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Post by musher on Feb 9, 2007 19:01:09 GMT -6
My son is studying for his trapping course. While watching one of the videos we saw where a fellow turned a semi-dry pelt from the mouth to the tail.
How many people do it that way?
I usually go from the tail towards the head.
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Post by Clyde Isaak on Feb 9, 2007 19:07:31 GMT -6
I've always turned from mouth to tail. I use an old wood broom handle that I whittled (sp?) down to a dull point that I use to help push the nose thru the pelt until it is turned.
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Post by trappnman on Feb 9, 2007 19:44:23 GMT -6
I guess I go tail to mouth. Get them started, then stand on the back, reach in, grab the head and pull.
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Post by Iowa Badger on Feb 9, 2007 21:52:17 GMT -6
I asked the question earlier this season on tips on turning. Somebody, can't remember who, gave in a different post the idea of lifting the pelt off the wire stretcher enough to put the nose through the top bend of the stretcher.
Viola! Now all I do is pull on the tail end with my feet on the bottom of the stretcher. Man does that work slick.
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Post by bblwi on Feb 9, 2007 22:53:38 GMT -6
I use a bout a 5 foot section of stout clothes line with a loop on the end. I run that rope up through the inside of the canine and loop it around the nose. I fasten the other end of the rope to something solid and turn the head in and pull the canine right through . I catch mostly fox so this method may not be as good if you do a lot of yotes.
Bryce
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Post by Jeffrey on Feb 10, 2007 17:43:08 GMT -6
My partner who does almost all of that, and he's done it for 60 years, said to always turn from mouth through to tail, he said it won't bunch up and rip that way.
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Post by bobwendt on Feb 10, 2007 18:19:13 GMT -6
you are al stone age. serious ,stone age. borax, excellent fleshing and 100% fur out stretching is the way it`s done proper, unless you are stubborn as an ox, have time to kill and pelts to rip and no concern over price. fox ranch men have stretched fur out and used elaborate forced air dry systems for 35 years at least. now even they are outdated. this trapping is so state of the art now that if you aren`t constantly up to snuff you slide to the back of the pack fast. I bet you guys all look like the caveman in the geico commercials.
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Post by k9 on Feb 10, 2007 20:06:44 GMT -6
Are you drumming the furs in cob grit/borax mix Bob?
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Post by bobwendt on Feb 11, 2007 8:00:50 GMT -6
no , just borax the hide side and then dry clean after totally dry and off the boards. plus a littl sparkly doo and whitener scam.
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Post by trappnman on Feb 11, 2007 8:12:55 GMT -6
seesm to me Marty does his yotes fur out only.
But you would need, I'd think a controlled envirnoment on yotes- and/or forced air) they are so thick that mold or rot would occur.
Bob is right its time consuming to turn. Real lucky Lori is my put up person- I can get a lot of skinning done while shes turning fur.
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Post by k9 on Feb 11, 2007 8:40:30 GMT -6
The ones I have done over the years havenot been a problem Steve. The forced air just speeds the process. The front legs and ears are very slow to dry fur out. I have been using a cob grit/borax mix, but am still having a little problem with some wanting to stick to the stretcher. I am talking wire stretchers now. In the old days, we sleeved wooden boards with paper sleeves. The stretchers had the air grooves routered into them, and this worked well with some drumming before you put them on the board. You could stand the fur straight up and it would "set" that way, which made it look a lot fuller. You could laso pin a foxes ears down (forward) which really made that fur on the back of the neck look fuller and deeper. I have been tempted togo to forced air just to speed things up, but may just up my borax and see how I like it. I have always liked Phil Browns forced air system, space saving and simple to build. I have seen a lot of forced air systems that take up large areas. Props to Phil, smart little setup.
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Post by trappnman on Feb 11, 2007 8:43:39 GMT -6
so what are you boraxing? just the "damp" spots? Ears, front legs, etc?
How much longer is stretcher time?
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Post by Ross on Feb 11, 2007 8:52:30 GMT -6
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Post by k9 on Feb 11, 2007 8:53:40 GMT -6
I am drumming mine ina mix of borax and vry fine cob grit. Drumming them leather out. They come out of the drum with the leather very dry, yet still pliable. If I was using wood there would be zero problems with sticking to the stretcher.
I put them on the wire and put a small board or mink stretcher in the help circulation. If waiting for the front legs and ears to dry you will have them on the stretcher two or three days longer than normal. I can speed that up by blowing a fan directly on the drying hides.
I did a few leather out this year, and I probably never will again. I really like putting them up fur out, and am just looking for the right recipe for my wire stretchers. I have even thought of trying some no stick products on the wire, but I think I will be fine without it.
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Post by trappnman on Feb 11, 2007 9:02:23 GMT -6
I missed that earlier thread- that would have been when I was setting up water- thanks for reposting it.
k9- have you tried it both with the grit and without?
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Post by k9 on Feb 11, 2007 9:08:56 GMT -6
No I will try it without. The grit comes from my old days of putting up ranch fox and mink. Also I spoke with a fella once who used a grit, borax combination and I just took it from there. I have a few to put up yet, and will just rub some borax in and see what happens.
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Post by bobwendt on Feb 11, 2007 10:31:40 GMT -6
excellent scraping is critical, then just pure borax. I use the same method as zags, and like he says on some hi $ stuff too. takes some spheres to borax a $480 hide fur out the first time or two.
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Post by k9 on Feb 11, 2007 10:36:28 GMT -6
I assume you are only using wood Bob, especially since you are also talking cats? Ever try wire for coyotes with borax? If so any problems with sticking?
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Post by Hornhunter on Feb 11, 2007 10:51:24 GMT -6
Maybe like the non sticking spray like PAM? I always dry and turn. This fall was damp to the max, and i was concerned about mold and rot on the coyotes. Furs are dryed in the unheated fur shed and at times take a while to dry enough even to the turning point. Ran a fan and that really helped. Mostly use wood stretchers, but if I'm ambitious enough to shoot a few coyotes i'll spray the wire stretchers and try the pam spray fur out. Been using borax for the last few years, Used it alot more this past fall with the dampness.
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Post by bobwendt on Feb 11, 2007 13:40:48 GMT -6
I`ve done everything but rats on wood for maybe 20-25 years now. to me anything on wire is cut in value 25% minimum before you start, except rats.
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