I believe the risks are not worth the extreme effort involved. In the case of rabbit tanning, it is also harder to procure the brains during processing than it is a larger animal. One method, known as “brain tanning” is possibly more sufficient for homesteaders, or back-to-basics followers, but there are a few drawbacks and risks involved with handling raw brains, such as contact with possible parasites that are not a danger in any other part of processing any animal. It has to be said that there are a few other recipes for tanning solution, but the acid tanning is the most durable, and the easiest to get supplies for. Cement garages or basements, again, are best, and least affected by any dripping solution.ĭo not use anything metal for any of your supplies such as buckets or stirring sticks. Make sure you place it in a room with a floor that can get wet. A garage or basement works fine, or if necessary, a bathroom. A clothesline strung to make at least four feet of hanging room, preferably in a warm room.1 piece of plywood, cut to the same diameter as the inside of the bucket.1 8-oz package of battery acid (easily found at any auto supply store).2 pounds of rock salt (the type used in water softeners works fine and is easy to come by).1 plastic or wooden stirring stick about 2-feet long.This way you’ll keep them until you have enough to make tanning worthwhile. If you do not have enough at a single butchering time, collect them, leave them flesh side out (as they will be after removing from the animal), wash them off, rub plain table salt on the flesh side, bag them in a sealable baggie, and store them in the freezer. You can begin the process of tanning immediately after butchering your rabbits. The supplies listed below are enough to tan five to ten hides at a time. If you are at a stage where you need to take action and don’t have the supplies you need, you may end up ruining the entire project. Even though it takes a few days, tanning is a time-sensitive process. Gather all of the tools and products you need ahead of time so you aren’t missing anything. However, while the process takes days, your actual involvement is only a few hours total (and most of that time is taken up by soaking the pelts). It is not a “one-off” project where you spend a few hours, and you’re done. It takes a little bit of practice, but once you have the method down, you can do it easily. Tanning hides is not necessarily a difficult thing to do. You are going to slaughter the animal you’re going to use the meat, so it makes no sense to throw the beautiful pelt away in the trash-in fact, it is a senseless waste. Anyone interested in the back-to-basic lifestyle knows that it is important to make the best uses of all of your resources. The idea of wearing fur (or making anything with fur) has some negative connotations in modern society, but fur is a natural by-product of raising meat rabbits.
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