Wanted: Fleshing Knife

[Toadflax]

I want to get a fairly cheap fleshing knife, as I have recently acquired a deer hide and I want to try tanning it. Given that I am a complete beginner to tanning, I want a tool that is going to make the job easy - I may look at flint or bone scrapers at some time in the future but, for now, I want something easy to use.

I have found various suppliers in the USA selling cheap fleshing knives, but postage to the UK makes them expensive, and I have seen rather expensive ones over here in the UK. It may well be that an old blunt draw knife would be suitable, or even a piece of thin plate with a bevel ground onto it.

If anyone has anything that might be suitable, I'm happy to pay you some money, or see if there is anything that I could swap.


Geoff

 

[Buckshot]

Geoff,

Is this the 'draw knife' the guy was using in the video on both the hair and flesh sides?
If so why not have a word with a steel worker and see if you can grab something out of thier skip. Couple of bits of wood and bobs your uncle...
A peice of flat bar, inch wide by about 3 or 5mm should be about perfect.
In fact I may have something in the workshop...
I'll have a look and let you know

Mark

 

[Toadflax]

Geoff,

Is this the 'draw knife' the guy was using in the video on both the hair and flesh sides?

That's right - it may well be that a piece of 2-3mm steel /aluminium would do the job, with some tape wrapped round the ends, and maybe a bit of a bevel filed /ground onto one edge. Cost of a cheap one from the USA is about £4 (hardly worth making your own for that price), except when you add the £14 for shipping! You may well get away with an old dinner knife, except that I think a two handed grip woudl make the job a lot easier.


Geoff

 

[Dandaman_24]

have a look on dealextreme,com cheap stuff imported from HK,

Just bought a load of stuff off there last night, torches, knife and slingshot (it was cheap and I thought it would be fun)

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.4605

here's the knife i bought, its small but its what i wanted.

free postage, but then you'll have to wait a week or so for it to arrive.

 

[Silverback]

have a look on dealextreme,com cheap stuff imported from HK,

Just bought a load of stuff off there last night, torches, knife and slingshot (it was cheap and I thought it would be fun)

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.4605

here's the knife i bought, its small but its what i wanted.

free postage, but then you'll have to wait a week or so for it to arrive.

i think the bit of kit Geoff is after is a bit too specialist for that website to be honest

Are you having fun yet Geoff?

 

[Toadflax]

Are you having fun yet Geoff?

Not yet - the hide is in the freezer and I'm starting to gather the tools, chemicals and knowledge before thawing it out...

...the DVD that Buckshot loaned me is excellent (Deerskins to Buckskins) - but daunting. And I'm waiting for the light evenings so that I have more daylight to work in.

But I will survive! I'm determined to make something out of the hide...though it may be a little while away yet. Even if I only ever do it once, I love learning new things.


Geoff

PS: I made Rabbit Chasseur on Saturday evening - was very nice.

 

[Buckshot]

I think ali would be too weak unless you got angle ali

I'll have a look and see what I can find

Mark

 

[Toddy]

Sometimes really, kiss works
I first one I did I used an opinel and it worked fine.
A good even hide, no blisters and no expense. Three and a half hours it took though.

The second one I used a Helle Troll and again it worked fine.

If you're dehairing it too the hide ought to be soaked to the point the hair just slips off and again any knife will lift that.

Okay, maybe that's alll a bit simplistic, even if it does work, I think you really mean to do it like this. see photo half way down this page
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25182&page=7&highlight=Loch+Tay

but I was working on the back path and the kitchen floor

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Toadflax]

I think you really mean to do it like this. see photo half way down this page
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25182&page=7&highlight=Loch+Tay

Yes - that seems to be the recommended way to do it but, with it being a Muntjac hide, it isn't that big so I may well be able to get away with doing it on the Workmate with a smaller knife. I am expecting to de-hair it. I'm hoping to end up making some little leather pouches to keep my bits and bobs in, in my rucksack.


Geoff

 

[steve a]

PM Mike Ameling I have one of his hand made fleshing tools and his postage rates are very reasonable

 

[BushTucker]

If its any help and if you have one, I use a shortened fish filleting knife the sweedish type, brilliant.

 

[KIMBOKO]

I used a wide (3-4cm) hacksaw blade and a couple of pieces of cloth to act as a handle over the teeth.

 

[Toadflax]

Thanks for the various suggestions, Buckshot has kindly offered me an old draw knife.


Geoff