Fels Napth Soap for Tanning...

[tufhelp]

I got this from the link that Nancy 1340 posted where you can buy Fels Naptha Soap. It was down near the bottom of the page.

http://www.soapsgonebuy.com/Fels_Naptha_Soap_p/d1001.htm


"Recipe for tanning hides submitted by a gentleman in Indiana…. Did you know that Fels-Naptha makes a great leather tanning solution??? It's much safer than almost any other (chromium or solvent) method for tanning. In 1980, a friend and I tanned 30 deer hides....some for leather, and some with the hair on for rugs, with great success! The hides with the hair on, STILL retain the hair to this day! Use 1 bar per gallon of liquid....we reduced the bars to shavings first, over low heat (we did this in a big cast iron kettle over a campfire), then allowed it to cool. It turns into a runny "gel". Then the hides need to be fully immersed for 1-2 months, depending on ambient temperature. Just thought I'd pass this along, as I'm preparing to do some tanning again just now."

[NYCBOY]

Tuff, if i have one deer hide that i would like to tan [ hair off ] how many gallons of liquid [ water ? ] do i need ? Then i submerse the hide for 1-2 months, then what ? Thnx

[tufhelp]

I'm not a tanner; but I was surprised to learn that Fel's Naptha was, among all its other virtues, a tanning solution. I'm guessing you'd have to follow all the "regular" prep stages for tanning (flesh and grease/oil removal etc.) and then use the recipe, followed by some type of rinsing regimen. Probably best to get some insight from them that are tanners for this one.

[Smoky]

With any tanning solution that I know of, (I have not used FNS) you have just enough liquid to completely cover your hide/hides. My experience is with bark tanning, so you stir and move the hide around periodically. After 2 weeks or so, cut the edge just a bit to see if the color is all the way thru. When it is, go on to the next step, staking.