Tanning Roadkill Skins
Moderator: Scott Waters
Tanning Roadkill Skins
Does anyone do this? I've wondered about tanning the skins of roadkill, and I have no idea if it's worth it or possible? If you've done it and have good results let us all know. Gerry had mentioned that he would like to make a hat band so that a road kill isn't a total waste and I agree that there are a lot of good uses, rather than carrion. Please educate us if you've done it, and how you dealt with any smell that might have persisted to keep it gone.
Re: Tanning Roadkill Skins
I've done it for a number of roadkills, and have a bunch in my freezer awaiting me. My method is to skin, scrape all bits of meat off with spoon, then pin it down to a piece of cardboard (with the inside up). Salt with borax for 1 day. After that, remove all the borax and apply glycerine generously, several times a day, for 2-3 days. The skin ends up soft, and pliable. I skinned and "tanned" them several years ago and had them rolled up in paper towels in a zip lock until last summer when I finally got around to gluing them down to a board and I have no smell issues. Not sure if this method would be the way to go for any other purpose, though (such as a hat band).
- Blacktail31
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Re: Tanning Roadkill Skins
I do this whenever I find road kills that aren't too chewed up. I use the skins on knife sheaths and other leather projects. And the ones that I find that are too smashed up I usually try and get them off the road so that whatever comes to dine on it does not get it self hit as well.
Re: Tanning Roadkill Skins
Step one: go roadcruising.
…but you don't do that, right Justin?! ;D
…but you don't do that, right Justin?! ;D
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Re: Tanning Roadkill Skins
I've been curing/tanning skins for decades, with excellent results. oh well.
- AndyO'Connor
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Re: Tanning Roadkill Skins
LOL Chad.
I haven't done it personally but I know it's been done for a variety of novelty items like bookmarks, knife sheaths, belts, hat bands, etc by a few people I've met over the years. Sorry I don't have techniques to add.
I haven't done it personally but I know it's been done for a variety of novelty items like bookmarks, knife sheaths, belts, hat bands, etc by a few people I've met over the years. Sorry I don't have techniques to add.
Re: Tanning Roadkill Skins
As beautiful as some of our native North American species are (e.g. the cornsnake), you'd think using their skins for one purpose or another would be at least a bit nearer to mainstream. Instead, all I've ever seen offered anywhere commercially are rattlesnake skin products, clearly targeting the "oooo-it's-a-rattlesnake!" crowd.
Stohl, Blacktail, helli... it would fun to see pictures of some of the items you've made using various kinds of snakeskin, if you're inclined to post such.
Gerry
Stohl, Blacktail, helli... it would fun to see pictures of some of the items you've made using various kinds of snakeskin, if you're inclined to post such.
Gerry
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Re: Tanning Roadkill Skins
there are some great tanning products out there for reptiles, Kwik-tan is a great one that I have used. Sold buy Rittel's I do believe
Re: Tanning Roadkill Skins
chad ks wrote:Step one: go roadcruising.
…but you don't do that, right Justin?! ;D
Well Chaddles I'm not a huge fan of it. Having said that I have three Bullsnakes in my freezer that happened two houses down from me and unfortunately keeps happening. Not much roadcruising involved in this case.
Thanks for the helpful replies, my ole buddy Chad is up to shenanigans. I'll look into the Borax, and other product suggested. I think it's a shame that these beauties would just be wasted.
Re: Tanning Roadkill Skins
Yes, I was in the taxidermy trade for several years and we used a 50-50 mix of rubbing (isopropel) alcohol and glycerine to paint the inside of a cleaned (scraped) and stretched and pinned skin. Paint as described above. Some (most and maybe all) would them dull and the epidermis would then have to be removed by a gentle rubbing. Larger skins were often sewed to to scalloped colored felt to accentuate that particular snake's colors. I can only recall doing rattlesnakes. ART
- chris_mcmartin
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Re: Tanning Roadkill Skins
Does stretching and pinning during the tanning process result in a permanently "stretched" skin? I've seen mounted skins that are stretched, and perhaps it's only done to exaggerate the true size of the animal, but it results in a skin that looks unnatural--like a grossly overfed snake.
