Tanning snakeskins

dipbait

dipbait

Joined
Feb 9, 2008
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I hope this isnt too off topic. Tanning hides is sort of a wilderness skill.

I recently found a dead watersnake. Beautiful markings. I thought it would make a stunning hat band. Have any of you ever tanned a snakeskin? Is it difficult to do a good job?
 
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WJC01 said:
Oops, I stretch mine out and use borax or salt.
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Ditto. I use borax to tan fish hide as well as turkey beards, spurs and tail-fans. I don't stretch the fish hides and I just use mineral oil on the inside of them. I bet that tanning oil formula would be better. May have to try that.
 
Interesting there is no mention of removing the scales before tanning at the included link.

I have removed the scales from all the snake skins I've done before tanning by soaking in a lime & salt bath first.

I'm curious about what in the tanning oil mentioned that stops the scales from eventually curling up & away from the hide.



Kind regards
Mick
 
I have tanned a number of snake skins. I have a rattlesnake tanned with 50/50 of denatured alcohol and glycerin. Just cut down the belly, peel skin off, scrape flesh side with spoon, throw in jar an cover and forget. Take it out later and the scales will sluff off. Wipe dry. The skin, or at least mine, will remain supple for many years. If you want it stiff and flinty, I have tried antifreeze and didn't like it.
 
Loosearrow said:
I have tanned a number of snake skins. I have a rattlesnake tanned with 50/50 of denatured alcohol and glycerin. Just cut down the belly, peel skin off, scrape flesh side with spoon, throw in jar an cover and forget. Take it out later and the scales will sluff off. Wipe dry. The skin, or at least mine, will remain supple for many years. If you want it stiff and flinty, I have tried antifreeze and didn't like it.
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That sounds easy. Heres anothe question.Is there any reason one could not cut down the back if he wanted to preserve the belly?The water snake I mentioned had beautiful markings underneath.
 
probably not, but do note that the belly scales are much larger and longer (horizontally). Good luck and make sure to show us what you come up with!
 
I tanned some is scouts as a kid and we used antifreeze. Just can not rember the exact directions.
 
They recently brought this up on BCUSA and some mentioned using antifreeze and others mentioned why you wouldn't want to. I have absolutely no experience with tanning snake skins but would also love to see pics!
 
amcardon said:
They recently brought this up on BCUSA and some mentioned using antifreeze and others mentioned why you wouldn't want to. I have absolutely no experience with tanning snake skins but would also love to see pics!
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The antifreeze will preserve the skin but it comex out like a stiff plastic. Flinty. The antifreeze has some glycerine in it. I've also heard of using a Borax powder, but did not like what I saw. Posting pics later for you. The way I do it, I don't even pin the skin to a board, just wad it up and shove it into a jar with a tight lid. Make sure the solution covers it. Shake it around once and awhile and forget it.
 
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Here are a couple of pics of a rattle snake I tanned. The puncture holes by the neck are from a cat that had hold of the snake near Desoto, Kansas. I tanned the snake with 50/50 glycerine and denatured alcohol. The snake is still supple after about 10 years. The vertebraes are from the snake and were cleaned in order. I had used the snake to give talks at the school in the the past. You have front and back pictures of the skin. Hope this helps you.

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Loosearrow,

Are the scales still on the skin?

Neat job, and great idea with the vertabrae!


Stay sharp,
desmobob
 
desmobob said:
Loosearrow,

Are the scales still on the skin?

Neat job, and great idea with the vertabrae!


Stay sharp,
desmobob
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After the snake skin soaks for awhile, the "scales" just loosen and rub off. leaving a very pliable skin. If you decide to do the spine trick, run a wire down the spinal cord, then boil it and loosen the tissue. Keeps them in order. The plan was to make something out of it like jewlery. The end result was more impressive to the kids so I kept it as it was. The original wire was from a blowgun kit. Long spring steel wire you cut to length to use as darts.
 
Loosearrow said:
After the snake skin soaks for awhile, the "scales" just loosen and rub off. leaving a very pliable skin. If you decide to do the spine trick, run a wire down the spinal cord, then boil it and loosen the tissue. Keeps them in order. The plan was to make something out of it like jewlery. The end result was more impressive to the kids so I kept it as it was. The original wire was from a blowgun kit. Long spring steel wire you cut to length to use as darts.
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I was thinking it was the scales that gave it the color and pattern... I guess it's on the skin underneath, too.

Thanks very much for the information!

Stay sharp,
desmobob
 
I guess I didn't mentiion that the last picture is of the flesh side. The other side is still vibrant. The scales come off like little fingernail shaped arrowheads the underneath still feels like scales when done.
 
Nice skin there. Must have been a monster cat that would seize hold of a snake like that!
 
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