i am fleshing my first deer cape and i am trying my best but i cant seem to get all the membrane off the hide. I used a scalpel and it got the biggest part of it off but i cant seem to get it all off. I dont have a fleshing machine, necker knife or any of the "good" tools of the trade yet. My question is this: is the cape ruined if I cant totally flesh the cape or is there some kind of way to get it off that i dont know about. Im driving myself nuts over this. I have pickled the cape and it made it swell but i still cannot seem to get the rest off. Please no rude replys , Im new . Thanks for any help
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The cape swells a little in the pickle. Than you need to shave the hide and thin it down.
The membrane you talk about should be removed before the pickle, but you can get away with a thin layer.
have to thin it. I went through the aggravation of tanning my own hides. never again only the small stuff.
squirrels etc. It isn't worth the inconsistancey you can get with home tanning. The PH has to be just right.
The shaving etc. How much is your time worth? I can get $100 worth of work done in the time it takes to save $25.
But to the original question. You still need to thin the hide. Knife or wheel it needs to be done.
Tony
Jay,
It doesn't sound like you salted it dry first. This is an important step that should not be over looked, especially on deer or larger mammals, as it will dry out the epidermis and lock in the hair. If not, it's too late now(unless you want to neutralize, drain and salt), but make sure you have a high enough salt content in your pickle and you keep the ph at about 1.5 - 2, depending on what you are using for acid. That membrane will come off when you thin it and without having a machine, I would recommend you to use a skife for doing this. Thin it after being in the pickle for a day, and then return it to the pickle for 2 more day's. You might want to re thin the ares that you missed at that point, then go ahead and neutralize and tan.
try a wire wheel on a bench top grinder. this will do an adequte job of removing that membrane. i used this before i got a fleshing machine.just be careful and take your time.
your cape is not ruined. Just get all meat off and and much fat as possible. If you are overly worried drip dry it put in freezer for now. Get the ass end of that deer hide or other hide to practice on. (Or a raccoon skin want ever you can get.) My very best no. 1 toll for shaving a hide is a 6 in. bonner knife by Dexter. No expensive tools here. Don't worry about perfect shaving job. If your hide is pickled, shaved to get as much fat and all meat off, lips turned, ears opened up and then tanned,--- it will be ok. I can't tell where the membrane you are talking about is. I bet it's on the face? or on the brisket area, arm pits ? maybe. Take it easy here, don't loose sleep over it. Seems to me you know where you want to go. Keep up the good work.
Jay, i have used a Rapala fillet knife that i sharpened razor sharp and used it to flesh a cape.
If you dont have any fleshing tools try this. Hold the blade at a shallow angle kinda like you would if you were trying to shave some hair off your arm and make a slicing motion with it.Do this till you see the a dark bluish cast to the skin. Dont cut into the follicles of the fur! Try to get the skin an even thickness.Sounds like you might want to toss it back in the pickle after thinning it.If you need more,e-mail me. good luck.
Using a piece of pvc pipe hold these verticle to the pvc and pull to you rapidly. One year I did 65 deerhead and 6 pronghorns this way so yes you can too. Oh that was about a eon ago, but it still works.
I like your idea John. I've got another one. I have found the best people to learn manual shaving techniques from are trappers. These fine folks hold trapping conventions and seminars and summer rendez-vous regularly. For minimum fee, say 35$, they provide a three day course and a place to bed down. You bring your sleeping bag and money for meals, which are prepared on the spot. Fur Harvesters have it, as pride in their work and to get the most $$ out of furs, to do an excellent job of skinning and shaving skins. If you make holes they teach to sew them properly. If you want to learn quickly about preparing skins and furs and have fun with a bunch of good people, go to your local trappers' convention.
There is probably a trapper near you who could teach you how to effectively use a fleshing beam and a skinning knife. Or if your lucky there's a least one guy/gal with DNR who's a trapper and/or can find one to help you. Bet he/she will have all kinds of good stories,secrets and know-how ...
A skife only costs 6 bucks and is a tool you should have in your box anyway. Good idea though John.