Do you have to tan small thin hides?

[osage outlaw]

Lets say you have a small piece of fur on animal hide about 6"x6" and it is really thin.  Could you scrape it clean, stretch it out in a frame, and then just air dry it?  Would you have to tan it?  I'm wanting to use it for a handle wrap. 

[Outbackbob48]

If you don't tan it , Little bugs get in the hide and eat the hair roots and all the hair falls off. Bob

[osage outlaw]

OK.  I don't want that to happen.  Thanks for the info.

[bowtarist]

This is my opinion. What you are talking about doing is a hair on rawhide. Simple enough to do, squirrel, bunny, anything like that. But, it wont be tanned, so moisture will rot it in time. imo. I have chipmunk and rabbit and squirrel done that way now. The skins will be dry and probably will tear pretty easy if sewn to tight. Again, jmo, dp

[osage outlaw]

Any suggestions on how to tan a chipmunk hide? 

[Zuma]

Egg yoke? A dozen chicken egg yolkes for a deer.
One humming bird egg yolke for a chipmunk.
Or one chipmunk brain. lol
Check out egg and brain tanning.
I haven't done it yet but plan to.
Zuma

[bowtarist]

Check out a alum tan.

Here;s one: 5lbs salt, not table,
                    2 lbs alum, I use the same stuff for pickeling when doing small hides
                    10 gallons water

You'll need to make a lot smaller batch, like 1 quart for the chippy.

Soak your fleshed hide, maybe two to five days, aggitate a couple times a day, I have used plastic 1/2 gallon juice containers w/ lid.

After your done, two three days in this heat, you can soak it for an hour in a borax/water solutution, then as it's drying, work the hide between your fingers, like pintching and pulling w/ poth hands. as it starts to become dry, wipe on some neets foot oil and continue sofening. One totally dry or as soft as you think you can get it, it's done. Not water tolerant though. Keep it dry if possible. I've done a couple of muskrat this way in those 1/2 gal juice jugs.

Just an idea, dp
   

[wildman]

Clint, one chicken egg will do it. I have tanned a few weasels this way. One has seen some rough use as a sash pouch for my.62 and is still kicking. Flesh the hide as normal. I mix about one teaspoon of salt with an egg yolk beat like you were going to cook it and cut with a little bit of water. You want it warm,but not hot. Work it in the hide and work it every so often for about 3-4 days. Pull it out of egg rinse it and work like any other hide. Dump mix in  the skillet with some butter and have a chipmunk hair and scraping omlett!

[osage outlaw]

Thanks for the help guys.  I fleshed the munk hides and put them in the freezer until I can figure out what to do with them. 

I like the sound of your method Wildman.  After I take it out of the egg mixture do I rinse it and stretch it? Or do I work it over a rope or something as it dries?  This is my first time tanning hides.  I need to figure it out because I have a fawn hide and my primitive buck taking up room in the freezer.

[wildman]

I just rinse it and wring it out. I worked the weasel hides by just wringing it as it dried it was fairly delicate when wet. I would think chipmunk would be the same.

[Gsulfridge]

Should make some nice handle wraps.  Cant wait to see this.

[Zuma]

Be careful of the laws on hides and skins.
A local bowyer got in hot water for having a copperhead
skin laminated on his self bow.
I don't know about munks?
Zuma
PS I have an old 117 volt cloth dryer that takes forever to dry something.
Think I will disconnect the heating coil and try it on hides.

[tallpine]

Be careful of the laws on hides and skins.
A local bowyer got in hot water for having a copperhead
skin laminated on his self bow

Excuse me for poaching on you thread Clint, but I what state would that be in Zuma?

[osage outlaw]

I know it is illegal for me to kill any poisonous snakes in my state.  I was gifted a bow with copperhead skins on it.  I hope that is OK.   The chipmunks were caught out of state by a coworker in a water bucket trap. 

[PEARL DRUMS]

I have a bottle of Tan-it solution. Cost me $20, right up your cheap alley. Ive done 6 muskrat hides and barely used a cap full. I have enough left for a lot more. Not sure if it has a shelf life or not. You wipe it one and rub it in, kind of. Then hang on a line indoors until its dried. Mine took a week or so.