Rehydrating snakeskin

[packratt]

In cleaning out my late brothers house I found a snake skin he had tanned a good number of years ago. It's gotten so dry it's brittle.

Ordinarily I'd give it a good rundown with Pecards leather dressing but I don't think it will survive a paste to start with.

Any suggestions.

 

[Numb_Skull]

Vaseline for them big jobs

 

[nikonNUT]

Might look at Chamberlain's Leather Milk. It's pretty thin so you can just kind of dab it on to start and I have used it to bring back the leather on old razor cases. The oldest was for a Gillette double ring that dated to 1906 so it was 117 years old. Thought it would turn to pharaohs dust just looking at it!

 

[Maggot]

Might look at Chamberlain's Leather Milk. It's pretty thin so you can just kind of dab it on to start and I have used it to bring back the leather on old razor cases. The oldest was for a Gillette double ring that dated to 1906 so it was 117 years old. Thought it would turn to pharaohs dust just looking at it!

If its thin enough, put it in a small spray bottle and mist it. Let it soak in for a while, re evaluate the result.

 

[softcock]

In cleaning out my late brothers house I found a snake skin he had tanned a good number of years ago. It's gotten so dry it's brittle.

Ordinarily I'd give it a good rundown with Pecards leather dressing but I don't think it will survive a paste to start with.

Any suggestions.

Log into.. https://leatherworker.net/forum/
go down into forum list to .. ( Exotics, reptiles, firs, and others ) . there are some on that forum that really know their shit working leather , and you will get the correct advice .
.

 

[DIBBS]

Years ago I used a 50/50 mix of glycerin and alcohol to keep a snake skin pliable after cleaning/fleshing. Maybe you could rehydrate by soaking in water and then treat? Am sure there is info available on the net, and I haven't skinned a snake in probably 20-30 years so am by no means an expert.

 

[packratt]

I'm going to try the leather milk no1

 

[x2cross]

Years ago I used a 50/50 mix of glycerin and alcohol to keep a snake skin pliable after cleaning/fleshing. Maybe you could rehydrate by soaking in water and then treat? Am sure there is info available on the net, and I haven't skinned a snake in probably 20-30 years so am by no means an expert.

I've preserved quite a few skins. You shouldn't need to use water. Just use glycerin and let it sit for a couple hours. Reapply if needed. It will soften right up. You can get glycerin in the health/beauty section of Walmart.

The 50/50 glycerin & alcohol is what I use for curing as well. Snake skins are cured very differently from regular animal hides, so I'm not sure what other products would work on them.