# What (Brand) fleshing knife do you use...



## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

What brand of fleshing knife do you use and why?


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

Eric, I dont use a fleshing knife, and I have never had a fur buyer complain. If you were going to do a beaver, racoon or larger animal, then I would say to use one. Justy experience over the years here in Az


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

Well I was waiting for Larry to tell a story about how he got his fleshing knife (draw knife) in return for fixing a wagon wheel for the mormon battalion...

So what do you use Ed... a draw knife


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

No Eric, I just use an old kitchen knife. Back in the old days I used a muskrat pocket knife.


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## Larry (Dec 2, 2010)

azpredatorhunter said:


> Well I was waiting for Larry to tell a story about how he got his fleshing knife (draw knife) in return for fixing a wagon wheel for the mormon battalion...
> 
> So what do you use Ed... a draw knife


Once upon a time interpolated within the land of the Missouri River and the Colorado Rockies foothill was a mad trapper who came upon a tribe following Joseph Smith...

I find used Chicago Cutlery Packing House knives. They hold a edge. Why? In my younger years my Grandpa was a butcher and he always said hog hair will dull a knife edge faster than paper. Get a good soft steel knife that sharpens easily or you'll spend more time sharpening then working,

My son agrees with his great grandpa. He was once a top ten pastry Chef in Chicago until he moved home. He said Japanese knives are made for chefs and their artistry. Soft steel knives do the work because they are softer steel and sharpen fast.

Trust me once the fur starts coming in you will have be glad you don't have to stop and sharpen one. So, my advise is buy a dozen or so old butcher knives for around $50.00. You can get them in long blades or short blades. I like the short bladed ones. But that's just me, every one has a different wrist action!

I segregate mine just as you see them. If they are not stuck in the box they are laying flat in it needing sharpening. On the nights of bad weather when the fur holes up, the next night you'll have time to sharpen the dull knives. Yes that's a custom knife sheath made only by the USPS.









I use an a two sides oil stone. One course and rough medium. I don;t need a surgeons edge just one good enough to cut paper clean 5-8 times!

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Option two I have a box knife with hook blades in it. In case you wondering, hook blades are used by carpenters in the north to cut asphalt shingles. Thus the blades are in every lumber and hardware store in America. The trick is to spend the bucks on the blade the box knife itself. Seems the more you spend the easier it is to swap blades and the more spares it holds.


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## pokeyjeeper (Sep 5, 2013)

I use a necker #600 for fleshing raccoons coyotes and fox for skinning I have two small knives but I need to get a few of the knives like Larry has as mine have hard steel and when dull take longer to sharpen but not too long with my work sharp I used to use a stone but time is at a premium now days and the work sharp does an ok job on my everyday knives


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

I do agree with Larry on the old Chicago Cutlery knives, I still have 2 from my Taxidermy days and they cant be beat in my opinion.

Eric, here is a suggestion, take 2 pelts that are about the same as fur grade goes and flesh one with a fleshing knife and then do one with just a knife getting just all the heavy stuff off. When you sell them notice the difference, I say there wont be any, at least from my experience there never was, but this doesnt apple to anything but coyotes, fox and bobcats. Also wash your pelts and if possible put them in a dryer if your wife wont let you use an air compressor once they are almost dry and they will fluff right up. Some will tell you to use borax to clean but good old cold water and soap will do the trick.


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## catcapper (Feb 11, 2010)

I don't wash coyotes or fox--- but--- your right about get'in the fluff up PW. I wash all the cats I take before they go on the board with dawn dish soap and water. Instead of a dryer or compressor--- I use Miss K's hair dryer. Its fast and it separates the fur well. The buyers don't seem to notice--- but it makes them bubbly soft, and gives them that womanly fat hair style.

awprint:


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

Thanks for all the replies...

The less I use a knife the better. My cheep fleshing knife is horrible, I don't really need anything fancy but i don't want another piece of crap...
It's between a Post or a AuSable
I am leaning toward the Ron Post...


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

Post fleshing knife it is... Just ordered one.


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

Hope it works for you.


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

Thanks Ed

The way I look at it is... if it helps make fleshing easier for me, than it's worth the $82.95 +shipping I don't have. If I didn't injure my back, I wouldn't mind using a dull fleshing knife, I could use the exercise.


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## 4Cody4 (Dec 24, 2012)

I have the AuSable knife and enjoy it. My good friend has a Lee Steinmeir knife and it is also extremely nice.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

4Cody4 said:


> I have the AuSable knife and enjoy it. My good friend has a Lee Steinmeir knife and it is also extremely nice.
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


 Nice.... How's the blade holding up? Any rust? The AuSable sure looks good, I just wonder about the steel they use.


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## 4Cody4 (Dec 24, 2012)

I haven't had it long enough to say how it would do over time. I clean it after I use it and it still looks brand new, but I'm not using it near as much as other folks who have more time/skill.

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## Larry (Dec 2, 2010)

azpredatorhunter said:


> Thanks Ed
> 
> The way I look at it is... if it helps make fleshing easier for me, than it's worth the $82.95 +shipping I don't have. If I didn't injure my back, I wouldn't mind using a dull fleshing knife, I could use the exercise.


For bad backs I recommend this. Once you get the tail and bag legs down, don't pull down with your arms and shoulders as that is all upper body work. And it puts allot of pressure on your sciatic area.

Instead hold the tail and legs in one hand (I use and old burlap gunny sack for a better grip) Put your knee between the carcass and your grip on the tail and legs. Then use your body weight and your strong thigh muscles to pull the hide to the front shoulders. Its fast simple and you can control the pull. Normally you will have little or no knife work until you get to the ears. BTW this is the middle of skinning a warm yote completely in about 3-5 minutes for 60 year plus man style. This time includes harvesting of glands if you want :biggrin:

Cold yotes can surely can be don't this way. But you'll need a little knife work between the rear inner thighs. then they should pull without a gut rip.


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

Larry, I use an old towel... I definitely don't use my back, like you said with the knee. Honestly if I was running a long line for coyote, I would definitely have a skinning machine.


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

Larry, I can't post a link... But if you go on YouTube and type in " coyote skinning machine" you will see a video from raccoon Creek Outdoors... Professional fur handling, Coyote skinning part one. That young man is a skinning and fleshing madman. Watch his video you might be inspired to build one for yourself. He will even answer your questions. I asked him a long time ago to make a video of removing the ear cartilage off a coyote, I'll have to check and see if he did.

Maybe someone could post the link to the video.????


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## sstanfill (Oct 26, 2016)

This? 





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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

Thanx sstanfill


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