For light thin fur skins, deer capes, or deer back hides; flesh skins, degrease, and salt overnight. Degreasing deer skins is optional! Next day, wash skin thoroughly in detergent and cold water. Rinse skins until the water is clear. Next mix up acid and salt solution to a pH of 1.5 to 2.0 If using Van Dyke’s Pickling Crystals, follow instructions furnished. Pickle light skins for 24 hours. Pickle deer skins for 48 hours. After pickling, neutralize skins before tanning. Neutralize skins by adding 1 oz. Sodium Bicarbonate per gallon of cold water, or 2 oz. of Borax per gallon of cold water. Soak light skins for 10 to 15 minutes, and deer skins for 20 to 25 minutes. Use enough neutralizing solution to submerge skin. EXAMPLE: 2 to 3 gallons of neutralizer for light skins; 5 to 7 gallons for deer skins.

Silver Toners or Brighteners can be added to tanning solution. See Van Dyke’s catalog for Silver Toners and Fur Brighteners.

NEXT MIX UP LUTANF AS FOLLOWS: For light skins use only enough water to submerse the skin. The same rule applies to heavier skins such as deer. EXAMPLE: 2 to 3 gallons of water for a light skin; 5 gallons for a deer skin. Always remember, just use enough water to submerse skin; and lay skin out as flat as possible, without a lot of folds in the skin. The more room the skin has to lay flat, the better the skin will tan. That is a general rule for all types of tan.

First add one gallon of hot tap water to tanning vessel. Dissolve correct amount of LUTAN®F and salt in hot water. The formula for amounts of Lutan®F used is based on the weight of drained capes and skins. See chart below for approximate usage of Lutan®F and salt:.

Tanning time for light skins is 8 to 10 hours. Tanning time for deer skins is 14 to 16 yours (overnight) if they are shaved thin! Tan unshaved deer capes for 24 to 48 hours. Never leave deer capes or light skins in Lutan®F for more than 48 hours. Over tanning will begin to sacrifice the stretch that is so desirable for fitting the skin or cape to the form.

After tanning, remove skin or cape from the tanning solution and give the skin a quick rinse in clear water and hang them to drain for 20 minutes. This is intended to remove only the excess water trapped in fur or hair; but to leave the skin fibers filled with water, which will later be replaced by oil.

Heat tanning oil to 110 to 120 F. Apply warm oil to room temperature skin or cape. Oil all parts of the skin liberally. After applying warm oil, fold the skin or cape (flesh to flesh), then fold or roll into a bundle. Place it in a warm area for 4 to 6 hours. If you wish to mount skin or cape immediately after oiling, you may do so. Wipe excess oil from surface of skin or cape with a rag that has been dampened with mineral spirits or lacquer thinner.

FREEZING SKINS OR CAPES: First remove excess oil form surface of skin or cape. Mineral spirits or lacquer thinner on a rag will work for excess oil removal from skin. Towel dry hair or tumble skins in saw dust to remove excess moisture form hair or fur side. Place skin or cape in plastic bag and freeze.

TUMBLE & AIR DRY SKINS & CAPES: Tumble skins and capes in dry saw dust or corn cob grit. You may wish to add some mineral spirits to the grit to aid in removal of oil from hair or fur, and excess oil from surface of skin. If you do not have a tumbler, you can apply saw dust by hand to hair or fur and flesh side of skin. After skin and hair or fur is fairly dry, shake saw dust from skin. Lay skin or cape on wire mesh so air can get to both sides of the skin, or hang skin or cape so air can circulate around it. Store at room temperature until skin is totally dry. The night before you are ready to mount the skin, soak it for 30 minutes in a salt solution. Mix 8 oz. of salt with each 1 gallon of cold tap water. Make sure the skin or cape is limber enough to mount. You can leave it in salt water for additional 15 to 30 minutes

ONLY IF NECESSARY!

OILING AND BREAKING AFTER TANNING: For rug making light skins, hold flesh side of skin under HOT tap water for several minutes to warm the surface of the skin. Next, apply Protal Tanning Oil to surface of skin. Preferably pre-heated oil, if possible. Amount of oil used varies, but an example would be 1 to 2 oz. of tanning oil for 1 Fox skin, or 3 to 4 oz. of tanning oil for 1 Deer cape. Continue teasing and breaking for several days. After skin is dry and broke, sand skin with sandpaper for additional softness, if desired. Use 80 to 100 grit sandpaper for light skins; 60 grit for sanding deer skins.

Silver Toners and Brighteners can be added to the tanning solution to enhance the color or brightness of light skins used for rug work, etc. Also brighteners work great for deer back hide rugs and capes. See Van Dyke’s catalog for Silver Toners and Brighteners.

The directions for the use of this product are furnished without guarantee for liability on our part.