tanned bobcat brittle

[Stevo539]

I bought a bobcat hide (hyde?) at a yard sale.  It was shoved into a cardboard box and is a little rumpled up.  The ears are smashed down and when I tried to straightened the tail, it fell off in my hand.  The leather on  the main torso is still supple.  I am wondering if there is a way to soften the dry brittle parts and straighten the ears.

Steve

[Michelle_Nelson]

I will tell you if you re wet the hide in any way you are probably going to watch the hide fall apart like tissue paper.  How old if the hide?

[jager]

...unfortunately.....sounds like dry rot. Nothing you can do 

[Stevo539]

How old is the hide? 
Don't really know as I bought it at a yard sale.  If it's dry rot I guess I've got nothing to loose by trying to put something like silicone boot dressing on the strip of leather on the tail.  Then maybe run a needle and thread through it.  Just have to live with the ears I guess.  Thanks for the tips.  If anyone else has any ideas, I'd like to hear them.

Steve

[ICEMAN]

Rehydrating a dry preservative mount

Discussion here at taxidermy.net

http://www.taxidermy.net/forums/DeerTaxiArticles/06/a/0670CAF6E.html

[Michelle_Nelson]

ICEMAN,

Dry Preserve is not the same as a Dry Tan.  Dry Preserve is a Borax based powder that drys a raw hide.  Dry tanned hide is just that...... tanned.  A chance in the chemical composition of the hide.

If Steve were to rehydrate his bobcat hide he has a better chance of it falling apart in his hands than he has fixing the ears and tail.

[Stevo539]

Thanks for the tips.  I couldn't get the link to work for me.  I think I'll just run a thread up through the tail and sew it back on.  The ears are stiff but not as brittle as the tail.  The ears are flexible enough to straighten out with your fingers but they just smoosh back down as soon as you let go.  Maybe I'll put some clothes-pins on the ears for a few days to try to reshpe them. 

Steve