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processing bird capes

520 views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  pilchuck steelie 
G
#1 ·
can anyone give me some info on steps to process bird capes.
i was recently given several pheasant and chukar skins that
have been salted and dryed 4 -6 days.not knowing what to do
next i placed them in zip locks and they are now in frezzer.
there is not a feather out of place on them and i shld like to
make the most of them.
from the central Orgeon coast
 
#3 ·
Next time try borax instead of salt. Lay the skin out, skin side up and cover it with a good layer of borax. After a few days shake off the borax and and replace it with a fresh layer. Continue doing this until the skin is thoroughly and completely dry. At this point it should keep indefinitely, I usually just dust mine off thoroughly and put them into ziplock bags with a mothball or two. The disadvantage of salt is its propensity to absorb moisture from the air; in humid conditions a salted skin can tend to become sticky and unpleasant to handle.
Note: Be sure to obtain straight borax. Do not use Boraxo which is a detergent product containing borax.
 
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