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Needing to get all the goodies....

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 4:54 pm
by Critrgtr
I am wondering what you guys recommend for fleshing knives, Is it worth the extra money to go with the name brand ones or are the cheap $20 dollar ones just as good. Also what brand of beam do you recommend, and the best place to buy some good quality but fairly cheap stretchers for coyotes. I have been looking at some on ottercreeklures.com but just wondering if there are cheaper places to find some. Or if any of you have some stuff laying around that you dont use anymore if you would want to sell some. :D

Re: Needing to get all the goodies....

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 5:09 pm
by bucksnbears
nice to see you back. thought you joined a monistary or sumthing :shock:
most of the guys that will answer this are gone for a tourny. i'm sure they'll chime in next week
are you whackin & stackin??

Re: Needing to get all the goodies....

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 6:13 pm
by barebackjack
Critrgtr wrote:I am wondering what you guys recommend for fleshing knives, Is it worth the extra money to go with the name brand ones or are the cheap $20 dollar ones just as good. Also what brand of beam do you recommend, and the best place to buy some good quality but fairly cheap stretchers for coyotes. I have been looking at some on ottercreeklures.com but just wondering if there are cheaper places to find some. Or if any of you have some stuff laying around that you dont use anymore if you would want to sell some. :D
For fleshing, for just coyotes, the cheap ones seem to work fine. Coyotes, fox, and coon flesh pretty easy. Stuff like beaver or badger, you'll want a better knife for.

Wood stretchers can be made relatively easily once you know what size (id buy one, than use it as a template). Wire stretchers, if youre so inclined can be bought at most any trappers supply places like Cumberlands, Minnesota Trapline Supply, F&T Trading Post, etc etc. For canines, I prefer wood.

For a beam, if you can run a saw and a rasp, you can make a beam easy enough.

Re: Needing to get all the goodies....

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 5:55 am
by lyonch
Barbackjack said it best!

I do have a stretcher that i would recommend though if you are going to buy one as a template. Grawes lures make some of the best stretchers IMO. They are made out of 100% grade A basswood. The basswood allows for easier pin pushing. I would buy the adjustable coyote stretcher and use that as a template if your putting up coyotes. They are easy to make once you see one (wood, bolts, and rivets). You could use pine wood for the other ones you make, but they pins will just push in a bit tougher, but they will be quite a bit cheaper.

http://www.graweslures.com/stretchers.htm

Re: Needing to get all the goodies....

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 3:52 pm
by Critrgtr
"nice to see you back. thought you joined a monistary or sumthing" lol. I have been around pretty much daily peeping in to see what all is going on just havent chimned in for awhile, just been really busy. :D And I wish I could say busy whackin and stackin. I havent even been out coyote hunting yet this year. :( Hopefully soon though.
Thanks for the info guys. I was gonna try and make a beam but someone told me that your better off to buy a premade one that has the right curve to match the knife. So just thought I would ask around a bit. As far as stretchers go I found some pretty good ones I think on that ottercreeklures.com site that cost $9 bucks a piece so for that price its probably worth that. I dont know If I could build any for that price.
I have had it pretty good in previous years, my buddy has all the equipment to put up fur and the place to do it but I will be flying solo for the most part this year and next year while he is serving over in Afganistan. So figured I better get my own stuff.

Re: Needing to get all the goodies....

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 5:12 pm
by bucksnbears
well Dammit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. quit peeping and start posting :lol:

Re: Needing to get all the goodies....

Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 4:49 am
by DustyC
I wouldn't skimp when it came to the stretcher part of the deal!!! I like Pat Steffaniks basswood stretchers for coyotes and I have a few of his for cats'. I have heard that Grawes have really nice bobcat stretchers just haven' had the time to try one yet.
I know that when I went from wire to wood stretchers I had 2 furbuyers tell me that it raised my fur quality and price considerably!!! :D

Re: Needing to get all the goodies....

Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 10:54 pm
by Prairie Ghost
Knives= Buy a Necker 600 and you're done for life.

Stretchers buy Grawes adjustable coyote stretcher and you done for life.

Done skimp when it comes to putting up fur. You spend the gas money, the bullets, the optics, the calls and then when you finally get it all to come together and get some fur you skimp? doesn't make sense put up your fur PROPERALLY.

Re: Needing to get all the goodies....

Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2011 4:43 pm
by Critrgtr
Thanks for the answers guys. I think I will probably pick up one of them Necker 600's and try and build my own beam. And buy a couple good stretchers, and build my own off of them and see how they work. Just gonna have to wait until after the Holidays. :(

Re: Needing to get all the goodies....

Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 7:08 am
by lyonch
Buiding your own beam is not that hard!! If you can grab a board that is 2x6 or 2x8 that is made of a good hardwood like a white oak you will be good to go with a little elbow grease. If you can run a rasp/hand planer you make it. Make the beam to follow the dull side of your necker 600. If you can get the curvature to follow approximately that arc, your fleshing will go fast for you. If you need some info on how wide at "X" distance down the beam, just ask and i will give you the specs to mine. I think a 2x6 beam is better suited for a beginner IMO.

Heck if bucks can make a fleshing beam i think anyone can :lol: :lol:

JK fella :mrgreen:

Re: Needing to get all the goodies....

Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2011 4:09 pm
by barebackjack
If you plan on tackling the beam yourself (which I dont know why anyone would buy a beam when they're so easy to make)......do yourself a favor, and go to Menards, Home Depot, wherever, and get one of those wood "rasps" made kind of like a big cheese grater for about $5. They remove material like a damn Bobcat stump grinder attachment and can knock out a roughed out fleshing beam in no time. Finish it with some files and a few grades of sandpaper to smooth it out.

I use them to rough out muzzleloader stocks, used it to make a new beam a few years ago, took about two hours total. And that includes installing the hardware to hang it from the wall.

Re: Needing to get all the goodies....

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 10:11 am
by Critrgtr
Well heck if Bucks can make one I surely can. lol :lol: I will have to give it a shot. Also what are your thoughts on PVC beams how do they compare to wood beams.

Re: Needing to get all the goodies....

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 10:22 am
by lyonch
Most of the industry uses wood. However there are quite a few guys that use other materials besides wood to flesh on. Here is a link that might get you started in a given direction.


http://jayme220.proboards.com/index.cgi ... thread=185