I finally got around to working on the skins of the sheep we slaughtered in the fall. It was actually really easy.
I had wet-salted them in the fall and just stored them in a garbage bag on the ground outside. They still looked good in the spring, with a handful of mouse poop in them but no damage.
I simply racked the sheep skin and washed the hair side thoroughly. Then I rinsed with water and washed again before a final rinse. I let it dry in the sun and still in the rack.
When it was completely dry, I took a pet brush and brushed out all the debris. Then, I removed all the salt on the membrane side with a dry scrubby sponge and finished off by using a pumice stone to break off the remaining membrane. And that's it!
Of course, it's not as soft as a brain-tanned skin but it's flexible enough to be rolled up and used as a rug.
Now we have a nice finished product and it took very minimal effort.
See the video for this project here: http://sustainablelivingproject.blogspot.com/2011/10/making-sheep-skin-rugs-video.html
I've just finished watching your excellent videos on tanning sheep skin. I was wondering, if I am planning on using the hide right away, how long after I have salted it and propped it up do I have to wait before moving on to the next step? Thanks much! - Kelsey
ReplyDeleteHi Kelsey,
DeleteI've never done formal experiments on how long it takes the salt to tan the hide well. I usually get my hides in the Fall, salt them, store them, and then work them in the summer, at which point they're definitely ready. My guess is that it takes a couple of months before the salt can really do its thing. If you try a shorter amount of time let me know how it works!
Best,
Xavier