Ear Openers....In NEED

I like the ear wizard. Can use both hands to hold ear and judge when to stop at edges while my leg does the work. Finish out the very edge with thumb.

 

Fingers...scalpel...Borax, works for me even on moose ears. JL

 

Dam good idea George. I cant believe that I never thought of this but i havent.

 

Still have an ear wizard for sale if anyone is interested

 

I tried the ear ratchet. They were junk. I have the hand openers and the ear wizard. The ear wizard works wonderfully and is well worth the money IF you have trouble opening ears like I did. The only thing I notice is they don't work too well on some types of ears like hog ears.

 

I have a dozen Ear wizards right off the assembly line. get them before their gone, pm me or call 1 -717- 762 -1103 Thanks Gary

 

I've got a set of piston ring plyers had them bout 20 yrs now !!

 

Hey George, I got an Ear Wizard saved for you when old arthur comes a calling. All jokes aside, I sell maybe half of the tools to people with athuritis. I like the idea that I can sell a tool that helps people in their shops, and maybe they can stay open a little longer because of it. You use your hands with this tool you just use your foot to do all the hardwork.

 

I agree but I'm a hands-on guy. I simply don't trust the Neuro-connect between my feet and eyes. I always needed a heavy duty clutch spring on my straight drive autos. With ear openers I can "see" through the touch of my fingers. If I have any brains I'll quit taxidermy before arthritis gets to me.

 

The easiest way ive found is to turn the ears before you ever cut them off the deer. As long as its still attached its like a third hand holding
it and i can start it about 1-1 1/2" while caping, put the turners right in and usually opens right up. I can cape a deer in 15-20 minutes and
have the ears turned when im done.

 

I have a set of Van Dykes openers that I have used close to 30 years, never have broken anything on them, but I like George's idea of cutting them down, don't have as much oompf as I used to.

 

I got a buddy that does that also. watched him do it made it look ezee. and bushy. you need to make the lenth longer so one does not half to bring his leg up so high. I put an extention on mine so now I just use my foot. like pushen on the gas peddle.

 

I still have plenty of Ear wizards left. Get one now so you have one when you need one. I always seem to run out at the time when everyone wants one. Gary

 

Andy - tem, I have this conundrum that needs answering any I've been waiting for one of these young guns to ask it. Since they either don't understand or don't care, you KNOW I'm going to ask it. Pray tell, Howe in the he'll can you skin an ear out without cutting it off the skull? Most taxidermists I know use the short "y" cut on whitetail. There's no way on God's green earth that you're going to turn an ear on a short "y" without looping the ears off. The only reason you use a short "y" at all is so you can get that knot head out without splitting the neck (and hide the seam more easily). I know I'm an old dog, but I still learn new tricks well. Teach me the failing of my ways.

 

How to Turn Ears & Remove Skin from Deer Head: http://youtu.be/sujhlXu1d48

 

OK, I'm educated but no way convinced. That method will work when you have only one deer with perfect ears to work on, but by the time he finished that one deer, I have two in the freezer. That was hardly a short "y" either. My "Y's" are seldom over 2 or 3 inches and since I use headliners, nothing is gained for me by doing it early and half way.

 

For starters George im sitting on a stool when i cape out a deer with it in my lap, i make the cut (my split is about 4-5"). I work the hide around the burrs, i usually go all the way around first continuing toward the ears starting them about 1 or 1 1/2" put the turners in and turn, i usually turn all but about the last 1/8" then cut it off. no big deal to me thats how iwas taught 25 years ago. I usually do 250 deer or more every year this way, matter of fact ive caped some and cut them off first and felt like i did it wrong becausei didnt turn the ears. Try it you might like doing it this way better.

 

Tem is correct about the length of the rod that has the foot pedal. It is to high for me also. I actually tore something in my knee a couple of years ago using it. I actually quit using it and went to doing it all by hand. I would think the pedal would only need to be about 2-3 inches from the floor to make it the most commfortable.
Other than that i did think it was a good tool for turning ears..JMHO

 

I understand and if you're sending hides out, it may well be the way to go. As for me, I figure it's one of those "pay me now or pay me later, but pay me" situations. I can't recall ever getting a muley without tattered ears and many of my whitetails are early season where the ear skin is extremely thin (flea bitten or rubbed by the antler). I'm just not going to take that kind of time getting those hides in the freezer. To each his own.

 

I get what your saying George, but for me its easier because thats how i was taught. I do get some rough ears but the majority are easy. With my fleshing business
and doing the amount of deer a year i do, about half are turned and half not so i see them both ways.