I need a better tool to flesh hides

[adventure_ingles]

I have made several deer hides in the past into rawhide and have just used whatever was laying around to scrape off all that crap on it. I have used butterknives, small pieces of flat metal and random things. I just found a site that sells fleshing knives and was wondering if anyone has used these. Its gotta be better than a butter knife. I have never had a teacher or have seen anyone flesh out a pelt so i dont really know what will work. I did allright with the butterknife but its just a pain in the ass.

here is alink to the site with the knives
http://www.murrayslures.com/furshed.html

there is two tools- a #600 Necker fleshing knife and the one is a two handled fleshing tool
they both look the same though.

[paramilusmc]

You would be better off just getting an actual fleshing knife. They really arnt that expensive and do the job the right way the first time.

http://www.fntpost.com/Categories/Fur+Handling/Fleshing/Fleshing+Knives/

[bee_pipes]

Some of those are pricey - particularly the #600 necker. The $12.95-$17.95 knives would be the first ones to try. Anything ought to be an improvement over the butter knife. I picked up a simple fleshing knife from BrainTan.COM (http://www.braintan.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=1&Product_Code=Planer&Category_Code=Tools). It is similar to some of the less expensive fleshers on your site and paramilusmc's site. The handles are pieces of hose slipped over the ends of the metal. It is made from a pece of recycled steel.

What are your using for a fleshing beam? Got any pictures of your setup? Done anything besides deer hide?

Regards,
Pat

[Anon001]

ingles,

A fleshing knife will be much easier than a butter knife. Even a hunting knife would be better than a butter knife. I used my hunting knife on a number of hides before I got a fleshing knife.

[Mitch]

Proper fleshing is a whole nother thing :wink: A good quality Sheffield heavy knife will run from $250 to over $500. But they last a lifetime. You cannot wear them out, nor can your great grand kids! Used a lot around tanneries back in the day when work was hand done.

For only a few hides a necker is a good choice, and the $20 knives are a get by. I also use an old bell scraper used by folks to scrape hogs back in the 30s. A good quality beaver knife (skinning) is handy to have around.

Most pros use a skinning beam made from an oak log about 18 to 24 inches in diameter, and about 4 foot long split in half. The bark is removed and a stand is built to hold one end of it up about waste high at a 45 degree angle. This gives a good round and smooth surface that will not move to flesh on. (you will never wear this out as well). A piece of burlap is placed over the tie of your skinning apron to help hold the pelt still by friction as you lean over the beam.

For tube skinned animals you need a different type of beam. Mine is made from a rounded and tapered 6 foot piece of 1x8 of sawmill maple. I also have a small one that I mount in a vice for muskrats, mink, and weasels. A good beam is a real pain to carve, but then you only have to do it once.

A good fur handler can put up a hundred beaver a day with these tools by themselves! I am not that good :dirol:

[Dame]

Proper fleshing is a whole nother thing :wink: A good quality Sheffield heavy knife will run from $250 to over $500. But they last a lifetime. You cannot wear them out, nor can your great grand kids! Used a lot around tanneries back in the day when work was hand done.

For only a few hides a necker is a good choice, and the $20 knives are a get by. I also use an old bell scraper used by folks to scrape hogs back in the 30s. A good quality beaver knife (skinning) is handy to have around.

Most pros use a skinning beam made from an oak log about 18 to 24 inches in diameter, and about 4 foot long split in half. The bark is removed and a stand is built to hold one end of it up about waste high at a 45 degree angle. This gives a good round and smooth surface that will not move to flesh on. (you will never wear this out as well). A piece of burlap is placed over the tie of your skinning apron to help hold the pelt still by friction as you lean over the beam.

For tube skinned animals you need a different type of beam. Mine is made from a rounded and tapered 6 foot piece of 1x8 of sawmill maple. I also have a small one that I mount in a vice for muskrats, mink, and weasels. A good beam is a real pain to carve, but then you only have to do it once.

A good fur handler can put up a hundred beaver a day with these tools by themselves! I am not that good :dirol:

I am impressed. Thanks, Mitch.