A question for the Taxidermists...

[grundy53]

so I was talking to some folks the other day and they were telling me that some taxi's aren't having their capes tanned. Instead they are treating/curing them some other way (not sure how). I was told that since the taxidermist doesn't have to send it out it allows them faster turn around on their mounts. My question is, What is the down side to doing it this other way as opposed to getting it tanned? Thank you.

[Michelle_Nelson]

What they are refering do is Dry Preserve(DP).  It is basically powdered borax with ground up moth balls and a few other things added.  Basically what happens is the Taxidermist fleshes off all the meat and membrane.  Thins the hide with a fleshing wheel and rubs the DP all over the hide and then mounts the deer.  So basically it just turns into raw hide on the form.

I used it when I first got into taxidermy.  The stuff is alright but it is better suited to not so wet humid climates.  Personally I will never use it again.  IMO it is a cheap way to mount a deer.  A properly tanned cape is far superior with far better results.  I still have the first deer I ever mounted and I used DP to mount it.  Looks just as terrible as the day I mounted it.  

On another note just because a guy gets your deer back to you in 3 months doesn't mean they used Dry Preserve.  They could very well do there tanning in shop.

[grundy53]

Ya that's what they were talking about. Thanks.