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Saturday, 22 June 2013

Curing a rabbit skin (bit gross pics)

1 rabbit skin
1 liter of cold water
30ml salt
30ml alum

You need to flatten the skin out as it probably has a neck and little legs where it was removed from the rabbit like a jumper. Just cut through each place. You can neaten it up later. You don't need to try to clean it up at this stage either.

Rinse the skin in cold water as soon as it is off the rabbit to cool it quickly and get any blood off the fur.
Mix the water, salt and alum in a bowl or bucket that is a bit over a liter in size (ie big enough for the water and the skin).
Gently squeeze water out of the skin and put it in the curing liquid. Mix it all around to make sure the whole skin is soaked in the liquid. Put a plate or something on top to keep the skin under the surface.
Leave like this for 48 hours stirring occasionally to make sure the skin is evenly processed.
After 48 hours remove the skin - let as much of the liquid drain back in to the container as possible as you still need it.
You should now be able to peel off the membrane from the skin relatively easily. Do this from all over the skin. You can use a knife as required but the skin is quite fragile so be careful.
Add an additional 30ml of alum and of salt to the liquid. Stir until dissolved and return the skin to the container for further 7 days.
After 7 days check to see whether the curing is complete by boiling a small piece of the skin. If it goes hard and curls up then return the skin to the solution for another few days. The piece of skin should not change much when boiled if it is fully cured.
When it is done remove drain as much liquid as you can from the skin. Then wash it in cold water and wash the fur side with a mild soap. Rinse thoroughly and put on a rack to dry (or peg to clothesline or whatever).
When it is almost dry rub some oil (I use sunflower oil - thinking about adding some essential oil one time) in to the skin and start stretching it until the leather goes soft. If it dries out to much spray it with a plant mister and continue stretching. Each piece you stretch should turn from a translucent off white to an opaque white. Keep doing this until the skin is soft and dry. Brush the fur with a gentle brush and you are finished!

The skin side (with interested dog)
The fur side
Now you need to decide what you are going to do with the skin. One skin won't make much of a hat!

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