Shaving options

[Manny]

I have been shaving by hand for a while now, just using a razor blade. It takes forever and im sure im still not getting it thin enough.
Im in the market now for a mini flesher to do the job. Problem is I cant find any electric ones. Does anyone know of a source.  Im apposed to the air ones because dont have a compressor big enough, and dont want to have to buy another one of those to. My biggest compressor is only 1.6 hp and Mini Flesher says a least 2 hp.

I have never tried using a grinder and wire wheel, does that really work?

[John C]

Dont waste your money on a mini flesher. get a full sized one. know a man that has a used Quebec for sale. You can ossibly get it as cheap as a MINI.

[Uncle Harley]

I have been shaving by hand for a while now, just using a razor blade. It takes forever and im sure im still not getting it thin enough.
Im in the market now for a mini flesher to do the job. Problem is I cant find any electric ones. Does anyone know of a source.  Im apposed to the air ones because dont have a compressor big enough, and dont want to have to buy another one of those to. My biggest compressor is only 1.6 hp and Mini Flesher says a least 2 hp.

I have never tried using a grinder and wire wheel, does that really work?

I can answer your question about the wire wheel  yes you can remove the membrane with a wire wheel and can actually thin with a grinding wheel  ( this is how I did it when I started out)    however let me say this  IT IS VERY EASY TO BURN A HOLE IN THE HIDE WITH THE WHEEL OR CAUSE SLIPPAGE DUE TO HEAT BUILD UP, AND ALSO THE WIRE WHEELS WILL THROW WIRES SO WEAR A FACE SHIELD OR GOGGLES IF YOU VALUE YOUR EYES!!!   It didn't take me  but 1-2 hides to figure out that it wasn't the way to go.  Send them out to a tannery to be done and they will come back already shaved  or  buy a good used table top flesher

[Aaron H]

If you only do a few deer a year shaving with a scalpel might work lots better than a razor blade. You can get a blade handle and a box of blades (size 22) and this along with a good sharp knife will take care of a whitetail. It's still going to take a longer time than a fleshing wheel. Sending out to a good tanner will get you a great cape preperation job but of course you will pay for it. Still the time saved is huge. enjoy, Aaron H.

[HiTines]

I use a fillet knife and a wooden beam and it works some better..

[JSeiler]

The mini flesher does make an electric version go to there web site, also King Arthur tools has an electric taxidermy tool set called the merlin. I have been using the air powered mini flesher for a few years and love it. 

[Manny]

I always thin my hides before putting in the Krowtann, but i got one early and only had time to flesh and turn everything than I put it in the freezer.
Question, if i throw it in the tan before I thin it will i have to put it back in the tan after thinning?
I was planning on getting a miniflesher before tanning.

[bill@hogheaven]

You shouldbe able to find a mini flesher here. Any one who gets one wants to get rid of it. They really do a poor job & arent worth wasting money on.

[tazzymoto]

If your tanning your own hides , get a full sized fleshing machine don't waste money on a mini flesher, If you cant afford that use a fleshing knife and beam, thats how they used to do it.

[KingArthur]

King Arthur's mini flesher, the black magic, is one of 6 accessories that comes in our taxidermy tool set. It was designed to replace the knife or razor blade when doing the hand fleshing in the face area. It's not designed to do the entire cape if you're doing a lot of fleshing. We don't think that it would be efficient use of time. You can use a larger fleshing machine or knife and beam for the large areas. If you are only doing a few deer then it would probably work out for you over the entire cape. The good thing about our tool set is that you're not only getting the fleshing attachment but you're also getting some other attachments that will help you with other task that you have in your day to day operation. Check us out at www.taxidermytools.com . We've got some unedited videos that show the fleshing tool being used.

[John Coombs]

If you can get the table top fleshing machine that would solve all your shaving problems ( excluding the face area ) but if you want to have time to save up for one, then in the mean time use the scalpel blade #60 with handle and a skife knife with the #21 scalpel blade. The #60 blade is larger and thicker which allows you to sharpen and get alot of use out of it before its needs to be replaced. The #21 scalpel blade in the skife knife last alot longer than the blades that or designed for them. This works for me.