I need advice......
I am working on my first deer mount. I just pulled the cape out of the pickle and did what I am guessing to be a so-so job of shaving. I have no one to show me how to do it so I have to interpret the descriptions on this website. I used a scalpel and a beam to shave mine.
1. WHAT DOES "DONE" LOOK LIKE AS FAR AS SHAVING GOES?
2. WHAT IS THE WORST CASE SCENARIO IF I MOVE ON TO TANNING EVEN
THOUGH THE CAPE COULD BE SHAVED BETTER?
3. HOW MANY SCALPEL BLADES DO YOU THINK A ROOKIE WOULD GO THROUGH ON HIS FIRST "SHAVE"?
Thanks
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I would say the best way to know if you have got your hide then enough is to compare it to your mouse pad for your computer.If it is one of the thin ones,about 1/32 thick.You want to be that thin or maybe a tad bit thicker but not much though.You will want to shave around the eyes as thin as possible.I mean real thin.This helps to keep yours eyes from pulling during drying.The worst thing that can happen if you move right to the tanning step is that you may not get the stretch you will want and you will have some shrinkage.What kind of tan are you using.I recommend McKenzie tan.It gives good stretch.If you need more in depth instuctions check the archives.There is alot of good stuff about fleshing in there.
Shave it as thin as you can with out cutting the hair folicels. The thinner it is shaved the less shrinkage you get. If youy are using scalpel blades to thin the cape, it will take many blades and many hours to do it right. The best way to compare it is to look at how thin the skin is in the arm pit area. The whole cape should be about that thin. Measure your cape when it comes out of the pickle and after it is shaved and you will see how much the cape opens up. That will help you know how much you need to go. You will develop a feel for it after a while. You may have to go over it a few times to get it consistantly thin all over. Good luck
It sounds like I am doing the right thing......just not doing it good enough. I will go over it again tonight after work.
You now what that means........MORE HOLES TO SEW hahaha
This has definitly been...and continues to be a learning experience.
Even though I have butchered the lower lip and cut several holes in the cape, I don't see any problems fixing all of my "goofs"
Even though I am very discouraged right now, I know that it is a learning experience and I will get better with time.
I HAVE A NEW FOUND RESPECT FOR THE TALENTS OF ALL OF YOU