Please tell me how "clean" a cape has to be fleshed before salting and pickling. I know to remove the large chunks of red meat and fat but what about all the thin red layers and thin red facial meat (around eyes) etc? Should I remove all of that before salting or is that easier to do after pickling?
I've done a couple of capes myself and it seems I just cut holes trying to clean it up too much before salting and even cut thru on it sometimes. Am I thinning it down too much before pickling and should just leave all that to plump up during pickling and then be removed when shaving? I've read the archives for the last hour and would just like to have someone describe to me what their capes look like when done "right" before salting.
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Terry and others, fleshing is not a easy learned job for most. Even twenty capes you will still cut holes.
It takes time, now you know why some of us tell beginners to charge more.
Are you splitting the eye, lips and nose, remove down to about 1/8th on the nose and lips, you should see the tips of the whisker bulbs.
The eyes should be split to where you see the little cylinder shaped glands.
Whisker bulbs should be seen in the preorbital gland area.
the lips again down to about 1/8th inch.
All fat and red meat, muscle tissue shold be removed on the rest cape.
Salt does not penetrate the fat very well in the brisket area.
once salted, and pickled it should be easier as the skin will plump in the acid pickle.
Go with the lay of the hair from back to front.
Even using an old Hickory butcher knife file a bevel along one side, now using a good diameter smoth steel bend the lip over, this will peel the hide right on down.
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Get the heavy red meat off and any fat that can be removed with a barely sharp knife.Do turn ears,split lips,clean up eyes. Don't wsate time thinning or doing anything to the hide that requires a sharp knife or scalpel.This can be done later. Get the hide in the salt as soon as possible and don't scrimp on the salt. More hides are lost by beginners taking to much time preping (slippage) ,then are damaged with holes.