Help with a snake skin

[chance]

I just got a nice fresh killed copper head. I skined it and was wondering the best way to preserve it? I was wondering if I should just salt it or what? I want to use it on a pouch or hatband.

 

[fatboy]

Salt is going to dry it out and the next item comes to mind is boraxo but it will do the same I bet. Try this if no one else with experience in this helps you. http://www.taxidermy.com/ Rittels snake tanning kit keep us posted on how it works out

 

[wmaser]

This is probably not the best way to preserve a snake skin, but when I was a kid we used to skin snakes inside out, salt them down with table salt and then slip the skin back onto walking sticks right side out. I still have a couple of those walking sticks, and the skins look the same as they did forty years ago.

 

[smo]

I used a tanning solution from Tandy leather. I think it was called Rep-Tan. Skin the snake,salt skin with non iodized salt.Let the skin dry at room temp. for 2 to 3 days. Soak skin in a solution of 1/2 lb. of salt to 1 gal. of water for 8 hrs.Lay skin out on a piece of cardboard scale side down.Scrape with a dull kitchen knife ( butter knife ) works great to remove any meat or membrane from flesh side of skin.Rinse in water with dish detergent to remove all salt.Rinse again in clean water then wring out thoughly. Brush off loose scales with a soft bristle brush. Apply Rep- Tan to both side of skin then roll up and put in a plastic bag. The following day, lay out skin on a board and stretch out evenly. Tack into place , let skin dry at room temp then work skin by hand until soft. Nothin' to it! The stuff worked great ,i did a couple Rattlers last year.

 

[chance]

Those look great thanks for the info Ill try it.

 

[hoochiepapa]

A friend of mine that was a trapper told me once to use equal parts of glycerin and alchohol once the skin was salted and dried, tack it to a board and brush on the mixture. It would preserve and soften the skins.

 

[omarick1948]

Snakes are dangerous! ... They make you run into tree's!

Quote from the late Richard Pryor

 

[gordy]

We used to use antifreeze with good results . They may have changed the formular because of enviormental concers , but the old stuff worked well. I used to do quite a few skins per year when on the ranch , but its been awhile.
:thumbsup:
As a safty suggestion , don,t lick your fingers .

 

[Deadeye]

I made the hatband in 1976 from a big rattler. I only used salt. It doesn't seem to have changed much if any in that 35 yrs.
Deadeye

 

[Thomask702]

to dehydrate i soak my skins in a solution of water, borax and salt for about 2 days, mixing a few times a day.

then roll the snake skin up from head to tail and soak everything in a 50/50 mix of alcohol ( isopropyl ) and glycerin. leave the tail out of this solution, and every day knead it a little bit. takes about 5 days or so, longer or shorter dont seem to matter much either. stretch it out on a piece of plywood with thumbtacks or trapper tacks and let dry. should be soft, pliable, and will keep forever.

-Treekiller

 

[fatboy]

Were do you buy your glycerin

 

[fatboy]

I see CVS and maybe Walmart sell it

 

[crockett]

Any pharmacy ought to have it. I''ve used it with good results.

 

[Bill Hall]

Another vote for gylcerin. Never used it myself, but I used to kill and skin rattle snakes for a woman who made jewelry and fingernail glue-ons with the hide. She said she only soaked the skin in gylcerin.

She was kind "out there", if you know what I mean. Bill