Fleshing tool recommendation

[socoalt]

Hey fellow roksliders.

I am going to start fleshing and tanning hides this year and am looking for advice on what are the necessary tools to start. Fleshing knife etc. I have the beam taken care of already.

Thanks!

 

[hereinaz]

Hey fellow roksliders.

I am going to start fleshing and tanning hides this year and am looking for advice on what are the necessary tools to start. Fleshing knife etc. I have the beam taken care of already.

Thanks!

In for the answers.

I had an old draw knife that I dulled the edge and used to flesh a buffalo hide when I was doing mountain man stuff in scouts.

 

[EdP]

Depending on what you are fleshing you can get away with a cheap dull knife (fox, possum, muskrat), but you will want a sharp knife for beaver, otter, coyote, deer, bear, raccoon, etc. A quality knife with a sharp edge on one side and dull on the other gives you the proper tool for either application. Your beam should be shaped to match the knife curvature reasonably close.

Weibe and Necker are brands that make a very similar product for pretty much the same price. My Necker 600 is a good fleshing knife but it was bought about 15 years ago and I have read that they moved mfg to China and the quality isn't there anymore. I don't know. There are fleshing knife threads on the Trapperman forum that you can google up.

 

[butcherboy]

For big stuff like deer and above nothing beats a 3000 psi power washer with a rotary tip. It will flesh beaver hides as well. Smaller stuff use a draw knife or you can use a beef skinner and rub in something like borax or soda ash so it’s not so slippery. I fleshed tons of hides and capes with a power washer. Watch some YouTube videos on it. It works pretty well. It works best on a flat board set at an angle.

 

[go_deep]

Old heavy duty butter knife is great for small animals like a weasel, rabbit, mink, muskrats, Marten, or even just working the edges of a larger animal.