I'd prefer to see a skin with naturally overlapping scales, true to life, but does that hinder the tanning process?
I'd prefer to see a skin with naturally overlapping scales, true to life, but does that hinder the tanning process?
- Chris Smith
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Re: Tanning Roadkill Skins
I heard of a new, simple, way to prepare skins (not traditional tanning). If interested, I can try to dig up the details. PM me.
-Chris
-Chris
Re: Tanning Roadkill Skins
Chris_M..., Yes an overstretched skin does make it larger, particularly the neck area. I once mounted (sorry, but that is the correcr term for "stuffed"} a C. ruber and just laid the skin upsde down while tanning. The tanned skins are very flexible, and even then I had to be careful not to stretch it over the form and in some places even slide or manipulate the rows back to a closer to lifelike appearance. Art
Re: Tanning Roadkill Skins
Yes, I actually have quite a collection of DOR skins now...My process is rather simple.
1) Skin the animal
2) Flash the skin. Really important to get all the membrane, fat, etc from the inside of the skin.
3) Pin the skin to a piece of carboard, fleshed side up.
4) From this point, I apply SnakeTan 2x a day for 5-7 days. I actually start applying the SnakeTan when the skin is still slightly damp. It seems to absorb the inital coat better.
1-2 days after initial fleshing, the outermost sides of the skin (belly scales) will start to curl up a bit....This is the skin drying out and is normal. Just be sure to faithfully apply the SnakeTan 1-2x a day until the skin doesn't absorb any more. It's a glycerin based product so it is absorbed easily. At that point, remove the excess SankeTan with a towel....As the last step, take some scissors and snip off the outermost section of belly scales that curled up...You should still have plenty of belly scales left for a nice, flat, pliable skin for mounting, hanging, etc.
And you're done! No more norax, no more salt, no more of any of that. My skins come out soft and plaible every time, and the SnakeTan does an amazing job with color retention.
You can find SnakeTan online or at just about any taxidermy shop. It's not cheap, but it lasts awhile.
-Kris
1) Skin the animal
2) Flash the skin. Really important to get all the membrane, fat, etc from the inside of the skin.
3) Pin the skin to a piece of carboard, fleshed side up.
4) From this point, I apply SnakeTan 2x a day for 5-7 days. I actually start applying the SnakeTan when the skin is still slightly damp. It seems to absorb the inital coat better.
1-2 days after initial fleshing, the outermost sides of the skin (belly scales) will start to curl up a bit....This is the skin drying out and is normal. Just be sure to faithfully apply the SnakeTan 1-2x a day until the skin doesn't absorb any more. It's a glycerin based product so it is absorbed easily. At that point, remove the excess SankeTan with a towel....As the last step, take some scissors and snip off the outermost section of belly scales that curled up...You should still have plenty of belly scales left for a nice, flat, pliable skin for mounting, hanging, etc.
And you're done! No more norax, no more salt, no more of any of that. My skins come out soft and plaible every time, and the SnakeTan does an amazing job with color retention.
You can find SnakeTan online or at just about any taxidermy shop. It's not cheap, but it lasts awhile.
-Kris
- Kerby Ross
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Been doing taxidermy since 1974......
And specialize in reptile taxidermy both skin mounts and reproductions. Most "snake tans" suck....bottom line, especilally Rittels. They are very harsh on reptile skins.
I prefer fleshing and then 1:1 glycerine/alcohol. It is not a tan, it is a treatment. Skins will stay soft forever. Well the first one i did was in 1982 and it is still soft. LOL
Kerby...
I prefer fleshing and then 1:1 glycerine/alcohol. It is not a tan, it is a treatment. Skins will stay soft forever. Well the first one i did was in 1982 and it is still soft. LOL
Kerby...
Re: Tanning Roadkill Skins
Sounds like Kris and Kerby use a similar process to me, other than the borax. I try not to stretch the skins when I pin them down and the end product doesn't have a stretched out look.
Below is one of my C. horridus skins. Just mounted it to a a piece of 1x6 that I stained. Used contact cement cause I had it laying around. Wont do that again. Not sure what I will use next time (any suggestions?). I want to cover it with something but not sure what yet. I tried a spray on polyurethane, but it didn't go on thick enough, even with many coats. Think I might try a resin (like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D09mhf1eXPQ) that will completely encase the skin and protect it.
