Tannery

Trophy Pro SA currently offers our clients the option of having their skins tanned in South Africa. We are proud to be able to offer this service. Tanning in South Africa is not only less expensive than tanning in the USA but also of impeccable quality.

We can also create different curios for the client by transforming the client’s game shins into cushions, handbags, ottoman chairs, rifle slings, gun bags, ext.

CURING HINTS IN SKIN PRESERVATION:

• Animals should be skinned immediately, and not left for hours unattended on the back of a hunting vehicle or skinning shed.

• Animals should not be dragged in the dirt while loading on a vehicle. Dragging causes hairclip.  

• Once the animals have been delivered to the skinning shed, they should be skinned immediately.

• All blood should be washed from the skins directly after skinning. Blood on the skins promotes bacteria which will result in hair slip.

• Skins must be kept out of the sun. The sun hardens the skin on the flesh side of the skin. This creates a membrane on the flesh side of the skin. Our dipping solutions may not penetrate these membranes, which will cause hairclip.

• After the animals have been skinned, the skins should be stripped of all fat, fiber, and meat. This will promote maximum penetration of salt and preservatives into the skin.

• After the skins have been relieved of all blood, fat, and fiber, the skins should be soaked in a strong salt solution for at least four hours. We suggest about 20 kilograms of salt, with 100 liters of water. You can also add 20 grams of phenol carbolic crystals, which will kill all ticks and insects on the skins. 

• After the skins have been soaked in the salt solution, the skins should be exposed to a salt process. First put a layer of salt, about 10 centimeters thick on a flat clean surface such as a concrete floor. Put the skin on the salt with the flesh side of the skin facing upwards. Cover the flesh side of the skin with a thick layer of salt as well. This will dehydrate the skin. Depending on the size of the skin, the skin should be left in the salt for 3 to 4 days.

• Once the skin is removed from the salt process, it should be hung and dried. Once the skin has been dried it can be folded and stored in a safe place, waiting to be collected by us.

By following these guidelines, unnecessary hairclip and damage to skins will be prevented. BLOOD AND DIRECT SUN ARE THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF HAIR SLIP AND DAMAGE TO SKINS!!