Im new at taxidermy and on my first deer head I used the "y".Since then I just cut strait across from the back of the antlers,cut away from antlers enough to cut the skull plate all the way around the antlers.I tnen rebuild the back of the skull with bondo.Is the "Y" better?
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Its up to you and what you like, I know people that can sew a long cut quicker than I can sew a y cut. Just learn to sew and experiemnt to suite your self.
what works for you and looks accurate on the final product! Never question that. Truth- Jeff F.
if you note the hair pattern typical on a buck's scalp you will see the forehead patch extends in a V or Y shape back behind the antlers, to the back of the skull. On some bucks this is Very pronounced, on others, not so much. If you use the Y cut you can follow this hair pattern. This makes your stiches easier to hide and you never mess up the pattern and the way this heavier hair lays. Just my thoughts.
Its easier for me to sew the 2 or 3 inches between the antlers than the long "Y" cut down the back
No one said the "Y" had a long incision. My "Y's" are probably no longer than your "7" cut. You sound as if you have it confused with a DORSAL CUT hide.
I cut the bottom of my Y just long enough to work the entire skull out of. On the very small cuts, you pretty much have to chisel the skull plates out and this is way to much time for me.
Les
Sorry but I dont know what a 7 cut is.I do chisel out the skull with a hammer, but it only takes a couple of minutes, it takes me a long time to sew,Im not that fast and I found it harder to hide the y stitches, the hair wants to stick up.
your stitches. Pull them taught up to the point where the two edges just come together. I use a simple baseball stitch passing the needle up from the bottom and coming out the side of the leather rather than thru the top. Every inch or two, I do a quick lockstitch just in case something should come undone. When the sewing is done, I tamp it all down with a rubber mallet and cover them with plastic needlepoint screen strips lying right on top of the hair. Not too far down. You have to feel closely to even find the stitch, 'cause you sure can't "see" it. Admittedly, time is money, but I like to know for sure that the job has been done right.