What would you use to protect the skin if you were to use it on a knife handle or something similar that would get a lot of wear?
-Kevin
Below is one of my C. horridus skins. Just mounted it to a a piece of 1x6 that I stained. Used contact cement cause I had it laying around. Wont do that again. Not sure what I will use next time (any suggestions?). I want to cover it with something but not sure what yet. I tried a spray on polyurethane, but it didn't go on thick enough, even with many coats. Think I might try a resin (like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D09mhf1eXPQ) that will completely encase the skin and protect it.
What would you use to protect the skin if you were to use it on a knife handle or something similar that would get a lot of wear?
-Kevin
- walk-about
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Re: Tanning Roadkill Skins
Kerby,
That's some dang good look'n road-kill! Seriously?
Dave
That's some dang good look'n road-kill! Seriously?
Dave
- Kerby Ross
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? ? ?
Seriously on what?
Kerby...
Kerby...
- M Wolverton
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Re: Tanning Roadkill Skins
I've skinned a bunch of them. Might as well if they are already DOR.
I can't add much to what has already been added as for methods. I don't stretch them, it messes up the pattern. I no longer use borax or other drying agent, they dry by themselves fine.
I can't add much to what has already been added as for methods. I don't stretch them, it messes up the pattern. I no longer use borax or other drying agent, they dry by themselves fine.
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Re: Tanning Roadkill Skins
1/4 in of plain old salt drys them out in a day or so...then you use the salt to hand sand, to remove all the dry flesh. soak in rose water. scrape off outer layer of skin, for that newly-shed look... jim
- Tim Borski
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Re: Tanning Roadkill Skins
I've done some EDB's and dozens of Coral snakes. I freeze them until my wife tells me I have too many and then I spend an aft thawing and skinning. (Easy...scissors up the vent/careful around the head) I tack them skin side down and cover with 20 mule team Borax and let them sit over night. The next day, the Borax will be "pink" with the moisture it has pulled out and I brush it all off, then sprinkle another layer, etc. I do this for as long as it takes (typically 4 applications) until the borax remains pure white. They last at least several years like this, and a lot longer if you put them under glass or something else to keep them stationary.
Tim
Tim
- Kerby Ross
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A tutorial......
Here is a tutorial from my website on mounting a rattlesnake.
http://www.lonesomevalleytaxidermy.com/ ... torial.htm
Kerby...
http://www.lonesomevalleytaxidermy.com/ ... torial.htm
Kerby...
Re: Tanning Roadkill Skins
I have some lepidus skins from DORs that I did with the 50/50 glycerine/isopropyl technique back in the late 80s that still look great. Two more thumbs up for that simple and cheap technique.
Re: Tanning Roadkill Skins
Is 60% isopropyl appropriate? Where does one buy glycerine?
Re: Tanning Roadkill Skins
Joseph S. wrote:Is 60% isopropyl appropriate? Where does one buy glycerine?
Glycerine can be found at just about any drug store.
Re: Tanning Roadkill Skins
As previously mentioned glycerol can be found at any chain drug store. You can also consider hardware store alternatives such as acetone, denatured alcohol, etc. to take the place of isopropanol.Is 60% isopropyl appropriate? Where does one buy glycerine?
Personally, and I know that 50/50 works, I've always been curious about better recipes. 50/50 is just too damn generic, albeit it does work. Main goal is dehydrating and killing the bugs (alcohol, etc.) and making the skin pliable (glycerin).
I'm no chemist, but this looks like an interesting alternative to glycerin, and just as much fun:
K-Y NG uses glycerin and hydroxyethyl cellulose as the lubricant, with chlorhexidine gluconate, glucono delta-lactone, methylparaben and sodium hydroxide as antiseptic and preservative additives.
Cheers,
Shane
- MarcLinsalata
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Re: Tanning Roadkill Skins
Sorry if this has been addressed but is it ok to skin the snake then through the skins back in the freezer to dry on a later date? Or will that somehow mess them up?