Preparing your rabbit skins are now ready for tanning

Preparing your rabbit skins

Once you have as many rabbit skins as you want, you can move on to tanning them. 

There are several methods for tanning, but before tanning, you will need to prepare the skins. Preparing the skins means softening them, removing any fat or flesh remaining on them, and removing the oil from the skins. 

After the skin is dry, open it by making a cut along the midline or the stomach so you can stretch it out on a flat surface.

Use a blunt knife to scrape off any flesh or fat still on the skin. 

Remove the remaining oil from the skin by working it in a fat solvent.

Soften the dried skins by soaking them in several different vats of water over a one-to three-hour period. Depending on the rabbit skin, it can take more or less time to soften. 

You will need to keep the soaking time to a minimum, as too much soaking will loosen the fur. Adding one ounce of borax or bicarbonate of soda to a gallon of water for soaking will help soften the skins. 

Putting some soap or detergent in the mix can help remove fat.

Your rabbit skins are now ready for tanning.

Salt alum tanning One way to tan your skins is by using salt alum. 

Here is the recipe for this solution:

• Step 1. Dissolve 1 pound of ammonium aluminum sulfate or potassium aluminum sulfate (alum) in 1 gallon of water.
• Step 2. Dissolve 4 ounces of sodium carbonate and 8 ounces of sodium chloride (salt) in ½ gallon of water.
• Step 3. Slowly add the soda and salt solution to the alum solution and stir vigorously.
• Step 4. Mix flour with the combined solutions to form a thin paste; mix the flour with a little water first to aid in preventing lumps from forming.

After your rabbit skins are prepared and ready for tanning, they should be tacked to a flat surface. Use the paste made from this salt alum recipe to coat the skins with a layer of paste about 1/8-inch thick.

Cover the skins lightly with a cloth or paper.

Let the skins set for about 24 hours. 

Remove the paste with a cloth and apply a second coat for another 24 hours. For thick skins, another coat may be necessary. 

The last coating should stay on the skins for three to four days.

When you remove the last coat, you should wash the skins in a solution of borax and bicarbonate of soda (1 ounce per gallon of water).

 Gently squeeze out the excess solution, then rinse out the skins in plain water and squeeze out the excess water. 

Do not wring the skins. 

Stretch the skins on the hangers or stretchers again. When they are almost dry, you should work on the skin by rubbing and pulling on the skins over a table edge to soften it. 

This will stretch and soften the skin. 

If the skin is still rough, you can use a block of sandpaper to make it softer. 

You can add Neat’s foot oil, leather conditioner, or glycerin to make the skin softer and more pliable.

The salt alum method is usually considered a better tanning method than the salt acid method, but the rabbit skin may still be slightly tough and hard when it is finished, so you may need to work more to get the skins softened. 

You may have to resoak the skins or repeat the rubbing procedures to make the skins softer.

You should be able to tan three or four rabbit skins with this recipe.

Salt acid tanning

You can also tan rabbit hides using this recipe:

Step 1. Dissolve 1 pound of sodium chloride (salt) in 1 gallon of water

Step 2. Add ½ ounce of concentrated sulfuric acid to the sodium chloride solution very carefully. CAUTION: Sulfuric acid is a corrosive agent and must be handled cautiously.

Avoid contact with your skin or clothing

. Store the acid and the finished solution in a glass or earthenware contain.

Do NOT store it in a metal container. 

When adding the acid to the salt solution, pour it slowly, and stir constantly.

If the acid of the acid mixture comes in contact with your skin, rinse immediately with a solution of bicarbonate of soda.

Step 3. Adding acid to the salt will generate heat. 

As soon as the mixture cools, it is ready for use.

Prepare the rabbit skins in the same way as with the salt alum tanning method.

 Place each skin in the salt acid solution, fully covering the skin, and allow it to stay there for one to three days, stirring periodically. 

Once the skin is tanned, remove it from the solution, rinse it in plain water, and then rinse again in a solution of borax or bicarbonate of soda (1 ounce per gallon of water). 

Finish by rinsing with plain water again. 

Squeeze out excess water, stretch the skin, allow the skin to almost dry, and then work with the skin (rubbing and pulling it) to soften it as it dries, as with the salt alum method.

You can obtain the chemicals and materials for tanning your rabbit skins from biological supply companies, handcraft shops, and stores that offer supplies for home butchering and tanning such as F & T’s Fur Harvester’s Trading Post (www.fntpost.com/Categories/Fur+Handling/Tanning/Tanning+Kits+Suppli They also offer premixed tanning solutions and other tanning supplies.