how to cure a rabbit skin??

[MissRhianL 70]

Hello can anbody help me an tell me how i can cure rabbit skins from start to finish cheers Alfie

 

This was getting shown on River Cottage a few weeks back, as they tried different ways of getting rabbit back onto the menu and they experimented with different things on what to make out of the pelts, on there he had his own way of curing the pelts. try searching it up on google or better still on youtube.

[oldmantanner 4]

I do a lot of this so I will tell you the best way and with very little cost.

 

First you need to stretch out the pelt and tack it on to a plywood board. Then, using a blunt edge so as not to tear the pelt, scrape all of the fat and membrane off of the pelt.

 

The remove the brain from the animal, every animal has enough brain material to tan its own hide, and mix with one and a half cups of lukewarm water.

Cook this for ten mins and mash until you have an oily mixture, split into equal amounts.

 

Rub this all over you pelt and then leave over night.

 

next morning lightly sand the pelt with very fine sand paper and re-apply the remainder of you brain mixture. cover with a very war and damp towel and set aside for the night.

 

Then Stretch it out on the back of a chair or t a handle of a broom held in a vise until dry, pull it in all directions.

 

The smoke it. Hang it above the fire but make sure you have smoke and not flame, saw dust is good for this.

 

leave it to smoke for about two to three hours.

 

And there you have it, the Finished product should be water proof to.

 

I hope you find this useful

 

Oldmantanner

Edited January 6, 2011 by oldmantanner