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Want to learn how to tan a rabbit hide? Tanning a rabbit hide is easy and fairly quick process. If you hunt rabbits and want to learn how to tan a rabbit’s hide, then this is the article you need to read. We discuss the steps to take a raw rabbit hide and tan in into a soft and pliable fur that can be used for carpet or clothing.
How To Tan A Rabbit Hide
- Fleshing The Hide
Place the hide with the flesh side facing you on a hard surface like a board. Use pins to pin them to the board. Using a knife that is not too sharp slowly and carefully skin out the flesh. Rabbit hide is thin so you have to carefully work on the hide. Take your time and methodically cut away the flesh from the hide. Fleshing the hide removes the flesh to expose the leather for tanning.
2. Salting
Cover the hide with non-iodized salt for 2 to 3 days. The salt dehydrates the hide and preserves it from bacteria.
3. Rinse The Pelt
Remove the salt after 4 hours and rinse it to remove all of the salt.
4. Tanning
It is now time to tan the pelt. Use a tanning solution of equal parts of denatured alcohol and water. Mix it and submerge the hide into this mixture for about 12 hours.
5. Rinse Hide Again
Remove the hide from the alcohol mixture and wash it in a bucket of soap water to get rid of the alcohol odor. This also helps to make it softer. Rinse it after the soap water.
6. Dry The Fur
Place the hide on a hard surface with the flesh side up and gently wipe it with a towel to remove any water on it.
7. Rub With Oil
Work some olive oil into the flesh of the hide. Let it sit for about 12 to 14 hours with the oil.
8. Wash Off The Oil
After it sits for 12 to 14 hours with the olive oil, wash it off with soap water to get the oil off. Let it dry and pat it to also get it to dry quickly. Stretch it carefully to break the fibers and make it pliable. After this work on the hide, you will have a tanned rabbit hide.
The Bottom Line
How to tan a rabbit hide is not difficult and a lengthy process as tanning a deer hide. There are many different ways to tan a rabbit hide and they all work. In this article, we have discussed how to tan a rabbit hide.
If you want to improve your rabbit hunting skills, you can read the best rabbit hunting tips. We hope this will give you the information you need to tan the rabbit hide after you take home rabbits from your hunting trips. You can also read how tan a deer hide, and how to preserve game meat.
