Conger Skin.

[den]

Off for a fish in the next couple of days and the mark I fish will normally brings in a conger or two.

Has anyone tanned conger skin before? I can’t find much on the net about this?

I have read before that all animals have enough brains to tan their own skin but is this true for fish?

What else could I use which is natural?

I don’t really want to use any industrial chemicals.

Cheers



When I lived in a shared house about five years ago I tanned a cow skin from start to finish. I underestimated the amount of work and mess it took to produce. Funny enough all house mates moved out shortly after. I think it was me sitting in an empty bath with a stinking cow skin over my lap pulling hair out or maybe not being able to have a bath as an 8ft frame with a cow skin stretched over it took bath priority. I’ve got a Mrs Now which keeps me in order and I know it’s more than my life is worth.

 

[Realgar]

Yes I've tanned it with birch tar, you just work it into the skin - it makes an excellent leather. Don't salt it whatever you ( don't ask me why, I was just told that ). I usualy dilute the tar down with glycerol and alcohol - it penetrates better and reduces the amount of staining.

I brush it on, roll up the skin, leave it for a couple of days then start the breaking process. I've only tried small sections of conger as I haven't been able to track down a large piece of skin yet, but everything else I've used it on ( wolf fish, rawhide, snake skin ) somes out fine.

Realgar

 

[den]

Cheers Realgar

Did you smoke your skin?

 

[Kath]

When you've tanned the skin (is it still a hide if it's a fish??), what do you plan to use it for?

 

[hootchi]

I never knew you could tan with russian oil. You learn something everyday! Cheers.

 

[Realgar]

Strictly speaking I suppose it's not tanning but then neither is using animal brains in the same way that chamois isn't tanned as such just oiled. I suspect thast there are compounds in the oil that do allow for a certain amount of crosslinking of the collagen but the water, critter and fungal repellant properties are probably more important.

Realgat

 

[den]

When you've tanned the skin (is it still a hide if it's a fish??), what do you plan to use it for?

Hi Kath I’m not sure what I’m going to use it for yet. It was more a case of I knew conger skin could be tanned and I’m off for a Cod fish soon and this mark I fish has a habit of producing some big beach conger. I use the meat but the skin is always wasted. I do try not to waste anything, the head and guts are mashed and put into apple sized pellets using an old pair of tights and froze until I need them as pot bait.

Any suggestion for the use of Conger skin would be appreciated.

:chill:

 

[C_Claycomb]

If it is tough, and I would expect that it is, conger raw hide probably would make good bow backing! I know that some types of fish skin, such as sturgeon are used that that.

 

[den]

Awaken ye old thread.

Has it really been this long.

Ive not really had much time for bushcrafting this year after having a house fire whilst i was away on Dartmoor. Things are almost back to normal all the building work cracked just decorating to do now.

I have finally got around to having a go at tanning some conger skin.

skinning and scraping has been done with flint tools and the skin is currently sitting in my first bark solution.

But where to go from here?

has anyone vegetable tanned a conger skin before?

I was thinking of breaking it in with bitch tar which i got off Reaglar earlier in the year and a possible a smoking.

id love to hear from anyone who has tanned a fish skin or the like.

I'm thinking waterproof tinder pouch for a primitive fire lighting set

cheers
Den

 

[Stuart]

a water proof conger eel skin pouch for keeping a fire set dry....... nice idea! you'll have to show us pictures of that when its finnished!

 

[Motorbike Man]

Mind you, wouldn't Birch tar be easier to use

 

[den]

Mind you, wouldn't Birch tar be easier to use

For the tanning i take it?