Sheepskin

[onecalledk]

hi

just wondered if anyone could give me some advice on the pricing structure of sheepskins and where the best place is to get hold of one or two?

many thanks
K

[kjandcrew]

The butcher shop in Princess Street in Thurso sells sheepskins for about £30. I bought one from them years ago and its fab

[_Ju_]

Are you asking about tanned or raw? For raw you he to be licensed to process them ( unless they are for your own use and of rare breeds).

[onecalledk]

thank you, I will go check out the butchers shop. After googling the curing of sheepskin and animal hides I realise the magnitude of it all !

I naively assumed that since I was surrounded by sheep it would be very easy to obtain the lovely coat of the sheep when it had done its bit and gone to be served on the plate........

thanks
K

[grandma]

Caithness Cheese (at Lybster) tan sheep skins - or they used to. I'm sure they wouldn't mind giving advice or help if needed.

[onecalledk]

thank you all for your replies and for the PMs that were sent to me. I have now found out that "doing my own" is not an option as if you are caught curing your own sheepskin in Scotland its a criminal offence !! payable of a fine up to £20K which i think is just crazy but it seems that is the law......

I will check out the sources I have been given and see what I find.

thanks
K

[_Ju_]

People cannot demand food safety in one breath and complain of curtailment of their right to deal with their own animal by products as they see fit. Draconian measures on sheep and bovine ABP's were put in place to help restore confidence in the meat being produced (disease control) after the foot and mouth outbreak.

[onecalledk]

hmm not sure where you are coming from in response to my post re this. I dont happen to agree with all the food "safety" measures and firmly believe that we are the furthest away from healthy food or even nutritious food than we have ever been !

Tighter controls on food do NOT mean healthier , nutritious food.......

Was a bit shocked to learn the extent of the damage that the chemicals can do to human health re the curing of sheepskin and hence the need for licences to use them.

In ye olden days (I am talking hundreds of years), the sheep would have been eaten and the skins used for warmth. No horrible chemicals back then so people would have used natural products. Organic curing of sheepskin uses the by product of tree bark ......

So to get back to my original point I am not complaining about the need for licences to use the chemicals to cure. I am perhaps drawing attention the fact that what SHOULD be a natural use of the animal is being prevented by legislation.......

K

[mrlennie]

hmm not sure where you are coming from in response to my post re this. I dont happen to agree with all the food "safety" measures and firmly believe that we are the furthest away from healthy food or even nutritious food than we have ever been !

Tighter controls on food do NOT mean healthier , nutritious food.......

Was a bit shocked to learn the extent of the damage that the chemicals can do to human health re the curing of sheepskin and hence the need for licences to use them.

In ye olden days (I am talking hundreds of years), the sheep would have been eaten and the skins used for warmth. No horrible chemicals back then so people would have used natural products. Organic curing of sheepskin uses the by product of tree bark ......

So to get back to my original point I am not complaining about the need for licences to use the chemicals to cure. I am perhaps drawing attention the fact that what SHOULD be a natural use of the animal is being prevented by legislation.......

K

Good post I agree!