Apr 7 2014, 07:31 AM Post #23
Master Mucker! Group: Admin Posts: 7,208 Joined: 7-October 03 From: Colorado Member No.: 4	The polishing wheel with the sheepskin works great. Would really like to make a pair of moccasins from some. Need to test out the leather thimbles yet but I'm sure they will work great.....not to mention I was in great need of another pair of fingerless gloves. Last pair was falling apart bad. Lots of memories behind those gloves but will make new ones with this new pair. I will definitely try the conditioner out with this rabbit pelt I have Chris. -------------------- Education is the key to the future, and participation opens the door to opportunity. Discover your prospecting independence & success! ColoradoProspector.com Owner/Webmaster Core team member ♥

Denise View Member Profile	Jun 29 2014, 08:03 AM Post #24
Master Mucker! Group: Admin Posts: 7,208 Joined: 7-October 03 From: Colorado Member No.: 4	Found those feathers Chris, in a stack of boxes at the bottom. I went to pull it out from under the other boxes (8) until Dan spotted me. Guess I have to do it right and dig to the bottom. -------------------- Education is the key to the future, and participation opens the door to opportunity. Discover your prospecting independence & success! ColoradoProspector.com Owner/Webmaster Core team member ♥

fenixsmom View Member Profile	Jun 29 2014, 10:42 AM Post #25
Master Mucker! Group: Members Posts: 1,282 Joined: 13-January 14 From: Lakewood, Colorado Member No.: 116,305	DOH! I completely forgot about Chris's feathers! They're a bit dusty. Will they still be good if I wash the dust off with water? I also have a pheasant pelt I'll send up to you.

swizz View Member Profile	Jun 29 2014, 05:47 PM Post #26
Moderator Group: Members Posts: 4,459 Joined: 25-August 09 From: way on up thar Member No.: 6,983	I don't mind the dust.... and coincidentally I was fly fishing today putting some old fur and feathers to good use! -------------------- /l ,[____], l---L-OlllllllO- ()_) ()_)--o-)_) BLACK SANDS MATTER! Very Happy CP Lifetime Member CP CORE TEAM *Referral Code CE213*

fenixsmom View Member Profile	Jul 3 2014, 02:37 AM Post #27
Master Mucker! Group: Members Posts: 1,282 Joined: 13-January 14 From: Lakewood, Colorado Member No.: 116,305	Are you still at the return address on the box you sent me? If not, message me your address please.

lostnewb View Member Profile	Oct 24 2014, 11:00 AM Post #28
Shovel Buster! Group: Members Posts: 91 Joined: 30-July 13 From: Elbert, CO Member No.: 91,383	Feathers? Anybody need any as it is that time of year again where the chickens that are not laying get the block. Had some australorps and wyandottes that we kept some feathers from for fly tying. Now we have to many. Let me know would be happy to send some to anyone that could use em. -------------------- --Chris 01101100 01100101 01110100 01110011 00100000 01100111 01101111 00100000 01101101 01101001 01101110 01101001 01101110 01100111 00100001 00100001

EMac View Member Profile	Oct 24 2014, 12:15 PM Post #29
Rock Bar! Group: Members Posts: 875 Joined: 25-July 14 From: Westminster, CO Member No.: 117,949	Does anyone here do hide tanning using the animal's brain (i.e. survival scenario)? It's one area of survival that I've had a few discussions on, but that's it. It's a skill I'd like to add to my survival toolbox along with a few others (like making a bow/arrows from scratch with minimal tools). -------------------- Lifetime Member opera non verba "All courses of action are risky, so prudence is not in avoiding danger (it's impossible), but calculating risk and acting decisively. Make mistakes of ambition and not mistakes of sloth. Develop the strength to do bold things, not the strength to suffer." ~Niccolò Machiavelli Ref Code: EM448

lostnewb View Member Profile	Oct 24 2014, 12:42 PM Post #30
Shovel Buster! Group: Members Posts: 91 Joined: 30-July 13 From: Elbert, CO Member No.: 91,383	QUOTE (EMac @ Oct 24 2014, 01:15 PM) Does anyone here do hide tanning using the animal's brain (i.e. survival scenario)? It's one area of survival that I've had a few discussions on, but that's it. It's a skill I'd like to add to my survival toolbox along with a few others (like making a bow/arrows from scratch with minimal tools). I would be more than happy to share what I have learned with you. PM me sometime and I will shoot you over what I know. -Chris -------------------- --Chris 01101100 01100101 01110100 01110011 00100000 01100111 01101111 00100000 01101101 01101001 01101110 01101001 01101110 01100111 00100001 00100001

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