1. The process described is tawing, not tanning. It does not
render the leather waterproof or water-washable, as
does chrome tannage.
2. This technique has been successfully used on lamb, kid, fox, rabbit etc.
3. Mix the
following solution:
½lb alum
½lb salt (rock salt or cooking salt)
½oz saltpetre
per gallon water.
For lamb etc you will need at least 5 galls depending on size. Mixed
solution seems to keep OK for about 6
months if roughly filtered before storage.
4. Remove the skin from the carcass while fresh, starting with a cut
along the belly. Scrape off fat or remaining
flesh with a sharp knife, used flat (vertical). If the skin has been
professionally removed, very little scraping
should be needed - be careful not to remove a layer of the actual skin.
5. Rinse skin in several changes of clean water, then immerse in the
solution for 2-3 days, weighting down if
necessary.
6. Hang up to drain over the bath for several hours until it ceases to drip.
7. Pin to a soft board, e.g. insulation board or a softwood door, fur against the surface, stretching slightly.
8. Rub in about one eggcupful of Lankrolin* evenly all over the back
of the skin. This product is only available
mail-order (although I could probably spare a little) or you can make
something very similar as follows:
Shave up ½cake of plain white laundry soap into ½ gallon
warm water. When fully dissolved, add
½pint neatsfoot oil (from SCATS or equine supplies shop) or
caster oil while stirring vigorously.
Shake well before use.
9. When the skin has been drying in a cool, airy place (not in the sun
unless this is weak) for about five days and
is almost dry, remove from the board. Dan 't be alarmed at its
stiff feel - this is where the real work comes in, to
make it supple. Begin by rubbing it backwards and forwards over the
back or a chair, then go over it inch by
inch, rubbing one part against the next in a vigorous circular motion.
Concentrate on one small portion first
and you'll see the skin taking on the colour and feel of chamois leather
as if by magic after a while.
10. If you have a skin but can't cure it at once, it can be deep-frozen,
salted or even dried and later re-soaked.
Freezing works fine but I can't vouch for the others. Don't be
tempted to try the formaldehyde method
suggested in some books - apart from the fumes it tends to give a very
hard, brittle skin if you aren't careful,
particularly with thinner skins. Avoid animals which are moulting (e.g;
rabbits in spring). Test for a good cure
by trying to pull some of the fur -it should be really firm. Remove
any oily patches with a paste of talc in
white spirit - let it dry, then brush off.
NOTE: The instructions which come with Lankrolin suggest fixing
the skin in 5% formalin solution. This
isn’t pleasant stuff to use and has a reputation for making skin hard
and brittle (including your own); its
advantage is that it is a very effective preservative, but I have found
the alum/salt mix very satisfactory.
*Lankrolin used to be available from Watkins & Doncaster,
Four Throws, Hawkhurst, Kent but I bought
mine nearly 25 years ago!
Alec Fry