where to send hides for tanning

[sjones]

I am having a lamb butchered next week and would like to send the pelt out to be tanned. In the past I have sent my pelts to Stern Tanning Company and have gotten back wonderful hides. My problem is their business burned down about a year or so ago, they have since reopened, but are backlogged with orders. Does anyone know of any other tanneries in the states that do a nice job and are reasonably priced? I would appreciate any helpful info.

Samantha

[juliepoudrier]

Bucks County Fur in Pennsylvania does a good job. Last I checked, they had a 10-12 week turnaround. I need to send some pelts to them myself. Just Google them--they don't have a good website but you can get the number and call. Here you go: Bucks County Fur Products Box 204. Quakertown, PA 18951 215-536-6614

 

J.

[sjones]

Thank you for the info, I was hoping there would be another reliable place to send pelts.

Samantha

[Liz P]

Any idea of the cost per hide? Just butchered a black lamb and would like to have the hide tanned.

[Tea]

You know you can tan them yourself with the lambs brains.

 

if you e-mail me I'll send you power point on it

 

I do this program for Snohomish Cattlemens association every January

 

huiha@centurytel.net

[Bill Fosher]

Last time I used Bucks County (about three years ago) it was $60 per hide plus shipping. They do not accept credit cards -- they will either ship COD or send you a bill and ship your hides out after they get your check. My all-in costs, not counting the time I spent prepping the hides and salting them, were about $85 per hide.

[Maja]

all-in costs, not counting the time I spent prepping the hides and salting them, were about $85 per hide.

Is it financially feasible?

Maja

[Bill Fosher]

Maja,

 

For me? Not really. I managed to sell a few for $120, out of which came a consignment commission. I gave most of them to family and friends as gifts. I have 20 or so, plus a deer hide, ready to go now. I am not in a big rush to spend the money, but I also don't want to see them just rot.

[juliepoudrier]

I was at SAFF (Southeast Animal Fiber Festival) a few years ago and came upon a lovely pelt that I thought I might want to have. I believe it was a border leicester and was long stapled (not super long, but not sheared close). Absolutely gorgeous. The price on it was something like $320. So I think it is possible to make money on a pelt if you have the right customer base and a beautiful fleece.

 

I just butchered three karakuls and got the pelts back from the butcher. I probably have spent an hour (certainly less than two) salting and trimming, so for me the time I spend is rather minimal. I was able to find a 50-lb bag of salt for $3 (at a feed store that was selling it for deer salt--hunting season is upon us--and it's just regular white table salt, and I won't use the whole bag--in fact, I started out with boxes of pickling salt because that's what I could get my hands on right then, at closer to $2/box and used six boxes--still a minimal amount of money).

 

But like Bill, I mainly do it for gifts right now, but eventually hope to market them as another product from my sheep.

 

Tea, I would like to see the powerpoint presentation. Right now it's easier for me to send pelts off, but I would like to learn an alternative method.

 

J.

[Tea]

My brain tanned hides I sell as chemical free.

 

The yoga folks love them

 

It takes me 4 hours to do them

 

I sell them from $100 to $250 bucks

[Liz P]

The lamb was roasted whole for a party, so the brain is not available. He was very a very tasty little beast.

 

I'm not selling the pelt. I've always wanted a black lamb's pelt for my own personal use but the price that others are asking for them is more than I want to pay.

[NorthfieldNick]

I've had people who buy market lambs from me want the pelts back (tanned, not raw), so I've just charged them a nominal fee for my time & materials salting, trimming & shipping it, then tacked on the actual processing cost. The hides just end up in the compost otherwise, so it wasn't a big deal to me- I didn't need to make money on it.

 

I'll have the hides from the big ewes I'm butchering next week tanned... mostly because a certain puppy chewed up my old fleece!

[Mona Howard]

Okay, now my question....Do you get it tanned so it is "washable" as I have seen advertised?

What does it actually mean? I wouldn't suppose you could toss it in your home washing machine?

Take it to a dry cleaner???

[Tea]

a brain tanned hide could not be washed in the machine, even if it were smoked.

 

The wool would felt.

 

You spot clean it very carefully.

 

Or gently soak it and rework, but only if it had been smoked

[Bill Fosher]

Bucks County has a washable process. You put the hide in the washer on the gentle cycle with a certain kind of detergent (Woolite, maybe?).

[sjones]

Eucalan is another wool washing product that one could try.

 

I was very happy with the border leicester pelts I sent to Bucks, although they were a bit more expensive than the place I normally sent to. I sold one of the pelts as a dog bed for some pampered daschunds.

 

Samantha

[Tea]

Since my computer died, I have lost my power point. I will put up recipe for brain tanning soon

[Tea]

I found the power point so f you want this info pm me