can you degrease an already tanned fur hide?

[bunnyhunter]

A few year back when deer hunting on a friends land I came across a freshly shot coyote in its prime. That said I wasnt experienced in-tanning yotes, as much as I tried I couldnt get all the fat off these spoiled coyotes! the fur is tanned but still a greasy feel , can I re-treat the prime fur??? it looks great and intact, but still had that-oily feel> any advice?

another question is how do you soften older , but tanned hides?
cheers!!

BW spoiled I man FAT!

[waterninja]

perhaps hand washing in warm soapy water? might even try hair shampoo for greasy hair.

[shakeyleg02]

If its just the fur you can tumble in hardwood sawdust and some mineral spirits

[walking buffalo]

Did you oil the hide after tanning? Perhaps you used too much.

Try and soak up the excess oil with just sawdust or a cloth.

[HunterDave]

I'm tanning a couple of coyote pelts right now.

Part of my tanning process is to wash the greasy, salty pelt in dish soap and rinse well in water. You can do that now after the leather is tanned as long as you go through the proper drying process again.

To soften the leather after tanning I go over it with a wire wheel in my drill when it's still on the forming board and dry, or almost dry. You may have to re-hydrate the leather on a case skinned pelt if you are turning it inside out for a wall hanger. Don't forget to let the leather dry afterwards.

[shakeyleg02]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

I'm tanning a couple of coyote pelts right now.

Part of my tanning process is to wash the greasy, salty pelt in dish soap and rinse well in water. You can do that now after the leather is tanned as long as you go through the proper drying process again.

To soften the leather after tanning I go over it with a wire wheel in my drill when it's still on the forming board and dry, or almost dry. You may have to re-hydrate the leather on a case skinned pelt if you are turning it inside out for a wall hanger. Don't forget to let the leather dry afterwards.

Is that all your using to degrease the skin dave? I used to use white gas much more effective imho

[South west trappin RG]

Originally Posted by shakeyleg02

If its just the fur you can tumble in hardwood sawdust and some mineral spirits

X2

[HunterDave]

Originally Posted by shakeyleg02

Is that all your using to degrease the skin dave? I used to use white gas much more effective imho

Yes, but it's a 3 day procedure of soaking, salting and scraping each day. There's no grease on the leather when I'm done and washing the pelt with dish soap and rinsing is just to get the hair clean and free of grease. I use a bottled tanning solution on the leather side and go over it with a wire wheel on my drill to soften the leather.

It's kinda cheating to use the bottled tanning solution but that was the first way that I learned how to do it and I've never had a problem doing it that way.

[coyote_man]

Would borax help at all?