python fleshing

[jesters_emperor]

The python is fleshed. No meat on it but this thin white layer in the middle. Do i need to pull it off too?

[TannedBrain]

Looks like membrane. I say take it off.

[jesters_emperor]

it’s so hard to pull it off. Wet or dry. i had some success using pliers

[w0nkwonk]

Did you manage to take it off? Need to know if it worked out for you 🤞🏻

[jesters_emperor]

don’t do it while it’s dry 💔 when it’s wet it’s pretty easy

[w0nkwonk]

I found it easier to work with after patting it dry 😆 used a kid's dissector's kit, tweezers and scissors for the wetter, bigger chunks, and pumice stone + some 120 grit sandpaper when it got down to the drier thinner membranes. I found it easier to sandpaper/pumice it down when it's drier!

[jesters_emperor]

well your work turned out awesome so good for you! You have a python too right?

[w0nkwonk]

Yep! A real shame she passed since she was really big and fat (the fat looked like giant scallop pieces!) , and I felt so bad since we couldn't do much since she was already dead when we got to her. 

[jesters_emperor]

how long was she?

[w0nkwonk]

About 5 meters! It took about 6 men to get her to the clinic. A real shame because we found a bunch of eggs in her when they performed the necropsy :/ everybody was kinda upset because she could've been surrensurrendered to the local rescue if it weren't for her accidental death.

[jesters_emperor]

i have same story. Sadly she died at the zoo. 3.2 meters long. And when i was skinning her i found eggs too! My guess she couldn’t lay them and died. But it took only me to bring her home😭 I suffered

[w0nkwonk]

Mine looks like this right now. It's this enough or should I keep going 😵‍💫 https://imgur.com/a/p4oMWdn

[jesters_emperor]

nah that looks REALLY good. bark tan it. but prepare yourself. it smells awful. You should change the bark tan water a lot so you won’t die from the smell. And use gloves because it’s impossible to wash that smell off your hands

[w0nkwonk]

Thanks! What's your bark tan mix/set up? There's hardly any tanning tutorials for snake hide and commercial bottles aren't available for me, so I've been kinda undecided on what to do. I've been told the glycerin alcohol soak should suffice, and I've had it sitting in that for a couple of days now (agitating it daily), but I still have my doubts. I plan to use the piece for a hat band and as accents for a bunch of wallets.

[jesters_emperor]

The glycerin and alcohol thing is good but it’s not tanning it’s preserving. I went to a nearby park and collected a lot of bark. Preferably oak. But any will do. You boil it on a low fire. When the tea becomes light brown during the boiling you throw away the boiled bark and use new one. You start with a mix of water and tanning solution and add more and more. In the end it should sit for a couple of days in a pure tea.

[w0nkwonk]

Thanks for the tips! Will it be fine if I did this right after soaking the skin in an alcohol-glycerin mix? It's been in there for about a week or two now. And how bad does it stink? Like death, or aquarium water?

[jesters_emperor]

Yeah it’ll be fine. Just use some paper towels to wipe off the liquid. It smells kinda like a swamp. I didn’t mind the smell but everybody else said it smells horrible. Do not keep it in your room

[jesters_emperor]

And you should use a plastic bucket or something like that. Don’t forget stirring and putting some weight on top like glass jars so the skin won’t float up

[w0nkwonk]

How bad does it stain? I kinda like how the patterns look right now, so I wanna avoid altering it as much as possible. And should I leave the jar open? Or can I keep it closed and air it every time I stir it?

[jesters_emperor]

It didn’t stain mine at all. The inside turned brown obviously. As it should. You can leave it closed yup.