How to stop fox Fur Smelling?

Tackleberrywho

I want to make a Davy Crockett style hat for the hard weather, and Halloween fancy dress etc.

I have a Fox tail. I used a straw (thank you supermacs) and poured salt down it, however it still smells of Fox.:(

One of the guys suggested white spirit?
I'd be afraid I would make the thing dangerous to wear around smokers though.

Any of yee guys ever make anything out of Fox Fur, or any animal skin for that matter?

I know a guy in Birr used to wear one, but I have not seen him in years.

All SENSIBLE replies appreciated.

Eddie B

Well did you leave the tail intact, or did you actually skin the tail?
All i know is that if you skin a mink and wash the hide in soapy water, and dry it with a hair dryer, then the minky smell goes away!
Hope this helps!!

Tackleberrywho

Eddie B wrote: »

Well did you leave the tail intact, or did you actually skin the tail?
All i know is that if you skin a mink and wash the hide in soapy water, and dry it with a hair dryer, then the minky smell goes away!
Hope this helps!!

I skinned the tail off.(nipped the root of tail with knife and grabbed it with a bent twig and it came off like a banana skin )

Foxes stink at the best of times. I want it dry but supple

I don't want anything to drip out of it

White spirit also stinks.

It's a nice tail so I do not want to damage it with Harsh chemicals

meathstevie

Wash it like you would wash the most delicate wool; shampoo and hand warm water and repeat until all the gland secretions are removed.

Tackleberrywho

Ok, I just chanced a drop of white spirit.

I used a Supermacs straw and an old Silicone tube end I had lying around as the funnel.

Fingers crossed!

I just need one more head shot fox for the rest of the hat

Red-neck and Proud !!

Tackleberrywho

meathstevie wrote: »

Wash it like you would wash the most delicate wool; shampoo and hand warm water and repeat until all the gland secretions are removed.

Jaysus now ya tell me!
5 mins too late :eek::eek:

Grizzly 45

Fox tails are about the hardest to cure properly.I got one done years ago by a taxidermist in the Kilkenny area,and it was a fantastic job.The pelt is still holding together but the brush is coming away in segments every six months!Another year and I'll have the first dock tailed fox ever shot in Ireland.:rolleyes::).

As it is such a small area,and there is very little skin to work with ,but a massive amount of hair,you have to cure it well and then prevent it from drying out.What is good I belive is alot of lanolin [a grease off sheeps wool] in that area to sort out one the smell and two the flexibility issues.

So it sounds like you got the brush off in one piece like a tube??
Thats the problem accounting for the smell.It has to be split open flattened,scraped,cured lanolined and then apprently re tied into a circular shape to cure back into a tube which will pull extremly small when done right.

Reality is you need a coon skin[Racoon] cap to be like Davvy Crockett.
Coons dont have long brushes like foxes,but arent very photogenic in Hollywood historical morphs of fact and fantasy.I mean John Wayne wearing two small black ears on the top of his head,whacking Mexicans with his kentucky rifle would look very dramatic in the final scenes of the Alamo!:eek::D
At least you will smell like a genuine frontiersman!!:D:D

pedroeibar1

Tack,
I’m amazed to find you stuck for words or advice.


For starters, American scents should be ruled out, they are much too synthetic (they use the wrong type of alcohol and artificial musk.) It really depends on the type of fox fur. In my opinion Chanel No.5 is for older models, but for Silver Fox I’d go with the younger, more sportily refined Diorissimo. If it’s an ‘auld dog’ I’d go for Brut.;)


Rs
P.

Grizzly 45

STRRR III KKE!!!! for pedroeibar!!!:D:D:D

Tackleberrywho

Well it's just got ~ a table spoon of White spirit up it's tube.

I took it off like a tube as I did it the way Paulo showed me.

My Grandfather used to be a great man with a knife and could open it with a very sharp butter knife.

It does not smell any worse now than it did 2 weeks ago when I shot it (although I could be coming immune :eek: )

I do know a fella who wore a hat made of fox for years.

I've tried to find old photo's but I can't locate any.
Suffice it to say most people thought it was fake because it looked so good

landkeeper

white spirit WILL cure the skin in the tail tack and the hair will not fall out it smells for a while but it'll wear off , i did loads of them when i was younger like that with a 12 bore cartridge cap over the end and a cup hook screwed through the primer
if you want to do a skin and keep it supple you need to peg it out on a board and literally scrape every morsel of fat of the shin with a metal blade that isn't too sharpi used to use a piece of broken hacksaw blade then rub in alum that will cure it and stop it drying out entirely, once it is done you need to massage the skin to soften it
there are loads of ways to do it though google it and see what you can find brain tanning works well also
which ever way you do it it'll smell for a while but it will wear off eventually

dev110

Now you just need to get the smell out of your jeep

Tackleberrywho

pedroeibar1 wrote: »

Tack,
I’m amazed to find you stuck for words or advice.


