I tanned a couple muskrats few weeks ago. I just finished a grey fox today.







Same method but I can't get the rats to come out as soft as the others whether it's fox, coon, otter or even beaver.

What is the secret to getting soft leather on the rats. What I'm getting is pliable, just not soft like the others.

Possibly not rehydrated sufficiently before the tanning process?
Looks to be no stretch to the leather.

I'm going to say apply a softening oil, let dry about 80 percent then break over a smooth table corner. Repeat process about 3times then just keep working over the corner.

To me it looks like a possible degreasing issue.

The pelt in the photo is plenty soft, that's not the problem.

Give me few and I'll post the muskrat.

3 main reasons for stiff leather is- (1) insufficient rehydration,(2)-incomplete penetration of the tanning agent due to insufficient amount for hide wt.or due to #1. (3)-incomplete stuffing of the hide fibres with oil after tanning,allowing the fibres to lock up.

I have home tanned lots of different furbearers and could not get muskrats to turn out right. They were done in the same batch as the other furbearers. Something weird about muskrat leather.

Thanks everybody.

52Carl, let me know if you get it figured out and like wise if I stumble across the magic solution. lol

did you remove the saddle?

Yes.

Boco is 100% right on all points. I would add that rehydration times can vary a lot from hide to hide even if they are the same species. I just finished up some beaver and two pelts took twice as long to rehydrate as the others. They have to be completely rehydrated or you wont get a soft tan no matter what method you use. The hide should feel like it just came off the animal. Good luck

They did.

Hard to tell without feeling it but the leather doesn't look like the pickle opened the fibres. How long did you leave it in the pickle? What degreaser did you use?

The method stated 3 days, I got busy with work and left it 7.

Dish soap is part of the process used prior to tanning. The pelt gets hygrated, washed, scraped, pickled, tanned and broken.

The leather of the grey fox pictured is dirty from the pole I broke it on.

Tumble them in the dryer with a couple tennis balls no heat.

Next time try some Super Solve for the degreasing step. A little bit goes a long ways. I know some guys use dish soap successfully but I havent had much luck with it. I do know that it is next to impossible to get a soft tan if there is any grease left in the hide. Super Solve will turn even a bear hide almost clear in just 30 minutes.

Agreed! My leather has been coming out great! I use rittles tan! Use a wire wheel to break it! And even to flesh during picking! Here is a picture of my leather. It’s tan because I air dry and then use a dryer with old shoes and boots to break it. The last 2 pictures are of a guy who uses rittles ez tan as well. He just takes his time and also salt dries them. Love the product.

Oh I figured it out alright. I send them off now. Too much work to break them down (my teeth were getting sore )

Those look awesome!! I use a wire wheel on thin skinned fur during the pickle as well, how do you break them with a wire wheel? The nice thing about Rittles EZ100 and Trubond is that its washable, Lutan isn't.