Scraping Hides

[MT21]

Hello I am new to the forum. I made rawhide string once with my uncle (who is a saddle maker) and he scraped the flesh side of the hide. I want to make some more string but do not have the fleshing tools and do not live close to my uncle anymore. Are there other methods?

Thanks

Matt T

[zopi69]

I use a carpenters draw knife over a 4x4 with the edged rounded off...soak the hide a couple days to get it nice amd soggy then flesh away...

I also have some rounded cabinet scrapers from some chinese tool store....nice for scraping in a frame...

[bucksnort]

Jack Armstrong swears by a wire wheel on an angle grinder for fleshing a green hide. I haven't tried it yet, but his hides looked really nice. Buck

[zopi69]

Messy...

[bucksnort]

He did mention a rain suit.

[MT21]

With the wire wheel was it on a hand grinder? That could get messy. In a you tube video I saw a guy use his pocket knife aas the hide was stretching. I would probably nick the hide though. Thank you buck and zopi for the advice I am a few months out of actually doing it but am weighing my options

Matt

[zopi69]

Tyvek coverall...

i am going to flesh a cowhide in a day or two...gonna try this..

[jacotranch]

you can stretch the hide then use a power washer with a turbo tip

[zopi69]

Just fleshed a cowhide with a 4 inch angle grinder...w9rked ok...probably be better if I did that with it drier...but it does not fit my process to do it that way...I am not fram8ng a hide twice...

[bucksnort]

Took the plunge today. I used zopi69's idea & went with tyvex. I am pleased with the results. Took about 40 minutes, all the fat & meat were off. I went back over it about 3 hours later & the remaining membrane turned to fuzz, but didn't come off. I'll hit it again after it dries some more & see if that will come off. Finished results in next post as it wouldn't let me download them.

1- The tool

2- The victim

3- The fool with the tool

4-- Didn't have Tyvex for my helpers

Edited August 7, 2014 by bucksnort

[bucksnort]

Pic 1 is after the first set, 2 is second set after about 3 hours.

[curlyjo]

I'll bet your dogs really like you after that! You're their Hero.

[bucksnort]

They have been following me around a little closer tan usual. The problem with that is they don't smell all that good, but their coats are really shiny. I did another hide the next day & didn't flesh it at all first, really takes the fat off nicely, but the meat takes some work. It seems best to take off the big chunks first. Also since it doesn't seem to hurt the hide, I went to a stiffer wheel with good results. It is fast & efficient but really messy.

Jacotranch, have you used the powerwasher & does it work well? Thanks, Buck

[Tree Reaper]

It's much easier with a fleshing knife and fleshing beam, you might get some help from a local trapper.

[bucksnort]

No guts no glory, no scars no stories.

[zopi69]

Yeah...for cowhide..I am probably sticking with the wire wheel...works fine and it is fast...

everything smaller..yeah..fleshing beam and knife..

[jacotranch]

buck I have used it on 1 hide and it worked very well, not near as messy as a wire wheel ,and at least for me better than a fleshing knife . John

[zopi69]

Liking the wire wheel and grinder....did a hair on goat that went to freezer camp this morning. Good results...fleshed with the grinder on a beam...then got it into the frame and buzzed fuzzies off with it...good stuff.

[bucksnort]

Thanks John, I'll have to give it a try. Don't have a pressure washer but I'll find one to borrow. Zopi69, glad it's working well for you, I like it too. I haven't had much luck with the fuzzy stuff. doesn't really bother me as long as it's clean of meat & fat so I get good clear rawhide, the fuzzies can come off in the splitter. Am I maybe not grinding long enough? Thanks Guys. Buck

[zopi69]

There is a trick to that...I am fleshing with a high speed 4" angle grinder with a twisted wire wheel...I have a low speed sander with a six inch fluffy wire wheel that takes those down ok...buffs the hide nicely too.

[Tucker6591]

where do yall mainly get the hides to work with?

[zopi69]

Packing plant...or goats I have raised.

[bucksnort]

Zopi69, On the first hide I did I used a softer cup style brush, since I didn't see any damage to the hide on the second I went to a twisted cup style brush like you used. The results were better & faster. I went back over the first one after it was dry with flapper sanding wheel on my grinder. It buffed up nicely but the fuzz was like fine cotton. I may still have some in my ears. I didn't think to do it on the fleshing beam, I did mine in the frame, it may work better working on the solid surface, I'll try that next.

Tucker6591, I only work with cow hide & get it from a local packing house, a local mobile butcher & from ranchers when they butcher or have an animal die. Buck

[zopi69]

With a heavy hide, I stretch it over a table and go to work...lighter hide seems better on the beam...