Let's beat a dead horse

[Rolf]

Sorry but the "search" function didn't show anything on this. Do you wash your materials,(Feathers/fur), when you receive them? Even if purchased from a reputable dealer?

Thanks in advance.............

 

[krott243]

Nope, I don't wash feathers or fur from animals I kill either, heat them in the microwave and then freeze them for about a week.

 

[lv2nymph]

I don't either, but one time when I got a hen neck and it was nowhere near dried out I washed, pinned and put borax on it to complete the drying of the skin.

 

[Fishidiot]

Rolf wrote:
Do you wash your materials,(Feathers/fur), when you receive them? Even if purchased from a reputable dealer?

No.
Perhaps some of the beat up skins I've bought at trade shows should be cleaned or frozen, but I've not bothered and - at least so far - have not had problems.

 

[melvinp]

I have washed buck tails with dish washing detergent and let dry worked very well also have used moth balls for long term storage,they smell but its better then bugs.the pros will tell you not to store wild items with store bought or to make sure on the freezing before you pack them away.Bugs can and will chew through plastic bags.

 

[whheff]

The things that I buy at the fly shop I do not wash. If someone gives me feathers, I will wash them and bag them after they dry. I never mix them with the store bought stuff.

 

[franklin]

No Any feathers or fur are placed in a sealed plastic bag with moth flakes. Never had a problem. Even with squirrel hair I harvested myself.

 

[geebee]

a piece of cedar wood keeps bugs out.

 

[osprey]

I have a "KILL" box , a rubbermade airtight like tupperware that i put paramoth crystals in and everything new goes in there awhile and then gets aired out before use.

 

[lv2nymph]

geebee wrote:
a piece of cedar wood keeps bugs out.

Yep, I have a piece in each one of my containers.

 

[sandfly]

since I have been doing this going on 40+ years i can tell you borax for our feathered friends and salt for mammels and such. borax the bird skins and place between sheets of newspaper, then add a weight on top and let sit for a week or 2. animals take longer to do, make sure you flesh (scrape all fat and meat off) then stretch skins on boards and add a coating of salt. stand on end and place some cardboard under to collect fat, blood and water that runs of. once dryed 2-4 weeks you can store in a dry container. I use moth balls or crystals in my containers to keep any other nasties out. as for the bugs on a carcass once it cools off they will die or leave looking for another host (non-human) so freezing and nuking is not nessasary. if the is a lot of blood and dirt you can wash first in a mild detergent (dawn for dishes is great) then pat dry and continue with the preserving process. for loose feather just place in container and add a little borax or mothcrystals done

 

[Chaz]

I don't treat anything unless it's turkey feathers picked up in the yard.