For starters, American scents should be ruled out, they are much too synthetic (they use the wrong type of alcohol and artificial musk.) It really depends on the type of fox fur. In my opinion Chanel No.5 is for older models, but for Silver Fox I’d go with the younger, more sportily refined Diorissimo. If it’s an ‘auld dog’ I’d go for Brut.;)


Rs
P.

I'd say you are a more Old Spice man Pedro, or what is that muck that they sell in Lidl

I'll drop a few pelts into you next time I am in town.
That and a few sculls and what ever else you fancy

I always ask advice, and then make my decisions on careful consideration, either that or I just completely wing it

Tackleberrywho

landkeeper wrote: »

white spirit WILL cure the skin in the tail tack and the hair will not fall out it smells for a while but it'll wear off , i did loads of them when i was younger like that with a 12 bore cartridge cap over the end and a cup hook screwed through the primer
if you want to do a skin and keep it supple you need to peg it out on a board and literally scrape every morsel of fat of the shin with a metal blade that isn't too sharpi used to use a piece of broken hacksaw blade then rub in alum that will cure it and stop it drying out entirely, once it is done you need to massage the skin to soften it
there are loads of ways to do it though google it and see what you can find brain tanning works well also
which ever way you do it it'll smell for a while but it will wear off eventually

Lots of stuff on D'internet.
I'd prefer a few guys who did it themselves before; like your good self.
I tried it a few times when I was younger.
I used to freeze the skins I got.

The mother defrosted the freezer one day and all the hides were dumped, including a perfectly skinned deer pelt

I want to do this all with freely available implements also.;)

pedroeibar1

Tackleberrywho wrote: »

I'd say you are a more Old Spice man Pedro, or what is that muck that they sell in Lidl

Old Spice? No, never. Common stuff. I get mine made up by Floris but when I travel I use Trumpers. http://www.florislondon.com/bespoke-perfumery.html
http://www.trumpers.com/product_detail.cfm?ProductID=111547175

Lidl? I thought they sold cheapo nightvision stuff and binoculars..do they sell other things?? [/QUOTE]

Tackleberrywho wrote: »

I'll drop a few pelts into you next time I am in town. That and a few sculls and what ever else you fancy

Most kind, but the walls of the ancestral pile are reserved for my own trophies only, space now being at a premium.;)

Tackleberrywho wrote: »

I always ask advice, and then make my decisions on careful consideration, either that or I just completely wing it

No comment :P:D:D
Rs
P.

bud2000

i cured a tail years ago. i used stuff called salpeter and allum; not sure off the spelling availble in the chemist

J.R.

Tackleberrywho wrote: »

I skinned the tail off.(nipped the root of tail with knife and grabbed it with a bent twig and it came off like a banana skin )

After you've skinned the tail by removing the bone, as you did, cut a very small slit at the very end of the tail.

Push borax down with a coathanger until you see it coming out the bottom slit. Move the borax up & down the tail with wire until all is covered.....then put tail in plastic bag with borax and shake & shake.. Remove and shake off excess. Tail cured when it dries. Give it a shake to remove excess borax when dry. The small slit can be then stitched with a stitch or two.

If you want to remove smells wash in very mild shampoo....rinse...wash again...rinse etc. until all smell is gone. Towel dry. Can then be dried with hairdryer on cold setting...heat will damage pelt.

When practically dry repeat borax instructions above.

To go all out.........to get the best, shiniest, natural looking fur place fur in a tumbler that spins around with some hardwood shavings in it....fur will look fabulous after 10-15 minutes.

Tackleberrywho

Tail is not nearly as smelly as it was.
The smell of White spirit is fading and getting mild on the nasal cavity.

Thanks landkeeper for the tip.
Just need one more fox now to complete the ensemble

Savage93

Tackleberrywho wrote: »

Tail is not nearly as smelly as it was.
The smell of White spirit is fading and getting mild on the nasal cavity.

Thanks landkeeper for the tip.
Just need one more fox now to complete the ensemble

don't forget to post s pic when it's done:)

Tackleberrywho

Savage93 wrote: »

don't forget to post s pic when it's done:)

will do.
I need to learn to sew first
And I need one more fox.:D

dev110

Tackleberrywho wrote: »

will do.
I need to learn to sew first
And I need one more fox.:D

Will I just go and shoot one for you otherwise we could be waiting a while for this hat :D:p:p

Tackleberrywho

dev110 wrote: »

Will I just go and shoot one for you otherwise we could be waiting a while for this hat :D:p:p

Oh really.
Not that long ago I was teaching you the basics ;-)

I'm home tomorrow night if you are up for a bit of lampooning

Tackleberrywho

dev110

Tackleberrywho wrote: »

Oh really.
Not that long ago I was teaching you the basics ;-)

I'm home tomorrow night if you are up for a bit of lampooning

What basics are you on about?

I'm working till 10 tomorrow night so I doubt I will be much of a mood tbh and am in Sunday morning again.

