I am interested in how long does it take to skin the hide off a deer head and what cut do people use? Also once that is done how long to split the lipe and do the nose and eyes. Seems this process takes so long but i guess you can't hurry a artist. Wayne
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My job in the military is to teach folks to train others. One of the things I teach folks, when they are attending one of my classes, is that you DO NOT teach speed. You teach technique and safety first. Speed will come about as a result of repetition and famaliarity with the task. There is no shortcut to go old fashioned "hard work"
DaveT
Hello Wayne
When a customer brings a deer head to my shop I can have the cape skinned from the skull, fleshed, and everything turned in one hour if I do it all at once. Depending on my work load for the day sometimes I just skin the cape and freeze until I can flesh. I prefer to do it all at once if I can. Now this may seem fast but I have several years of experience. For fleshing I use a flesh all mini flesher so I get every once of meat possible so my salt penetrates the hide properly. I can also turn everything with my flesh all but it took practice to get that good. Once you have done a few you should be able to skin a cape off of a head in about 10 minutes max. Fleshing uses the rest of the time. If you are fleshing by hand it's going to take you several hours and to be honest will be quite a pain!
David,
Have you not worked with a regular twelve inch fleshing machine? You don't know what your missing. With some experience on a Quebec machine you can flesh a cape in less than 15 minutes.
Your giving Wayne your comments but there are better, faster and easier to operate tools than a mini flesher on the market. It would be interesting to read other comments on the subject.
Gerry
I could probably flesh and turn one in 15 minutes. Course, it would take me two days to stitch up all the holes I cut in it. Like Dave said, it ain't a horserace. Do it right every time and your speed will increase over time. If you don't have time to do it right the first time, where are you going to find time to do it over again?
I USE A DOUBLE STACKED MED WIRE WHEEL SET UP ON A GRINDER WITH THE GAURD MOUNTED UP SIDE DOWN ON IT TO KEEP ANY THING FROM WRAPPING IN THE WLEEL, WORKS GREAT FOR FACE, EARS, EAR BUTS AND EYES/LIPS, I USE A FLESHING BEAM AND A FLESHING KNIFE ON THE REST. THIS WIRE WHEEL WORKS BEST ON PICKELED HIDES AND IS GREAT FOR THINNG DOWN THE SEAM FOR STICHING. KEEP YOU FINGERS TIPS UNDER THE THINNER PARTS OF THE HIDE, WONT CUT YOU BUT, WILL BURN YOU !, ALLSO BREAK IN THE WHEEL FIRST WITH A 2X4 IT WILL REMOVE ANY LOSE WIRE AND PUT A SLIGHT BEND IN THE WIRE, REALY GRIND ON THE WOOD.
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I too used a mini-flesher before i married a rich woman and could afford a Quebec (kidding Gerry, best investment in my business I ever made). I've never used a wire wheel and don't think I'd want too, not that it does't work I've just never tried it. Gerry is right if your doing any reasonable amount of fleshing make it easy on yourself and get a Quebec. John
I use the v cut and it takes me about 1 hour to skin the head out then I will turn the lips and eyes and nose this process takes me about 2 hrs,then I will flesh the hide on flesher face lips and hide complete,then I will split the ears and really take my time on ears dont want any rips,Hope this help you..........mike
cape It out then you can decide later what you want to do no this Is not the time to split lips..you can salt thou and bag It up for a few days like this...this Is what they have to do when there far away on horse back they just cape It out rub salt and bag and let It go at that?because they'll be able to ride out In a few days and then It can be frozen or dealt with by a taxidermist