Tanning of skins sent in by customers
See Essential salting treatment below
IMPORTANT!! Before sending in
any skins to be tanned, always check with us first
either by telephone (01549 421 225) or by e-mail.
| Sheepskins: | £20.00 |
| Deerskins: | £35.00p |
| Goatskins : | £25.00p |
| (and similar skins such as alpaca, llama, etc.) | |
We will also process smaller skins, such as those of wild fox or mink but we have to be assured that these are road deaths, or otherwise accidental killings.
We are not equipped to process large hides such as cowhides. We will not tan seal skins.
Another service we are occasionally asked to provide is the tanning of deerskins and sheepskins for leather - i.e. unhaired. We can do this, but only to the stage of a soft white leather. We cannot dye it. Any colouring of the finished product must be done by the customer.
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It is essential that the skins are spread out and cooled as
soon as possible after flaying. Bacterial action in the hair follicles
will start immediately and if not cooled within 4 hours the wool will
start to "slip" - ie come off when we start to process them, and there
is nothing we can do later to stop this. ____________________________________ |
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They must be transported in a non-leaking sealed plastic container which can be cleaned and sterilised before any further use. If using a trailer, make sure there is a plastic lining, which can be hosed down later, under the skins to prevent drips. They should be labelled:- "Category 3 By-products. Not for Human Consumption". _________________________________ |
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Do NOT use road salt which has grit added and is also likely to be contaminated with salt-loving bacteria. These will damage the skin and hence the resulting leather. Do not rely on the abattoir to salt the skins adequately as most hides are sold to make leather when the hair or wool will be removed anyway. You MUST apply salt within 12 hours of slaughter. If there is insufficient salt the wool or hair will slip. It should be possible to pick up the hide by the wool if it is properly cured with salt. |
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 First salting;
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Lay the skin wool or hair down, preferably on a pallet. For sheepskins put a sheet of plastic down first as rust from nails will permanently stain the wool. Rub 1 to 2 Kg salt (you can't add too much!) all over the flesh, making sure that it reaches the edges and that there are no folds; hair or wool will be lost from any unsalted areas, i.e. both sides of the fold. Lay the next skin on top, wool or hair to the flesh side underneath and repeat the process. The last skin salted can be turned over to prevent drying out. |
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The salt will draw out moisture so let the skins drain for a couple more days. Skins so treated can be left for many weeks if the pallets are in a cool and dry place, although if leaving for any length of time it would be wise to salt them yet again after a week or so. Then fold them over lengthways to keep the salt well in contact with the skin. ____________________________________________ |
 Second salting;
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Do remember to enclose (or attach to the outside) your name and address. Don't send any money with the skins. We will let you know when they are ready for collection and payment. Send to us either by Royal Mail standard parcel post (very competitive both in cost and speed in the Highlands) or carrier. |
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