>>421244No problem dude.
1.) Most skins come out pretty darn durable. Even squirrel and rabbit skins are surprisingly tough. As far as softness, once the skins have dried from the tanning process the fur will be soft, but the skin itself will be stiff. If your intentions are to have a rug or wall hanger, stiff is good. But if you want a blanket, you have to break it in. This can be done in a number of ways. the most effective way (I have found) to do it is making sure the skin is damp, then stretch the hell out of it and working it over a board. You can use a 2x4, turn a stool upside down and work it over the leg, use a fence post, or build stretching station. I use the edge of my fleshing board for stretching, see pic related. The fleshing board was built out of a 10ft 2x10 and a small piece of 2x4. You can even dampen the skin and toss it in the dryer with no heat. The more you work it, the more supple it will become. Also note to only work it on the flesh side, not the fur side.
2.) Assuming the animal was healthy and you did not leave it in the solution too long (my solution anyway), the hair should hold up just fine. When you first take it out of the tanning solution, the hair might be loose, but the hair follicles will set them back in place once it dries. I have found the for a week or so after finishing a hair, it will shed a bit. I am pretty sure those are just dislodged hairs leftover from the tanning process that haven't been shaken out yet. This can be fixed by using a fur brush, or a any brush for that matter.
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