# Save My Skin



## ForestFisher (May 26, 2004)

My problem is this; I'm in the process of mounting a buck and I got a tanning kit from one of the major suppliers. The instructions were fairly clear and I'm 99% sure I followed them correctly. But I wasn't able to mount the cape on the form right away,(cause I ordered the wrong form). I hung the cape up and my busy life kept me from getting back to it until now. It's been there for several months and it now become totally dry and stiff as a board! What can I do to soften it back up to a ready to mount condition. I really do not want to get another cape, not that I'm against substitute cape's, it's just that this is the first mount I've tried and it's a really cool buck. I want the original cape on it. Any help and tips other than "get a new cape" would be greatly appriciated.
Thanks guys -FF


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## Paul Thompson (Jul 16, 2007)

Use fresh cold water, add salt to the water, it doesn't have to be a stiff brine, a handful per gallon of water used, toss the cape in and let it soak up for three to six hours until flexible, hang and drain, then bag and refrigerate over night. It may take a second soak the next day if you notice some stiff areas, if you find some, bend and flex these hard areas so moisture can get back inside the dried fibers. Be careful not to man handle the hair side when it is in the wet condition.
Then rinse the salt out in fresh cold water before you mount.


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## Mitchell Ulrich (Sep 10, 2007)

When it comes to Taxidermy, you just can't procrastinate. 

Thats one of the BIG reasons Taxidermy is so difficult. It is VERY time demanding. Once a project begins, you are pretty much committed. Thats why part timers run into so many problems. Lack of free time. 

Back to your question.
Paul's comments are very good, and should work.

Not knowing how it was tanned leaves me with a lot of concern about hair slipping. You can order a product called "STOP ROT". It works!

*Taxidermy*.Net Forum - Is "Stop Rot" the same thing as "*Stop Slip*"?
15 posts - 10 authors - Last post: Oct 17, 2006
Stop rot does what it says and stops or slows down the process of decomposition, *stop slip* just takes hair that is loose and bonds them to *...*
www.taxidermy.net/forum/index.php?topic=4104.0 -


Add that stuff to the water and I'd also go a little lighter on the salt. (one small handful per gallon). Salt does guard against acid swell which can destroy the skin and/or results in hair slipping, but adding Stop Rot should eliminate the need for all that crossive salt. Be sure to rinse in cold water, but just long enough to rinse off the chemicals...don't allow it to soak!
The re-hydration time will probably be rather quick, about 2 hours, so check on it often. When the ear cartilage is soft again, then it's good to go.

When the Ol lady isn't looking, drop it into the washing machine and set it to "spin". A wet cape is prone to slipping. Normally the cape should go into a tumbler with corn cob grit or hardwood sawdust plus a little mineral spirits added. This step is to remove excess water, tanning oil and cleans the hair plus it adds shine, but I'm assuming you dont have this equipment. I'd skip the sweating overnight step and go straight to the mounting stand. Again I'm concerned about hair loss. With the cape hair side out, stick your arms through the head (you did tube skin it right...?) and stretch it out. Work the whole skin paying extra attention to the neck area because this is the tightest point and wants to hang up when pulling it over and past the head. 

Home tanning kits almost always yields poor results. Unless you are willing to drop about two thousand plus on a rotary knife, tanning machine, tumbler, grit, chemicals, oil and a few other things needed, you should send it to a tannery. It's been about 10 or 12 years since I've had to send out a cape to a tannery, but I believe it only costs about fifty dollars total.

Hope it works out.

Mitch


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## ForestFisher (May 26, 2004)

Thanks guys. You hit the nail on my head, "procrastination"! Had everything worked the first time, (wouldn't that be nice) then I would have gotten it done. But when thing's went wrong, I was out of free time. I always have had a great deal of respect for taxidermist, but now that I've tried it and had my hands be cramped and hurting for days and days, and have gotten so frustrated that I yell very bad things and walk away, I have even more respect for them.
Thanks again guys I'll let you know how it comes out when I do it.
-FF


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