An earlier post on splitting promted me to ask some advise. I don't have any trouble splitting lips, eyes etc. but i have a devil of a time thinning the meat off, especially on the lips, but also in the whole face area in general. I always end up with a few holes to deal with where I have to tuck, and I ussually end up leaving more flesh on than I should just to get done. I use a scalpel with disposable blades (usually a #24). takes me to long, and too many blades to do it too. Some of it is lack of experiance I suppose, but I've been at it part time for about four years now and still struggle with this. Can I get some thoughts from any of you on the methods you use that I can try. Thanks in advance, Carl
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I know of several people that use light bulbs or ball bats as support under the skin so they can shave off this thin meat. Personally, I use my finger and what I don't shave off (BTW, I've always used a #10 blade and about 4 get me through a hide)I have a professional pair of material scissors that I use to clip the remainder off. I buy them from a custom cutlery shop that imports them from Germany. They run about $30 a pair, but have proved invaluable for "cleaning up" a hide.
carl, i'm a beginner, if it help's i split my lip's, eye's & such
but i send mine to a tannery, when they come back then i do the thinning, i put them on a beam(i made it from a round fence post from wal-mart) and i got one of those sknife's from WASCO i work around the face ,eye's,mouth and nose, i can use a scapel like you do but you got tolay the blade flat as possibel and work carfully and slow
i hope this help's coming from a beginner like me.
Bill Yox suggested this in one of his Breakthrough columns, it works well. You can hold lip skin on your finger, and sand the other side,(flesh side) with the sander. It pays to remove the heavy stuff first with a scalpel, and then go back over it with the sander to get the final thinning done. Don't get carried away though, you can burn holes right through it too. I know a lot of people who use this method.
dremmel tool with a sanding drum bit. Hold the skin with your forfinger under the edge and sand it thin. run the tool on about 1/2 or 3/4 speed until you get the hang of it. the sanding will generate a little heat which you will feel,stop,any more and you'll have a hole. Be sure that no matter what method you use that the lips are open to the very edge,if not you'll end up with 2 holes, 1 on the hair side 1 on the lip side of the edge.If not opened all the way the skin is basically in the shape of a V on the hair line,you'll take of the "tops", resulting in the 2 holes
I personally do not care for the scalpels with the replaceable blades. With the handle I am too far from my work. I use a single edge razor blade and I am right there. I have also made myself some mini fleshing beams out of dowels(various diameters) that will slide into the appropriate openings. I go through a package(100) every 6-8 months and I DON'T try to resharpen the blades, they are cheap.
Like George Roof, I keep my finges on the opposite side of the skin when I am fleshing, when the cape or hide comes back from the tanner I use the fleshing beams to do my thinning. It takes one razor blade for each process. African capes take at least ten blades to do the thinning, they are just a lot rougher on a blade.
It seems that each of us have something that works, just give them all a try and see what works for you the best.
Carl, I would say that each method has it's merits and you should check each out to see what suits you but my way is a little different. I use a Rappela filet knife- the shortest one- available nearly everywhere fishing knives are sold. This little knife is easy to sharpen and I do the nose, eyes, lips and chin area with it. For the neck and large areas of the face I've found nothing faster or better than a skife knife using enjector razor blades. Now, the blades can be pricey but the time you save will offset that cost quickly. Enjoy, Aaron H.