Thread: 1st attempt at dyeing arctic body and keeping the hide soft and flexible

This started at 930am this morning. I got a buddy on one of my fly tying boards who used to do commercial dyeing and he told me dyeing pieces of the pelt and keeping them soft depends A LOT on how they were dyed (chrome dyed is the best). So I pulled out the dye and did a cold dye (temp of the dye only 80 degrees) on a piece of it and a piece of the tail.

So 9 hours later and I've got the dye jobs done. Did a piece of the body hair and a chunk of the tail - I did find that it's easier to dye with the tail IN but it still worked just have to be careful when you comb it out.

Tail drying and initial brushing


Tail all dried and brushed


Body piece drying and I'm stretching it as it drys, been doing it every 15 mins and so far its still flexible and the
holes were there when I started.


Hair all combed out nice and it's dry, just waiting for next round of stretching


So far so good but till the hide is completely dry is the last step and that it stays soft!

ifish sorry it's arctic fox