Post by ecgreen on Nov 21, 2010 16:32:01 GMT -5
There has been some questions lately on how to flesh without removing hair, tearing, etc. I found this post on another forum and I really thought it was good. Its about possum, as I believe that if you can do a possum, all else is easy.
"My old friend Charles Dobbins used to say. "If you can flesh an otter and you can flesh a possum, you've got it covered."
Possums are on the other end of the spectrum from otter of course, and they require a very gentle touch. For starters, let a possum hang in a cool place for a while before you try to flesh it. This stiffens up the fat and makes it a little easier to do.
They do require a delicate touch. I really don't know quite how to explain it, but here goes. You never actually "scrape" the leather on a possum. Any time you pinch that thin hide against the beam with the knife, you are going to pull the hair roots. Don't stand the knife upright when you flesh, lay it down at more of a shallow angle, this way you are "picking up the fat" off the leather, as much or more so than you are "scraping" it. Also, don't go "back over" a possum pelt. Sometimes when I finish a coon I'll just give it a final once over to remove the last traces of fat. A possum pelt won't stand for any extra scraping.
I've heard of some folks putting a towel under the possum hide to cushion it. I don't do that but it might not be a bad idea.
Lastly, there is a spot right in the middle of a possum's chest that is impossible to flesh off without the hair falling out. Don't worry about that. The belly side of a possum is not very valuable anyway, and that won't downgrade your pelt. I suppose I should mention that you should trim away all the loose belly skin when you stretch the possum too.
As a final finish on the pelt, turn it back fur side out, and shake it good. That will shake out any loose hair, especially that fur in the chest area. If you don't do this, and the grader reaches up inside the pelt and comes out with some fur, they may think the whole pelt is bad.
Even with all this advice, I occasional over flesh a possum myself.
-- Hal"
"My old friend Charles Dobbins used to say. "If you can flesh an otter and you can flesh a possum, you've got it covered."
Possums are on the other end of the spectrum from otter of course, and they require a very gentle touch. For starters, let a possum hang in a cool place for a while before you try to flesh it. This stiffens up the fat and makes it a little easier to do.
They do require a delicate touch. I really don't know quite how to explain it, but here goes. You never actually "scrape" the leather on a possum. Any time you pinch that thin hide against the beam with the knife, you are going to pull the hair roots. Don't stand the knife upright when you flesh, lay it down at more of a shallow angle, this way you are "picking up the fat" off the leather, as much or more so than you are "scraping" it. Also, don't go "back over" a possum pelt. Sometimes when I finish a coon I'll just give it a final once over to remove the last traces of fat. A possum pelt won't stand for any extra scraping.
I've heard of some folks putting a towel under the possum hide to cushion it. I don't do that but it might not be a bad idea.
Lastly, there is a spot right in the middle of a possum's chest that is impossible to flesh off without the hair falling out. Don't worry about that. The belly side of a possum is not very valuable anyway, and that won't downgrade your pelt. I suppose I should mention that you should trim away all the loose belly skin when you stretch the possum too.
As a final finish on the pelt, turn it back fur side out, and shake it good. That will shake out any loose hair, especially that fur in the chest area. If you don't do this, and the grader reaches up inside the pelt and comes out with some fur, they may think the whole pelt is bad.
Even with all this advice, I occasional over flesh a possum myself.
-- Hal"