Conference vmsnet::hunting$note:hunting

    YOU MUST USE NO LEAD GAS OR NAPFA THIS WILL DEGREASE YOUR WATERFOWL
    AS WELL AS CLEAN THE FEATHERS,YOU CAN ALSO USE NAPFA FOR DEGREASING
    BEAR HIDES.IVE BEEN IN TAXIDERMY FOR 15 YEARS YOU NEVER STOP LEARNING
    
    DON..

    Don,
    
    I gave up on the Goose due to hearing it was a real pain.  I did finish
    a few deer, sure had a good time, except for the fleshing.
    
    Thanks for the reply.
    Wess

    WESS,
    I'VE FINISHED ABOUT 50 OR 60 OF THE WHITE TAILED CRITTERS,EACH ONE
    BETTER THAN THE PREVIOUS ONE YOU LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERY TIME,THE
    BEST WAY TO FLESH THEM IS OF COURSE A FLESHING MACHINE BUT YOU CAN 
    ALSO USE A WIRE WHEEL ON A DRILL OR GRINDER THIS WILL THIN YOURE 
    HIDE DOWN QUITE NICELY,IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WHITE TAILED
    DEER OR ANY OTHER LARGE GAME ,ID BE GLAD TO HELP.
                                        REGARDS DON.

    Don,
    
    Thanks alot.
    
    
    Wess

Could you tell me more about using a drill with a wire wheel for fleshing
out a hide?  What type of wheel do you need?  What about technique?

Thanks,

Jerry

P.S.  Please don't shout (CAPITAL LETTERS, that is ;-))

       <<< Note 1342.5 by 29067::J_HENSON "Don't get even, get ahead!" >>>
                         -< More on fleshing, please? >-

>>Could you tell me more about using a drill with a wire wheel for fleshing
>>out a hide?  What type of wheel do you need?  What about technique?

	I'm going to guess, and suggest that it's used for thinning the hide
where it's too thick.  My elk hide is thin on the underside of the animal, or
near the quarters (where the folds of skin are) and thicker elsewhere.  After
I tanned it, it is very stiff in these thick areas, and cracks when bent to a 
sharp angle.  I'm trying to make an outer skin for a wallet, and it's been hard
to get the hide soft enough.

	A Tandy leather brochure mentions that cowhides are shaved to a uniform
thickness (when tanned professionally), so that when you work them (tooling, 
whatever) the results are predictable and the leather is equally strong in 
each dimension.  This is hard to do by hand with hides, and I imagine that a 
wire-wheel brush would be a good way to abrade off some of the hide.  My 
brochures talk about using a rasp to thin a hide, but that's fairly ridiculous
after the hide has dried and can't be worked.  I may try the wire-brush trick,
as it's no dumber than anything else I've done ;-).

	"Fleshing" as far as I know, is just the process of removing the meat
and excess fat from a hide before you start to tan it.  I'd sure wear goggles
if I were using a wire brush, as I bet it would fling stuff all over the place.


steve

    Jerry,
    Im assuming you have already removed all the fat and meat from the
    hide,the wheel im talking about is very much like the bristles of
    a wire brush but on a wheel that fits in any standard 3/8 drill,I
    place the drill in a vice with the edge of the wheel facing me,I 
    guess i should mention the drill has to have a lock so you can leave it
    running in the vice.Now grab the hide with both hands about 8 inches
    appart and flesh side towards the wheel and gently move the hide side
    to side.I would only do this on the lower part of the cape[below the
    neck,i still flesh the detail in the head area by hand.I hope this
    helps you out.Try it out on a hide first it takes a knack.
    
    Don.

    Jerry,
    
    You could try it on my mother-in-law if you like!
    
    
    
    Wess