I heard on a video that if iodized salt is used while salting down a hide prior to tanning then when that hide is tanned the iodine causes a poisonous gas to be formed. Is this true? Should only uniodized salt be used? Thanks, Rufous.

Rufous-

I've never heard of such a thing happening. My father has run a leather tannery for more than 20 years. Iodized salt, like you can buy in 5 pound bags for large scale cooking will work fine for preserving skins. Otherwise, feed grade salt that is used for livestock feed rations works great. This is what I have always used. It is vailable in 50 pound bags from feed any supply store for usually less than $5 a bag.

Regards, Wyo

I own a small sheepskin and fur tannery. To my knowledge iodized salt does not cause any toxic gas issue in the process. However, the iodine will help to "set" bloodstains in the fur or hair. Most feed stores, (Agway for example), will carry mixing salt which is a fine ground white food grade salt without the iodine for about $5 for a 50 lb bag. Cargill Top Flow is the brand we use, but Morton makes it as well. BD

Thanks. Sounds like I should avoid the iodized salt. Rufous.

BD

who are some of the big "garment quality" tanneries in the U.S. and Canada. I am talking about the tanneries that do tanning for most of the retail fur coat trade that takes place in North America.

Blue

The contract tanneries I knew of off hand are, (or were), in NYC and Minn. Their names aren't coming to me, I'd have to look them up on the rolodex at work. I've never used one. I do remember the guys in NYC used to have a 200 item per species minimum order. Most of the contract tanning for the fur trade is now done in Eastern Europe. Cheaper labor and much laxer environmental laws. BD