First rabbit

[dtalbot]

Rabbits aren't too bad to do - and you get a neat fluffy skin to cure,
Realgar

Anyone tell me a simple way to cure the skin? My 4 year old trainee rabbit butcher/bushcrafter/mad knife woman wants to do one every time we are doing rabbits.
Cheers
David

 

[Paganwolf]

Boned and diced:
1 bunny + a selection of veg = 1 family size pot of stew
1 bunny + 1 pheasant + a bit of venison + the basis for a brill game pie
I'd say roast 1 bunny serves 2 to 3.
CheersDavid

1 roast bunny serves 2 to 3 :shock: how big are the bunnies up there in ?Derbs David !! :rolmao:

 

[Paganwolf]

Anyone tell me a simple way to cure the skin? My 4 year old trainee rabbit butcher/bushcrafter/mad knife woman wants to do one every time we are doing rabbits.
Cheers
David

Simplest way ive done it is to tack the skin to a board fur side down rub plenty of cheap salt into the wet skin to draw the moisture out and leave it some where warm and dry, when its fully dry rub some vasaline or cheap hand cream into the skin to soften it.

 

[tenbears10]

What do you do with the skin once you have preserved it? You will need a lot of bunnies to make a coat, for example.

Bill

 

[Paganwolf]

Ive made a Davie Crocket hat with rabbit skins and a few squirrel tails, it took about 10 bunnys and 3 squirrels or you can make a waist coat nothing thats going to take to much of a hammering as rabbit skins arnt the most toughest of skins, but good to play around and practice with

 

[Realgar]

Simplest way ive done it is to tack the skin to a board fur side down rub plenty of cheap salt into the wet skin to draw the moisture out and leave it some where warm and dry, when its fully dry rub some vasaline or cheap hand cream into the skin to soften it.

Alum works and isn't so prone to going soggy in humid weather. I've tried glutaraldehyde but it makes very easily torn fur ( it is however machine washable ). By far the best I've come across so far is birch tar diluted down a bit with oil/brain/bone marrow - anything greasy really, don't use olive oil, the green tinge is quite offputting. You will smell of creosote for a couple of months though....

 

[PeterW]

I keep a 2" square of bunny fur in my pocket for giving snares a quick wipe over with once they are set. It masks the smell of your hands....

Cheers

Peter

 

[dtalbot]

1 roast bunny serves 2 to 3 :shock: how big are the bunnies up there in ?Derbs David !! :rolmao:

Bunny size!!!!!! What have you got, gerbils?

 

[Paganwolf]

essex rabbits, they are leaner :shock: :roll:

 

[rapidboy]

Anyone tell me a simple way to cure the skin? My 4 year old trainee rabbit butcher/bushcrafter/mad knife woman wants to do one every time we are doing rabbits.
Cheers
David

Try these guy's for a tanning solution.
http://freespace.virgin.net/sts.northwales/intro.htm
I spoke to them at the Midland game fait a few years ago and they sorted me out with a cheap tanning solution.
Just mix it up with water and it lasts for years.
I've done loads of skins for the guy's at my gun club (black powder shooters).
You jump the skins in it for 24 hours ,rinse and dry ,then work the skin to make it soft.
It's cheap ,simple and it works.
I tanned an otter pelt last year and it turned out absolutely fantastic.
Anyone worked with seal skin??

 

[bushwacker bob]

I tanned an otter pelt last year and it turned out absolutely fantastic. :yikes:
Anyone worked with seal skin??[/QUOTE] :shock:

so thats what happened to Tarka

 

[logstacker]

ALWAYS gut it quickly,it`ll go sour else.Skinning is always easier when warm,and no,there is no tradition of hanging rabbits.

 

[rapidboy]

I tanned an otter pelt last year and it turned out absolutely fantastic. :yikes:
Anyone worked with seal skin??

:shock:

so thats what happened to Tarka [/QUOTE]


Road kill mate and it seemed such such a waste to let it rot ,absolutely beautiful pelt.
The fishermen shoot seals near where i live sometimes and they turn up on the shore but usually they are too far gone to skin.