Never never use salt on a hide to be used for fly tying. PERIOD. The worst thing you can do to a hide us use salt on it. Salt draws moisture out of the air and makes a soggy mess out of the hide. It also will be absorbed into the hair and hooks that that hair is tied onto will rust in the box. If you are preserving the hide to go to the tanners then it doesn't make any difference. Only use borax if the weather is warm enough for the flies to be out. The hide will dry just fine without using salt or borax.

Dawn is the best detergant to use to wash a hide with. I have used shampoo, both adult and baby, and it doesn't do the job that dawn does. You are washing off the surface grease. The natural oils are permiated into the hair and will not be washed out with a washing of Dawn. You don't need any conditioner either.

I have been doing animal skins for over 50 years. I think I just might have enough experiance in this area to to be able to give some sound advice.

fishbum