Hi everyone.
I was wondering if anyone has any tricks for fleshing fat mallards and other thin skined birds. I normally don't have any problems with birds but the ones that have a heavy layer of fat cause me problems with burn through. I use a good wire wheel flesher with two very soft wheels to prevent burn through but these fat ones give me a hard time. It's almost like when i start getting thru the fat then BAM a big hole! especiallt at the tail area
Thanks
Jeff
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Hey Jeff, try cutting as much of the fat off with scissors first, rub in some Dawn and "GENTLY" use the wire wheel.
I should ask first, is your wire wheel a home made job or one of the soft touches?
Good luck.
Pat
If you salt the skin and leave it in the fredge for a day or less, it will toughen the skin a little.. I know what you mean the more prime the Mallard the more delecate the skin.
On extremely fat birds I've found that lightly scoring the fat with a scalple in the direction of the tracks ( so you are essentially making 'Xs') will make it a lot easier for the wheel to take it off without hammering it in one particular spot for a long time.
I like to borax the skin as I go. It seems to toughen it up and also seems to act like sandpaper when the wheel goes over it.
you can mix up a brine (salt and water) and soak the skin for a half hour.it will toughen up the skin quit a bit.works great on white fat birds.
I sprinkle borax and leave it for 20 minutes before fleshing. I do it with every fatty area of the bird.