OK this is a question for the professionals. What is the difference between tanning and fur dressing and what are the different types of tanning?

I have heard the term 'true tan' before and am not sure what the difference is.

Which produces the most durable product?

Is one process more desireable than another depending if one is doing a shoulder mount, rug or FBM?

Hi Ann,

I believe Fur Dressers was the term Furriers for the garment industry had always used. Many tanneries have 'fur dressers' in their company title but were not furriers. I know for a fact that YOST Fur Dressers in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconcin were indeed fur dressers for the garment industry prior to taking on taxidermy tanning many years ago.

There are professional dry tans, professional wet tans, home tans(there are many different types) and dry preservative (which are not tans, although some taxidermists will tell you they are...run if a taxidermist says he/she uses this method).

I believe it is the personal preference of the taxidermist on which one they use. I myself, as a taxidermy rugmaker, prefer and only accept dry tans. Dry tans are tumbled, which breaks the leather fibers..this is what makes the leather soft along with oiling. Wet tans omit those two steps, but there is no need for them if the skin is going directly onto a form. A rugmaker cannot use a wet tan as they dry hard and stiff and who wants a hard, stiff rug!

There is also chrome tan which is not used for taxidermy skins. I do see it used for cow and sheep hides. I have seen rug skins from Africa done with this tan. It has a blueish gray color to the leather and robs the skin of it's memory, which is a minus for rugmaking (unless it is stretched while the skin is still wet after tanning).

I myself, prefer YOST Fur Dressers for our fur bearers: bear, fox, bobcat, coyotes, etc.,and all rugs, as they being furriers for the garment industry, pay greater attention to neutralizing, oiling and grooming. I get better stretch for rugging and have an incredible luster to the hair side.

Kind Regards,
Mary

It is my understanding that "fur dressing" is a more descriptive term than "tanning" in that it describes a raw skin that has been tanned with the hair on vs. hair off leather. As Mary says, there are lots of different kinds of tans. All true tans will chemically change a raw skin into stable "leather". A tanned skin will remain tanned even if it gets wet, a skin "preserved" with a dry preservative. or borax is like rawhide- it will dry hard but it remains raw and thus can decompose.

Yost Fur Dressers Tannery totally ruined about 40 mule deer capes for me in one order once but sent them as is never saying a word to me after I paid in full the bill and then they told me to take a hike when I called them about it. They had over drummed them all to a point that even with light handling all the hair would fall out. It almost put me out of business at the time replacing them all. I now never miss a chance to recall the story when I see their name mentioned.

I guess we all have a horror story or two from different tanneries. I have been using YOST exclusivly for 'furbearers only' for the past 16+ years and have never had one problem with them. I have sent all my taxidermist customers who ask for a tannery recommendation for bears to be rugged(for the past 16+yrs) to them and no-one has ever had a problem. I know George had a similar problem with them with gameheads ,as you stated Jim, about 20 or so years ago.

As I stated in my first post we only send furbearers to them, all our gamehead and l/s go to South Texas and Carolina. Being that YOST was initially furriers for the garment industry, that is what they excel in...furbearers. IMHO I have found certain tanneries excel or specialize in specific tanning needs.

You want to talk horror stories...well a certain tannery in Michigan has created some for us and many other taxidermists. They had the attitude of 'whatever' with us also.

Sorry to hear about that bad experience Jim, no shop should have to go through that trauma.