What's the benefit to folding a salted hide?

[Tac.20]

I read through Jim Champions 101 and it says to fold or roll the hide up after salting, then set it somewhere to drain.

What is the purpose of folding it up? Would it be bad to let the hide lay flat unfolded with the salt on it? Also when he says to set it somewhere to drain, I assume set it upright so it drains to one edge? Do you usually tie something around it to keep it from unrolling?

 

[bobcatspotfever]

never use salt.Use Borax.Borax is your friend

 

[skunker101]

that dude is evidently a moron. don't roll em or fold em. they need to be layed out flat for at least 3 days min. my reasoning behind that coment is that salt ONLY penetrates down. unless your messin with taxidermy stuff ya only salt deer, elk, etc. large game hide. don't salt fur.

 

[BubbaChicken]

Hmm...

I must have defied some physics then because I used sea salt on calf hides and hog hides for the two or three years I did them, and I always laid the hide flat and scraped it, then dried, salted, rubbed, and scraped, redried, and salted it again. I then folded it such that the internal was touching, AND rolled it up, and bound it with twine. I was not trying for pliable leather but I had no rot and no smells, as long as I set the rolled hide up so that the open side would drain. I dunno, maybe I am an idiot too??? Who knows, maybe we both learned from the same selection of publications on the topic...??

 

[fw707]

Originally Posted By: bobcatspotfevernever use salt.Use Borax.Borax is your friend

Use borax for what?

 

[Tim Neitzke]

Ahh crap ! Not the air dry vs. borax vs. salt thing again.....

There are many ways to prep a hide . It all depends on what the hide is and what you are doing with it.

It's a frigg'n wonder anything ever makes to the taxi or the tanner,eh Jeff .

 

[fw707]

Originally Posted By: Tim Neitzke

It's a frigg'n wonder anything ever makes to to the taxi or the tanner,eh Jeff .

Yep, it's a miracle!

 

[shepherd0610]

I'm a taxidermist and avid trapper.
the purpose of salting hides and rolling them and putting them on a angle is speed dry them the salt pulls the moisture out and it drains when rolled up and set on angle.
after a day of that u unroll and re-salt with fresh salt flat on floor.

if you going to BORAX a hide and not properly prep it. it will be bald when comes back from tanner
if not bald with be stiff and not limber.

Borax is a preservative trappers use around ears, and tough to dry spots.