Tackleberrywho

dev110 wrote: »

What basics are you on about?

I'm working till 10 tomorrow night so I doubt I will be much of a mood tbh and am in Sunday morning again.

Trigger pressure, Breathing, Shot anticipation & Follow through.

Range Estimation

I thought that you were going to shoot me a fox today to complete my hat??:p

dev110

Tackleberrywho wrote: »

Trigger pressure, Breathing, Shot anticipation & Follow through.

Range Estimation

I thought that you were going to shoot me a fox today to complete my hat??:p

I shot .22 for 2 years before the .223 so I had trigger pressure, breathing, shot anticipation & follow though. It was the recoil of the .223 unmoderated got me to develop abit of a flinch but thats all taken care of

Range estimation is still very tricky anything past 200 yards and I could think it is 300 yards when it is only 250. Need a range finder.

After been in work on Thursday and Friday at 7 and only getting 5 hours sleep the nights before so I went to bed and got 10 hours sleep

I have improved from a few tips though

dermot218

i was told by an elderly gent that used to do a bit of cureing that theres stuff called alam u stretch the skin as tight as u can and rub it in 4or5 times hope this helps

Tackleberrywho

dermot218 wrote: »

i was told by an elderly gent that used to do a bit of cureing that theres stuff called alam u stretch the skin as tight as u can and rub it in 4or5 times hope this helps

It wasn't Mouse Mullen was it

Yes, I'm aware of that stuff.
Tail is not smelling now.
I need another fox to make up the rest of the hat


If anyone wants to donate a hide let me know, and I may find a good seamstress

transit260

bone out the tail and stick it in a jam jar,fill it with methalated spirits,close tight and leave for 6 weeks,no smell ever.Ive been doing this for a long time and it works.Hang it on the line to dry for a few hours but watch out for the corvids pulling hair from it for nesting or just plain divelment.

Minky 123

Could always try washing it with some head n shoulders lad.:D

Tackleberrywho

This Buck did not stand still long enough for a head shot.
However........
55 Grains Of lead stopped him dead in his tracks!

The P7 and Trueflite, a Powerful Combination

dev110

Tackleberrywho wrote: »

This Buck did not stand still long enough for a head shot.
However........
55 Grains Of lead stopped him dead in his tracks!

The P7 and Trueflite, a Powerful Combination

Nice spine shot
I knew my "threats" would make you get out and get a fox

Tackleberrywho

dev110 wrote: »

Nice spine shot
I knew my "threats" would make you get out and get a fox

It will take some convincing to get me to veer away from VMAX .223

dev110

Tackleberrywho wrote: »

It will take some convincing to get me to veer away from VMAX .223

So you used the 55gr or was that with the 75gr TAP?
What distance was he actually?

Tackleberrywho

dev110 wrote: »

So you used the 55gr or was that with the 75gr TAP?
What distance was he actually?

I'm out of TAP, and I have 3 rounds left of 55 grain :eek:

I need to buy some ammo.

Need to get this Fox Hat sorted

dev110

Tackleberrywho wrote: »

I'm out of TAP, and I have 3 rounds left of 55 grain :eek:

I need to buy some ammo.

Need to get this Fox Hat sorted

Three more foxes so

Time to move to the .308

FISMA

I have no idea, but why should that stop me from suggesting baking soda and charcoal - they are usually good for adsorbing smells.

pedroeibar1

dev110 wrote: »

So you used the 55gr or was that with the 75gr TAP?
What distance was he actually?

C'mon, you should know that Tack never shoots at anything closer that 500m
And his mates will stay that far from him also when he puts that smelly weird foxy thing on his head:P:D:D:D:D:D
P.

Tackleberrywho

Not a lot of coat left on the body for a hat.
I have got a few tails now, I must get creative

J.R.

best time to get a good fox skin is during cold weather in winter.....fur is at its prime.

A fur at this time of the year, and onwards into the summer will not not be at it's best...moulting etc.

Grizzly 45

The youtube video should give the antis at CAFT nightmares for a year!!:D:D.The Blanket/coat at 3mins is a fantastic piece of work.
Would love to make somthing like that for a bed cover.How many foxes do yez think it would need for a king size double??:)

Tackleberrywho

Grizzly 45 wrote: »

The youtube video should give the antis at CAFT nightmares for a year!!:D:D.The Blanket/coat at 3mins is a fantastic piece of work.
Would love to make somthing like that for a bed cover.How many foxes do yez think it would need for a king size double??:)

It depends on where you shoot them.
Last nights lad was minced, so too was the night before's and Dev's tonight.

Hard to get a head shot at 150-200 yards at night with the fox moving around.

My Aunt in the Early 80's had a Fox Fur coat, if we keep getting winters like the last one they will become Popular again

Less carbon Footprint than a LoweAlpine Jacket

Savage93

Tackleberrywho wrote: »

Try contact the lad in the vid, if he can take away the smell of SKUNK fox shouldn't be a problem:D