making a rattlesnake skin soft?

nvhunter · Jun 23, 2011

Got a nice rattlesnake yesterday. I've got the skinning down, but how do you make it so it stays soft? I've heard a mixture of denatured alcohol and glycerin. I don't know if i can find any here, especially glycerin.

OutdoorWriter · Jun 23, 2011

LAST EDITED ON Jun-23-11 AT 09:40AM (MST)[p]You can buy glycerin in a drugstore.

TONY MANDILE

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TOPGUN · Jun 23, 2011

What is a "nice Rattlesnake"? I've heard of curing them with plain old auto antifreeze, but I don't know if that would harden or soften the skin and the antifreeze used nowadays is different from when I was growing up.

UGAhunter · Jun 23, 2011

I wouldn't skin a snake if I were starving to death! Here is a product with instructions.

http://www.vandykestaxidermy.com/K7109-P188C18.aspx

nvhunter · Jun 23, 2011

by nice i mean nice for northern nv. about 3' long, pretty fat around, biggest i have come across around here. Usually they are maybe 2' and kinda skinny. Thanks i'll try to find some glycerin.

TOPGUN · Jun 23, 2011

I was just "funnin" with ya! What kind do you have up there? I got a big Diamondback down in south Texas years ago that was 64" long and had 13 rattles. I should have had him mounted as he was one big rascal that scared the poop out of me from just a few feet away when I went to get on the moped I was using to get around the 1000 acre ranch we had leased. He was coiled in a bush that the bike was propped against when I was heading back to camp after the morning hunt.

Gator · Jun 23, 2011

LAST EDITED ON Jun-23-11 AT 06:30PM (MST)[p]I haven't try it yet, But a buddy told me plain old brake fluid roll the skin up into a semiloose circle drop it a old glass jar with lid for 2 weeks and you will have a nice smooth skin, Like I said I haven't try it, But he swears it works. Hope it works for ya.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".

1Bigbull · Jun 23, 2011

50% glycerin and 50% antifreeze. Staple skin meat side out, paint solution on 2 times daily for 3 to 5 days while skin is outside. Be careful not to leave it outside to long or it will dry out.

mmwb · Jun 24, 2011

+1 on UGAhunter's suggestion.

If you want to well preserve it and keep it pliable. Properly tan it.

mmwb · Jun 24, 2011

As UGAhunter indicated, if you want to well preserve it and keep it pliable, tan it.

YukonDall · Jun 24, 2011

I HAVE ALWAYS USED A THIN LAYER OF HAND MOISTURE CREME, EASY TO APPLY, BLENDS RIGHT IN, ENHANCES THE COLOR,....DONE A BUNCH OF THEM..... MOSTLY HAT BANDS................YD.

nvhunter · Jun 24, 2011

i had to do something with it before some of these posts came in. So i've got it soaking in a mixture of 50% Glycerin, 50% denatured alcohol. We will see what happens in a couple of more days. Maybe after it's done if it seems like it's going to stiffen up i will try using the hand moisture creme. I'll let you know how it comes out.

FullCryHounds · Jun 25, 2011

I've done dozens of them and some are 30 years old. Still soft and look like they did 30 years ago. Make sure you scrap off all the meat BEFORE you use the Glycerin. Just pulling the skin off will not remove all the meat. I use a hack saw blade bent in a U shape and scrape off all the meat, you'll get about a golf ball size of meat off of a 3 foot skin. Then tack the skin meat side up all along the edge, use a pin about every quarter inch all along the edge. Then paint on a coat of glycerin, this first coat will soak in in about an hour or two. Then another coat will take a day to soak in. A third coat will not soak in all the way but after a couple of days, wipe off any eccess and your skin will be soft and preserved forever.

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OLBUZZTAIL · Jun 27, 2011

LAST EDITED ON Jun-27-11 AT 09:18AM (MST)[p]nvhunter..A simple 2 to 1 mixture of rubbing alchol (1) and glyceryin (2) will preserve your skin and make and keep it soft as well. make sure all the meat is removed from the inside of the hide and rinsed well. place it a bowl and cover the skin with the mixture then place it in the fridge for 24 hours.
remove the hide from the mixture and gently squeeze out excess then staple along sides of the hide to any decent backing for a day or so drying period..

Hunting is Life...everything else is
Just details.
Ol' Buzztail...

rutnbuck · Jun 27, 2011

I worry about you Buzztail.
Nv you might try scraping the meat off. Then Piss on the hide for a few days after that rub the brains of the snake on the meat side of the hide and then let your wife chew on it for a few days.

Rutnbuck

Brandon82 · Jun 27, 2011

We got one pushing 4ft a couple years ago near Lahontan.

flyingbrass · Jun 29, 2011

LAST EDITED ON Jun-29-11 AT 05:17PM (MST)[p]

I always alternate painting coats of glycerin and alcohol.
Glycerin came from the pharmacy at walmart, but they keep it behind the pharmacy counter for some reason and you will need to ask for it.
Edited to add, this is about the biggest timber rattler I have ever seen!
flyingbrass
cold dead hands
NRA Life Member

GotBowAz · Jun 30, 2011

Holy cow flyingbrass, that thing is huge! I've seen some big Diamond backs but never a timber rattler that big. I like the way he looks though?very dead!

GBA

greatbasin · Jun 30, 2011

Rutnbuck! That there's some funny chit!

kingfish · Jun 30, 2011

You guys that catch snake are crazy!!!!! I just threw up my lunch!!!!!!!!

Government doesn't fix anything and has spent trillions proving it!!!
Let's face it...After Monday and Tuesday, even the calender says WTF!

nvhunter · Jul 1, 2011

after soaking it for a few days in 50/50 glycerin/alcohol, i went back a scraped the remaining meat that i should of to begin with, and then started painting on several coats(3) of glycerin. Skin looks great, nice and soft. Thanks guys for the help, i will do it just a little different next time.

BUZZTAIL.....Holy *hit dude how do you manage to walk with balls that big?...i wouldnt get out of the truck if i saw a snake that big!!! Maybe with a shotgun from about 25 yards away!

NVPete · Jul 1, 2011

Ol' Buzztail! Thanks for checkin' in on this post. Still messin' with those "New Mexico Nightcrawlers" I see!

OLBUZZTAIL · Jul 5, 2011

NVPete..Hey buddy how's it going?? yeah still love going out and looking for the BIG BOYS at the DEN SITES.. I'm out in the desert chasin' those OFF-RANGE ORYX now for the month of July here in N.M.

Hunting is Life...everything else is
Just details.
Ol' Buzztail...