fleshing knife

Matt Rochester

Matt Rochester

Joined
Nov 28, 2014
Messages
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I am looking to make a fleshing knife for a friend. Can someone help me with the geometry, edge thickness, length? Thanks.
 
I've done taxidermy for the past 10 years. I fleshed with an ULU knife...
But you can use about anything sharp.
ULU seem to be the fastest.
 
The one I'm referring to is similar to a draw knife or debarking knife. I'm assuming it doesn't need to be too sharp?
 
Yes drawknife works good with a fleshing beam, but not as good as an ULU.

I kept mine razor sharp... Lots of tendons and fat on a hide.

I'm just saying in the years I tried about everything... Until another taxidermist showed me the ULU.
 
The fleshing knife you want is for scraping hides on a fleshing post. It is indeed like a draw knife. The "edge" on the only one I ever actually held was more like a spoke shave, with a 90 degree edge and very sharp corners. (like an ice skate edge). The blade was about 1/4" thick and 8" long and slightly curved. There was a slight taper to the "edge" which was about 1/16" wide. It was pulled across the hidewith a bit of pressure and it scraped away any dried flesh as well as breaking down the hide a bit to soften it.
 
I like Taximanny's ulu idea. The most difficult animal I ever fleshed was a wolverine (Alaska)
and I used a wire wheel in a die grinder----- With great care, and I did it outside. That was 15
years ago and the mount is still in great condition.
Ken.
 
one i just sharpened had a mower blade like grind on the front (bout 45 degrees) and the back was 90 degrees with fairly sharp corners. guy was woundering if a batch coudl be made at a good price point and i just didnt think it could be done
 
Im a trapper, Ive skinned and fleshed many,many hundreds of critters. A good fleshing knife needs to be have a sharp chisel grind on one side, not dull..Try to shave the grissle off a coons neck or a beaver hide you will know why. It will not "push off" like a mushrat,mink or bobcat will..It has to be shaved off..The back side of the knife needs to be dull for those jobs..
Check out the shape of the Sheffield fleshing knife and the necker 700..Also the post, those are the kind pro fur handlers use..
here is a pic of the 700 and a "cheapie"...While the cheapie will work in that shape the 700 is far superior..

Here is why it needs to be sharp..
 
I wish I had the time to trap anymore. Here's a fleshing knfe a buddy had me
make a year ago. Ats-34, 1/4" stock. Its ground opposite on the other side of the
blade with one side dull and the other side sharp.
Ken.
 
Kentucky said:
Im a trapper, Ive skinned and fleshed many,many hundreds of critters. A good fleshing knife needs to be have a sharp chisel grind on one side, not dull..Try to shave the grissle off a coons neck or a beaver hide you will know why. It will not "push off" like a mushrat,mink or bobcat will..It has to be shaved off..The back side of the knife needs to be dull for those jobs..
Check out the shape of the Sheffield fleshing knife and the necker 700..Also the post, those are the kind pro fur handlers use..
here is a pic of the 700 and a "cheapie"...While the cheapie will work in that shape the 700 is far superior..

Here is why it needs to be sharp..
Click to expand...

I grew up trapping in Alaska and can vouch that Kentucky has it right on the design. I would also stress that you want the slight curve in the blade with the "squared" blunt edge on the outside curve and a good chisel grind on the inside curve.
 
since we are talking aobut curved part
the cheepie i sharpend looked warped a bit along with the curved shape is that by design or jsut a crappy knife that was bent a bit at some point?
 
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