here use their fleshing machine to actually flesh instead of shaving the hides? Looks to me like it would be a quick way to dull the blade?
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I flesh all my deer with the wheel. I gave up that crappy beam and draw knife years ago. As for as dulling a blade, why would fleshing be any more wear and tear than shaving. With shaving, many times you have imbedded salt crystals to erode your edge. I keep honing steels beside my machine. I also have an ultra-fine carborundum stone that I touch up a blade if it gets too dull. And I always keep a couple of spare blades in the cabinet for those damnedable wild boars that also eat up a blade. Just the price of doing business.
I use mine to flesh and shave. Most times I can shave the fresh green hide, yes you can shave a green hide!! I can pull it down to 1/16th of an inch. The just a couple hours in the salt is all thats needed.
Fomic acid pickle the next day, or run the skin in the auto tanner and mount. I can normally do TWO deer capes per day.
I do everything I possibly can with the fleshing machine.I dont even own a fleshing beam anymore.
Don't know where they ever get this idea that a fleshing machine doesn't do what it's intented to do. I guess it would dull a blade if you didn't sharpen it.
I shave with mine, and I dont flesh. I dont care for how it rolls the meat sometimes, and I dont like taking those risks and chopping the hide. I know some will suggest I dont know what Im doing, but Ive done this for awhile, and its my opinion. To me its quicker to flesh with a knife. I realize each has there own favorites though. Ill be that single vote AGAINST fleshing...hahaha!
When I'm in the right mood I can hang with a flesher. I'm all for the beam and knife, but every one has their own oppinion of which one is faster or better. I've used both for years and prefer to use the beam.
Before you buy a machine, what do you look for in a catalog. I don't think I've ever seen a "shaving machine" offered, but I know for a fact there are a lot of FLESHING machines listed.
I guess I'll have to agree with Bill. OH NO! I love fleshing on the beam, AND I am fast at it. I can't imagine doing it on the machine, too much hassle.