Pig slaughter: skin or scald to use the leather? Also, to hang or to process same-day?

[Phoenixxx]

Hello, we have two pigs that we'll be slaughtering soon. I want to keep the hides for leather but can't find any info on the best way to prepare a pig with that purpose in mind. So far it looks like the easiest may be to skin the pigs and de-bristle after, but scalding and scraping seems like the best way to ensure the hide isn't "screwed up" by accident. Is scalding and scraping okay to do or will it make the skin useless for leather after?

Also, two butchers I've spoken with say the carcasses need to hang for a week before processing, yet in every blog/thread/article I've read today the pigs are being cut up and processed on the same day. Is hanging really necessary, and why is it done?

Thanks

 

[redsoxs]

I can't speak to the first part of your post as I never save the hide. However, I always process the same day. One, I do all my own processing and since I don't have a fridge or locker in which to hang a whole hog, it gets done the same day. I suppose pork hung in a climate controlled locker could be beneficial but I think there's a reason we hear about aged beef but not aged pork.