Help mounting Crocodile Skin

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Miranda Smith

Miranda Smith

CGF II, Certified Grumble Framer Level 2
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May 31, 2010
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Perth, Western Australia
Ok Brains Trust. I need help. Maybe asking for the impossible?
I need to mount this 4 metre crocodile skin using preservation methods.

The skin is 6 to 8mm thick (1/4 in)
It is pretty heavy. About 18 kg (40lbs).
The only hole in it is the bullet hole.

I though magnets but went to the magnet supplier and they are either not strong enough or so big and unsightly that they are not suitable. I would need to use a thick steel backing plate and that will bebe heavy too.
The sheer forces are strong and the cost of the magnets will be Several hundred dollars.

I don't think sewing will work. Sewing through thick leather with Teflon thread was one thought but what to see it to that will be strong enough??. I don't really want to put holes in it.. but nails may be an option.
But this could affect the value of the skin.
Is there any clip system that anyone knows about?
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First thoughts......

Make a big 'form' from plywood, a little smaller than the skin. You will have to laminate smaller ply sheets
with the joins stagger. This should give a very solid and stable backing. Seal this with several coats of varnish.
Align the skin and poke/drill though the skin and backer. I think you maybe could lift a scale slightly and drill underneath
so that the hole would be concealed. Stitch though with thick waxed linen thread. The more stitches, the less weight
each individual stitch has to support. I'm thinking at least 50-60. Once you have the beast mounted you are free to
fix the form to any background of your choice.

I'll stress that I've have never actually done this. 😄 But it sounds good to me. As for preservation, if the skin has been
properly tanned then it should last for centuries.
 
You mentioned on FB that you planned to speak with a saddle maker. I would also seek out someone in a natural history museum and also a taxidermist.

I like the idea of mounting it onto a plywood backing - but maybe with two holes, under each leg on the top (as it hangs) with stainless steel bolts and washers through the plywood. Then some painted wire in a couple of places to keep the tail from flopping around. If the hide is 1/4" thick it oughtn't to be that flexible?
 
Even the finest tanning job won't keep leather forever. There is maintenance, especially in a dry environment.
I would get in contact with an object conservator for advice. Paul Storch is one, and used to pop in here occasionally. He doesn't seem to be a current member of the G.
The name of his business is Museum Science Consultants.
www.mnhs.org

Museum Science Consultants

www.mnhs.org www.mnhs.org
 
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I know this sounds like heresy, but a tanned crocodile hide isn't fine art. It may have value, but I think you might want to consider some trade-offs with your client's consent. Looking at your pictures, it seems like some appropriately placed nails under the edges of the scales (with their heads painted if necessary) might be the best way to secure it to a solid backer. I think that would provide the securest mount with the least amount of headache. I might still consult an object conservator regarding the long term maintenance of the hide.

James
 
A number of formed rod mounts, perhaps every 40 cm - 50 cm, should provide plenty of support and stability for the skin. For this sort of project, I'd probably use spring steel rod (aka piano wire, aka music wire) of at least 1mm diameter, which could be bent to conform to the shape using two pairs of pliers. I suggest cold-forming them to wrap about 10 mm - 15 mm over the edges of the skin, and perhaps they could be placed under the overlaps of the scales. Cover the exposed segments of the mounts using polyolefin shrink tubing and, if desired, paint them using acrylic paints mixed to match. Illustrated instructions are in the shadowbox book.

For the substrate, fluted polypropylene (aka Coroplast) at least 10 mm thick would enable you to poke the mounts through the skin and encapsulate the anchor-segment of each mount in the air spaces between flutes using hot-melt glue or epoxy. Also, the polypropylene substrate probably would not chemically react with the skin. For decorative value, cover the frame-sized fluted polypropylene substrate with a fabric before sinking the mounts.

Or, if you care to trim the substrate to the shape of the skin, except slightly smaller, you could embed the mounts into the ends of the air spaces, rather than poking them through the skin. Then, the mounted skin's substrate could be screwed or wired to a decorative background board.
 
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