Q — How safe is Liqua Tan to use?
A — Liqua Tan is safe to use. This does not however mean that certain precautions shouldn't be taken. Liqua Tan does contain small amounts of solvents and is a mild acid. (PH range of 4.0 - 4.5). It is therefore recommended to wear rubber gloves when applying Liqua Tan or apply with a paint brush. After Liqua Tan is soaked into the skin, there are no special precautions needed. (Wash hands after working with Liqua Tan.) A safety data sheet is available upon request from us or any of our dealers.

Q — Can Liqua Tan be washed out of the skin when rehydrated?
A — No, Liqua Tan cannot be washed out of the skin. A Hydrogen bond is formed with the collagen in the skin, making the tan irreversible.

Q — Is Liqua Tan a real tan or just a preservative?
A — Liqua Tan is a complete tan, tanning both the cationic sites and the anionic sites. Where an Alum tanned skin will have a shrink temperature (a test to determine quality of tannage) of approximately 160 degrees Fahrenheit , a skin tanned with Liqua Tan will have a shrink temperature of approximately 176 degrees Fahrenheit. Other benefits of using Liqua Tan are permanent fixation of the tan and no hydrolization of mineral acids, which causes deterioration.

Q — How much Liqua Tan should be applied to the skin?
A — An even layer of Liqua Tan should be applied to the skin. After one-half hour rub in excess. A layer of Liqua Tan one-half of the thickness of the skin should be applied. Even though too much Liqua Tan won't hurt the skin, it will penetrate to the hair side, leaving oily hair, not to mention the waste of materials.

Q — How long will a skin tanned with Liqua Tan last?
A — A skin tanned with Liqua Tan will last indefinitely. Liqua Tan is a completely organic tan. It will not hydrolyze in the skin like Alum, creating Sulfuric Acid which causes deterioration of the skin.

Q — How much stretch should I get compared to Dry Preservative?
A — The benefit of using Liqua Tan is that the skin will have the same stretch as a skin that has been handled with Dry Preservative, yet be completely tanned.

Q — Can a skin tanned with Liqua Tan be frozen instead of drying it out if I cannot mount it right away?
A — A skin tanned with Liqua Tan can be put in the freezer to mount at a later date. Make sure to allow Liqua Tan to soak in for at least six hours before freezing. This method actually has some advantages. Liqua Tan will still tan in the freezer, but at a much slower rate. After several months, the skin starts to loose moisture. When the skin is thawed, it feels like a commercially tanned skin with no oily feel. Usually no rehydration is necessary.

Q — What is the best way to use the bonded ear method?
A — After the skin has had Liqua Tan on it for at least six hours, dip the ears (cartilage side out) in acetone to remove any surface oil from Liqua Tan. Towel dry and proceed with bonded method. (A good quality earliner is recommended for best results)

Q — Can Liqua Tan be used without salting the skin or soaking the skin in a salt solution?
A — Although this procedure is not recommended, Liqua Tan will tan the skin. The problem with this method is that the skin has not been cured. Also, the blood and other non-tannable proteins are left in skin, which deters proper tannage.

Q — Can Liqua Tan be used on African skins?
A — Yes, African skins can be tanned with Liqua-Tan following the normal procedures. The only problem which may be encountered is the difficulty in rehydrating the skin. The use of Relax R and Basacryl NBKU are recommended.

next