Fish skin casting?

[vb-matt-36]

Hi everyone, i'm sure this question as been asked before but I was wondering if it is possible to use fish skins cast in resin? it is possible to cast snake skin so i'm assuming you can do fish skin too but the question is how do you dry the fish skin first and has anyone tried it before? if so I would love to see the pic, I used to be a fish merchant but in all the time I was selling fish I have never been approached with this idea or have been asked, there are so many different types of fish with really nice colours so am looking forward to doing my first fish cast, thanks for reading, regards Matt.:wink:

 

[firewhatfire]

here is an article on skinnning and cleaning them. I assume drying afterwards is just a matter of time.

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php?topic=12105.0

 

[vb-matt-36]

here is an article on skinnning and cleaning them. I assume drying afterwards is just a matter of time.

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php?topic=12105.0

Thanks for the reply and that was a very interested read, but I allready have a good idea of how to remove the skin and clean it but I need to know what process follows this eg; drying time and chemicals used if any, regards Matt.

 

[Kev]

You may like to try here, I have visited them and managed to pick up a couple of pieces of leather which I plan to make into a pen "one day".

They do make and sell leather bound pens in their store, mainly stream line pens.

you could be lucky enough to have them send some over to you for casting.

Kev

http://www.mermaidleather.com.au/

 

[Fibonacci]

I did a couple in salmon leather.

They were tanned in solution that I bought for doing snake.

 

[Tiny98]

I used a solution of rubbing alcohol and glyceryn for snake skin i'm pretty sure it would also work for fish skin. Mix the two half and half and slop it on with a brush worked for me.......Andy

 

[SCR0LL3R]

You got me looking at this mackerel and wondering...

 

[Buzzzz4]

:devil:I've got a huge Plecko in my fish tank I would love to send your way for casting:devil:

 

[Rick P]

You should be able to use the same drying method as a snake. Just be careful that the fish you get isn't too high in fat. Arctic cisco hooligan and salmon might not work as well as the more southern species do to fat and oil content. Unfortunately the colors tend to fade rather sharply on fish.

I dry hides for fly tying using plain old table salt all the time, might be to dry for something as thin as a fish but it would be worth a try. Second I read this I thought about the iridescent spots and color shifting scales of the grayling! Awesome fish Grayling beautiful and they only live in spots like this.

 

[Rick P]

Course a Sockeye in full breeding colors is rather striking!

 

[warthog]

Unlike snake skins...a fish skin is altogether different. You can tan the skins of fish, but the colors you are mentioning will all be lost. Usually fish skins that are tanned are dyed during the tanning process...I am assuming it is during the pickling procedure. It is a shame that this occurs...but it does. I'm a taxidermist and have tried to retain the colors in fish skins...all attempts failed. The skin was preserved alright...but the colors were all gone.