new knife and sheath from turtle tail

[bowtarist]

Good memories knife!!  That turtle tail is RAD.  What out road kill snappers, I got my eye out!! dpgratz

[mcginnis6010]

This is really interesting i catch Alligator Snapping Turtles all time and i just eat them but i have never thought about using the skins. Around here i usually catch 25-35 pounders so they are kinds big. Thanks for getting me thinking!

[cutfinger]

The skin from legs also can be used for many projects, the tails are split on the underside and skinned out, some times the pull ok, otherwise you need to carefully cut between the meat and the skin. I am looking for turtle (snappers) or alligator tail skin which i do not have one yet, Could you skin an extra tail for me, dry it with a little salt or borax (20 mule soap) and mail it to me? It would not even have to be tacked out. I would make a trade you might like. I have staves, ash,ironwood,bear bones for knife handles,some knife blanks, green river carbon steel, write me via email please.. tim

[mcginnis6010]

yea i can do that im actually going to set out some lines tomorrow so ill let you now when i get something. Alligator snapping turtles have very similar looking tails to the common snapper. Both are edible and both are meaner than hornets.

[Bevan R.]

You got some tips on cleaning snappers? I have done a couple and it aint easy.

[mcginnis6010]

Yea they aint easy but the easiest way that i have found is to make an insicion(think i spelled it wrong) and use air or water to help seperate the tough hide from the muscles and tissue. Even then you need a very sharp knife to cut into their tough hide.

[cutfinger]

once you get a turtle and chop off the head. it will take many hours for the nerves to die as the legs keep pushing on the knife, BUT you can skin and gut one right away if after removing the head you insert a stiff wire like a coat hanger wire into the spine at neck and completly destroy the spinal cord, push it all the way to the tail, the legs will shoot straight out and then relax, now start to work, tie up by tail to a tree, remove the undershell, gut and remove meat, saving skin and do the tail last, excellent meat and rawhide.Remove all the yellow fat,enjoy,tim