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Colorado Prospector - Gem and mineral prospecting and mining forums _ Living Off The Lands _ Using Animal Hide

Posted by: 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.
https://flic.kr/p/mGaF86

Posted by: Mrs.CP Apr 2 2014, 08:24 AM

thumbsupsmileyanim.gif 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. smiley-shocked003.gif
Not sure I will use this way but here is one way to make one.....

http://www.primitiveways.com/rabbit_skin_blanket.html

Posted by: swizz Apr 2 2014, 08:52 AM

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.

Posted by: Mrs.CP Apr 2 2014, 09:58 AM

chin.gif Worth looking into! If you can find a good deal in the bulk, might just be interested in splitting a bulk batch with you. happy088.gif
Natural color would be best I think......mix of brown, grey and white.

Posted by: swizz Apr 2 2014, 10:55 AM

$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.
http://www.black-bear-haversack.com/index.php/10-x-10-assorted-rabbit-skin-hide-fur-tanned-pelt.html

Posted by: professor_kosher Apr 2 2014, 11:46 AM

sounds to me like your in need of a group hunt and BBQ lol

Posted by: Mrs.CP Apr 2 2014, 11:54 AM

laugh.gif With that many, there might even end up being some meat to BBQ. smiley-laughing021.gif

That's actually a pretty good price! chin.gif 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.

Posted by: swizz Apr 2 2014, 01:26 PM

I can always use unique feathers. thumbsupsmileyanim.gif

Posted by: Caveman Apr 2 2014, 04:24 PM

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!

Posted by: 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.

Posted by: 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. whew.gif
$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. thumbsupsmileyanim.gif

http://www.fursource.com/fur-blankets-c-92_43.html
greensmilies-012.gif

Posted by: swizz Apr 3 2014, 08:52 AM

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: http://www.invictaflies.us/Articles/all_about_biots.htm
Turkey: Tail feathers! I use these a lot.


Posted by: swizz Apr 3 2014, 08:55 AM

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. whew.gif
$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. thumbsupsmileyanim.gif

http://www.fursource.com/fur-blankets-c-92_43.html
greensmilies-012.gif

Oh my god, I had no idea.
Ok.... the $200 investment doesn't sound bad at all now.

Posted by: Mrs.CP Apr 3 2014, 09:01 AM

happy112.gif A lot of work putting them together but definitely doable! biggrin.gif

Posted by: swizz Apr 3 2014, 09:06 AM

It is officially on my bucket list. happy088.gif
You first!

Posted by: Caveman Apr 3 2014, 09:51 AM

That's good stuff, the blankets that is!

Posted by: Mrs.CP Apr 3 2014, 11:53 AM

They are very nice!....and a Caveman would know best. biggrin.gif

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.
https://flic.kr/p/mGaF86


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. thumbsupsmileyanim.gif

Posted by: Mrs.CP Apr 4 2014, 09:02 AM

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.... laugh.gif ..Pictures taken this morning.








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

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". puke.gif slaphead.gif

Posted by: swizz Apr 4 2014, 11:11 AM

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.

Posted by: fenixsmom Apr 4 2014, 01:37 PM

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!

Posted by: ColoradoProspector Apr 6 2014, 01:38 PM

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. smiley-laughing021.gif I ain't doing that many from the "hoof or paw", the $3.50 a piece is well worth it. happy112.gif Take a good while to put the thing together and then where would it be stored? Gads! smiley-shocked003.gif smiley-laughing021.gif 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! smiley-shocked003.gif 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 smiley-cool14.gif



Posted by: fenixsmom Apr 6 2014, 08:57 PM

Very clever!!!!
Sheepskin.... drool.gif

Posted by: Mrs.CP Apr 7 2014, 07:31 AM

The polishing wheel with the sheepskin works great. Would really like to make a pair of moccasins from some. thumbsupsmileyanim.gif
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. sad.gif 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.

Posted by: Mrs.CP Jun 29 2014, 08:03 AM

Found those feathers Chris, in a stack of boxes at the bottom. slaphead.gif I went to pull it out from under the other boxes (8) until Dan spotted me. laugh.gif Guess I have to do it right and dig to the bottom. kick_can.gif biggrin.gif

Posted by: fenixsmom Jun 29 2014, 10:42 AM

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.

Posted by: swizz Jun 29 2014, 05:47 PM

I don't mind the dust.... and coincidentally I was fly fishing today putting some old fur and feathers to good use!

Posted by: fenixsmom Jul 3 2014, 02:37 AM

Are you still at the return address on the box you sent me? If not, message me your address please.

Posted by: lostnewb Oct 24 2014, 11:00 AM

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.

Posted by: EMac Oct 24 2014, 12:15 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).

Posted by: lostnewb Oct 24 2014, 12:42 PM

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

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