fat on a coon

i have searched and cannot find an answer.i am working on my second raccoon and i am getting discouraged. it is taking about 6-7 hours to flesh and de-fat the hide. it seems like the more fat i remove the more it becomes. i cannot afford to buy a flesher and a draw knife does not appear to help, i am using a razor and a pair of scissors. the 1st coon came out pretty good but took long to dry. i am using dry preserve. any "working" chemicals out there or any suggestions would be more than great because i am really trying hard to make taxidermy a reality to me. p.s. tom, i have not forgot about the tutoring. thanks clent

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Clent, done a thousand of the m with a draw knife.

Get yourself a 5 inch dia. piece of PVC pipe stretch that coon over it and knock off the fat, I years past I have done as many as one thousand per year when I trapped, trappers are still doing them this way. Before pvc pipe was around we made a beam from a 2 x 6 shaped it with saws and rasp to a point anchor it on a work beench or make it big enough for 2X4 legs to stand alone. John C

P.V.C pipe

how do you put thge p v c pipe? standing up? laying down? I have the same problem as Clent and was wandering.
-Brandon

Dave Says

Razor blades are a poor choice for fleshing. buy a scapel and a few #23 or #24 blades. these have the appropriate angle for faster fleshing. The scapel with blades will only cost about 5 dollars, and they can be resharpened. another good alternative is a sharp pocket knife or paring knife. just be prepared to sharpen often.
make sure to coat the skin with DP as you flesh. this will make fleshing easier.

just stick with it. it will get easier with time and experience.

Good Luck
Dave

Brandon thats up to you.

Its what you like best, what angle the pipe it placed at is your choice experiment and find out.

Salt first

I will tell you this, just cut off the big chunks of fat and meat and salt heavily, after 12 to 24 hours throw that sucker on the beam and use a draw knife as John C suggested. The salt makes the fat and flesh come off easier. I use to bust my butt on hides till I tried salting them first.

Dave Toms