Author Topic: Life is good (Read 5034743 times)

Pappy · « **Reply #16440 on:** February 15, 2019, 04:35:31 am »

Friday and headed to the cabin late morning, I have to help Beau this morning with some wood working equipment I gifted him to go in his shop at his house, so a trip to town early.

Then if the rain will hold out I have 3 more hide to flesh that I took out of the freezer yesterday and also a coon to skin. We have a club meeting in the morning so that should be fun getting caught up and making some plans for the Classic, it will be here before you know it.

Not sure what else is on my agenda but I feel sure I will find something. I got a new 27 inch bar and chain for one of my chain saws and if the weather holds Bill and I plan on cutting 3 big logs to length, about 32 inches for our anvils. Hope yall have a good one also.
Life is Good.

Pappy

Pappy · « **Reply #16441 on:** February 18, 2019, 04:34:47 am »

Great weekend, very good meeting, came up with a few new projects to help with the Classic, now time to get to work. Bill and I are headed to Lows for supplies this morning.

Most of the weekend was spent with assorted hides I am working on, made some progress but still have 5 left to flesh. Here are a few pictures of the fun. A new tool Bill gifted me for out black smiting shop if we ever get around to getting it done. $:-\$ and a hide ready for tanning.
Pappy

Pappy · « **Reply #16442 on:** February 18, 2019, 04:38:32 am »

The top one had 3 holes, I usually don't sew them up but plan on using Ed's method to sew this one, top hole [shot down through the back] is a little bigger than I like. Another large one ready and 1 in rawhide, Sally just checking things out as she does.

Pappy

Pappy · « **Reply #16443 on:** February 18, 2019, 04:45:49 am »

3 more hides thawing, got a new 27 inch bar for my saw, it has made easy work cutting the large logs we wanted to mount our anvils on, got 4 cut , just needs to dry up a bit before we can get them out of the woods. Did manage to get another file knife started, after the soften process they are pretty easy to work.

and Bill and Allen came up with me some rope to use on my hides, I have always used cable but after seeing Ed use rope I decided to give it a try.

Always looking for a better way, that is what is great about this site, lots of ideas.

Pappy

Pappy · « **Reply #16444 on:** February 18, 2019, 04:48:23 am »

Don from WI. made his way down south and showed up for a visit, always good to see him. opened the box Arvin sent, 2 beautiful bow, can't wait to shoot them. Thanks Arvin, love them both.

Pappy

Pappy · « **Reply #16445 on:** February 18, 2019, 04:52:24 am »

My 2 mink finished, Brian tanned, first time to try it with hair on, 1 turned out really soft and the other not to bad, just a few hard spots, overall done good. Shawn showing me how to make another stretching board that we could adjust to size of hide. I have a coon to do and the others were to small. Thanks Shawn, it turned out nice.

Pappy

Pappy · « **Reply #16446 on:** February 18, 2019, 04:55:26 am »

Coon all skinned and on the stretcher and then time for some shooting.

it is an archer club ya know.

Hope yall had a good one also.

Life is Good.

Pappy

Outbackbob48 · « **Reply #16447 on:** February 18, 2019, 06:13:00 am »

Pappy, hides lookin good , let me know how that rope works I am still trying to wear out a pc of 3/8 cable

, If you need anymore of those coffee swizel sticks let me know have lots of them

Can't ever seem to find any straight ones

Your mink hides look pretty good, never tried tanning any fur on stuff, always sold fur to the auction fur places, Can't hardly give it away now maybe I should try braintanning some fur on animals. We had our annual snowshoe shoot yesterday, only an 1" of snow so no need for big feet

Had a great turn out of 42 shooters on a nice 20 deg. day. See ya in a couple of months. Bob

Pappy · « **Reply #16448 on:** February 18, 2019, 01:42:37 pm »

I will let you know Bob, as i said , like you all I have ever used is a cable but thought I might give the rope a try. Ya the mink turned out OK, probably be better Chemical tanned, don't really know. This is the first hair on I have tried. Just going to hang them up in my fur collection in the cabin anyway. No snow here but plenty of rain, Only shot in the snow a few times and it was a very good time.

Look forward as always seeing you.

Maybe it will get tired of raining around here by then. $:-\$

Pappy

chamookman · « **Reply #16449 on:** February 19, 2019, 12:46:23 am »

Thanks Pappy ! Bob

Pappy · « **Reply #16450 on:** February 20, 2019, 05:55:43 am »

You are welcome Bob. Managed to get 3 more hides fleshed 1 scrapped and 2 on the rack yesterday before the rain set in,Looks like it is going to be a few days before I can work on them again with this weather.

I also got the last 3 out of the freezer and cleaned it out, found all kinds of other stuff/snakes/gator skins and claws/a whole bag of granular hide glue/5 gallon bucket full of brains and a few other odds and ends. No telling what is in my second freezer. Guess I need to look and clean it also.

Now for a day at the house, Margaret Ann Wednesday !!!

Pappy

mullet · « **Reply #16451 on:** February 20, 2019, 10:21:34 am »

I've been using rope, too, Pappy. It's what I had laying around so started using it. Works good. I got a nice moccasin squirrel hunting Saturday but had to leave it. I shot it so close in the head with a 12 gauge that it shoved it down in the mud and knee deep water. I wasn't going to dig for it with bare hands. Hated to leave it, had nice markings.

bjrogg · « **Reply #16452 on:** February 21, 2019, 04:37:22 am »

Ah the bottom of the freezer. Always a few memories down there. I like that type of adjustable stretcher to Pappy. I like that you don't need a belly board to get the dry hides off. They aren't quite as durable but I've got one I've had for close to thirty years. Have had to do a few repairs to it.

When you scrape your mink do you remove "saddle"? I always have. The NAFA fur handling book says you don't have to if there isn't any fat under it. Our mink usually have fat under but still many don't remove saddle. I've actually bought a few in recent years from my old fur buyer. The ones that didn't have the saddle removed were hard to get really soft. Now I always remove saddle if there still on. Muskrat I leave saddle on.

I need to start working some hides again. Man this winter is just flying by for me. I guess I've had lots to do. Still have lots I'd like to do. I guess one day at a time.
Bjrogg

Pappy · « **Reply #16453 on:** February 21, 2019, 05:10:41 am »

Ya BJ lucky I am retired, I have done more this year that in most years but was on a mission to get all I had at least fleshed and into rawhide. From now on they will be fleshed and saved in another way. No more freezer for deer hides. To easy for them to pile up and put off working them.
I got another one on the rack yesterday. I plan on getting the last 3 fleshed and ready to rack this weekend, I can do that in the rain. Calling for it to start again this evening and rain through Saturday night, 3 or 4 more inches. Man it is wet around here.

Also got to make a showing at Buck Hollow 's Spring fling, hate to go in the rain but they always support us, so I got to go Rain or shine. May not shoot but vising will be nice just the same.

By the way BJ, what is the saddle?? shows what I know.

Pappy

bjrogg · « **Reply #16454 on:** February 21, 2019, 07:01:50 am »

Pappy the saddle is a thin strip of flesh that starts just below the armpits. I guess I could probably look at your pictures and see. Most hides your remove everything but a few buyers want you to leave saddle. Muskrat is to thin without saddle. Mink can go either way, but I prefer removing it. If you have white leather the whole hide you removed it.
Bjrogg

Primitive Archer