Reddit mentions of Coleman Gear and Clothing Permethrin Insect Repellent Treatment Spray - 6 oz Can

I have a can of Permethrin spray that I bought back somewhere around summer of 2011. It's been sitting in the basement this whole time.

Do you guys know if it will still be effective?

It's an older bottle of Coleman Gear & Clothing Spray (http://www.lancasterarchery.com/coleman-gear-clothing-permethrin-insect-repellent.html) which I assume is the same as the current bottle (https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Clothing-Permethrin-Repellent-Aerosol/dp/B003AMH6JS) with 0.5% permethrin.

What is your project like? Is this your first time tanning? Are you buying a hide and doing something with it? Or are you skinning a squirrel for the first time ever?

Assuming the last, go for just drying the hide. Save tanning for when you've done a few squirrels (when you won't put as many holes in the hide and have more to test on). It's exciting to start, I know, but it's a learning process and learning both skinning and tanning honestly might be overwhelming (especially because both take many hours out of the day). I'm still not "perfect" at skinning, and I'm learning tanning, which still seems a bit overwhelming to do.

A few things you're going to need:

• Double Edge razor blades (for skinning, making things very easy) - Family Dollar, $1 for 5 blades
  
  
• Borax - Any store, around $5 (can also use salt, the cheapest of which is water softener salt for ~$5 per 25-50lb bag, which needs to be blended into a small grain like you'd expect in a salt shaker)
  
  
• Nitrile gloves - Harbor Freight, ~$7 (if you want to use them; I also sometimes stop using them post skinning and when cleaning)
  
  
• Permethrin - Tractor Supply, $8 OR this Coleman stuff if you don't want to mix and test it on the ants outside first to make sure it works. YES, I would say it's required. I like killing the ticks off before working on animals.I also use it in case they have any bugs that may survive by eating fur, which is common on squirrels. Gross, but just something you have to deal with in taxidermy.
  
   
  
  One other thing to know is how to sew. Get a decent needle (one that isn't poorly cast/stamped and cuts into your thread with each pull of the thread) and maybe a thimble and sew those holes closed while the hide is still wet. If you don't know how (to sew), you're going to have to learn (something I'm still doing).
  
   
  
  When you're confident in skinning (when it doesn't take a super long amount of time and you feel more comfortable), go for tanning. I honestly recommend not "case" skinning when trying tanning out for the first time. Completely just a slit across the back legs and one down the chest/belly. I'll simply link to my post on tanning for now since I don't have my guide for beginners put together yet. Heck, I'm still somewhat of a beginner myself. I'm just trying to find guides that actually make sense and is written coherently. No information let out. The type of guide where it isn't assumed you know everything as a beginner, y'know?
  
   
  
  Edit: One thing that's REALLY important to know is drying. DON'T dry a hide in front of a heater. I learned that the hard way and now I have a squirrel with really short arms and a really short tail. ...And it had fur slipping, too, so it's (probably) pretty much not fixable (if I re-hydrate it, the top layer of skin and fur would probably peel right off).
  
  If you get the skin off and need to take a break (say, overnight), go get some 70% isopropyl alcohol and a jar. Fill the jar rather full and put the hide right in. It should last forever. I've kept hides like that for a week straight.