Stop Rot: 25 year old whitetail cape!!!!!!
Glen, Oct 30, 04 I had one of those days, nothing seemed to be going right. Well, in walks a customer, rotten stinking head, cape slipping badley. Wanted it mounted, I explained well it was to far gone.
He was almost pleading it be mounted, I told him I would see if I could find a cape.
Last week Nov, 04,04 while cleaning out the freezer I found this old freezer burned cape. I remember shooting the deer, back in 1979, one of mine I never had time to do!!! Twenty five years of subzero temps, and not telling how many what else.
It had layed out a few days and was not even the least bit soft. I thought "Hum, wonder if????" Then I thought"If it will soften it saves running down a cape for this set of antlers."
I went to work on it with Stop Rot, Painting on with a brush very heavy, I placed the cape in a plastic bag and left it until the next morning. To my suprize it was a bit softer. What next more Stop Rot, Ok at this point I had 1/2 the bottle on one cape. Bagged it again. Morning rolls around, I check the cape hey its getting really soft, so instead of Stop Rot I wet the cape down misting it with water.
Now going into the fifth day, I checked the cape, I was able to turn the lips, eyes, nose and ears. The ears were a bit crunchy but turned none the less.
With everything opened and turned I painted on one more coat of Stop Rot on the face and ears. I am thinking this is going to work, for 2 hours labor I have made my $65.00 I would have spent running a cheap cape down.
Day 6, Operation Stop Rot. I pull the skin out of the bag, the hair side is still a bit dry. Brain storm, put the cape in the washing machine and give it a whirl.
60 minutes later letting the washing machine do the work, I have a nice cape, a very nice cape.
My total time was around 3 hours, spread out over several days. Saved the hassle of running down a cape. Have the job and total bill $490.00 for cape and mount versus $85.00 antler mount!!!
John Creager
Taxidermist
NTA LT 118
Certified Horse Trainer
1014 Courtney Ln.
Harrison Arkansas 72601
John, did you see this article on TaxidermyReference?
At this very moment, I have been working with a guy in Virginia that looks like he is going to save a couple of lifesize black bears that have been in the freezer for years. This guy has never done any tanning before.
You know as well as I do that there has to be a kazillion capes and skins in freezers all across the nation that are in the kind of shape like your's was. Just think how many the taxis alone must have, and that doesn't count the hunters.
Baker said that old guy he got the mule deer cape from had an old chest freezer stuffed completely full of capes and skins. Baker said, "I'm thinking now that that freezer is a gold mine".
That area of using STOP-ROT in concentration like you did is wide open for exploration, and that includes GREEN capes. We were figuring a bottle on the black bears. Can't buy a black bear skin for that.........
If you would want to, I would like to take your e-mail and make an article out of it on hidetanning.net.
Catch ya later, our gun season starts in about an hour and change. I'm gonna go see if I can find an unlucky deer.
Glen
Glen, sure make a page with it. I did not keep super close details, just all I sent you.
I think most taxidemist have Obsesive Compulsive Disorder. We tend to use animal hides as our habit. Over the years I have tossed a lot of skins for various reasons. I currently have two freezer that somehow were unplugged, I doubt anything in them is really mountable because of the length of time, 10-14 days. But I am going to give Stop Rot a try on some of the animals.
I have over 20 large whitetail capes that I am sure are gone, but I am going to try Stop Rot on them and see if I can save any. One is a early season southern deer 8X24, it was a competition cape! So whats a bottle of Stop Rot if I can save a cape worth $200.00. Some nice Smallmouth bass I caught over 20 years ago.
One Item is a nice Rattlesnake, I will Stop Rot it and then attempt to pull a mold for a reproduction.
Along with those, in some other freezers I have a few capes and skins that are totally freeze dried!!!! Not as long a time but still dried.
When I get something of my own to mount its normally later when I get in and quickly it goes into the freezer where, I FORGET ABOUT IT! Well never have time to do my own stuff.
I have been using it on fish fins, currently I clean the fish with Aluminum Sulphate 1/4 ounce to 3 gallons water to remove the slime. Then do my setup for molding the fin or fish part. This is helping me to improve the details in the part I am molding.
Anyhow as I use Stop Rot more and MORE! I will include photos of before during and after.
I will report failures too, but some of the items will be last ditch attempts, I really know that these items are ruined and by any other method I know of they are trash can items.
John Creager
Taxidermist
NTA LT 118
Certified Horse Trainer
1014 Courtney Ln.
Harrison Arkansas 72601
Below are copies of e-mails in which Arkansas taxidermist John Creager shares some of his STOP-ROT experiences. I thought the way he was handling the freezer burn situation was real interesting, and should be "thrown out there" for all to see.
Glen Conley
STOP-ROT is available from these taxidermy supply distributors and tanneries: Order on-line from high lighted suppliers!
RESEARCH MANNIKINS 1-800-826-0654
Van Dyke's Taxidermy Supply 1-800-843-3320
Wildlife Artist Supply Company 1-800-334-8012
Quality Taxidermy Supply 1-888-527-8722
AEWS Taxidermy Supplies 1-800-529-3470
Taxidermy Arts Supply TASCO
Lonestar Wool & Fur 1-919-989-2000
SIVKO FUR, INC. 1-607-698-4827
James Taxidermy Supply (formerly Kings)
1-662-286-5133
WHITETAIL DESIGNER SYSTEMS 1-866-849-9198
