Round or flat?

[RolHammer]

What style of fleshing beam is most commonly in use out there - round or flat?

Edit - asking regarding coyotes specifically, in case it makes a difference.

[Tfng]

I use both, a flat one for the head and a round one for the body. If my round one had a point on it I probably wouldn't use the flat one.

[HunterDave]

I've been using a homemade flat one but I recently bought a 4" round hard maple one that I have to mount. My main reason for going round is so I can turn it as I'm fleshing. It eliminates the need to constantly pull the coyote off and turn it. Just a little thing but it will save a bit of time and is more convenient to use.

[KegRiver]

I've never used a fleshing beam of any sort. In fact I've only ever seen one in my life, and that, only a few years ago.

[RolHammer]

I take it you simply refer the matter to an exterior consultancy and be done with it?

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by RolHammer

I take it you simply refer the matter to an exterior consultancy and be done with it?

If you mean I get others to do the fleshing, no. I do all my own work, on everything. Not just for trapping but in all things. Where it is possible of course.

Obviously I don't build my own cars, but I do build my own snares, stretchers, some tools, such as my ice chisel, and a host of other things in other areas of my life.

I don't use a fleshing beam because I use other methods.

I flesh long fur on the stretcher, I flesh beaver hides on my knee. Small fur like squirrels don't actually need fleshing, simply pull off any loose flesh and scrape off a bit of fat here or there.

Most people over work the fleshing. It's better to leave a little meat then to remove some of the leather.
Fat is the only thing that absolutely has to go. And for most pelts that's not a lot.

[pitw]

I've always used a round one. A properly sized fence post worked with a draw knife, file and sandpaper works fine.

[Tfng]

I started using this last year. It's a piece of 4 inch pvc. Doesn't need any sanding, filing or shaping and is available in any town.

Like I said though I do the front part of the head on a conventional beam. I might take a piece of the leftover pipe and taper the end so I can use that for the head.

Yeah and now you guys know how messy my shop is.

[calgarychef]

I'm not a trapper but I do like to brain tan the hides I get while hunting. I've got a 2" piece of pvc pipe screwed to the top of a sawhorse. The sawhorse is sternum height so I don't have to bend. I just finished fleshing my elk from this year. The small diameter Pvc is good if you really have to bear down and I think it would be the ticket for those nasty greasy beavers

[RolHammer]

Originally Posted by KegRiver

If you mean I get others to do the fleshing, no. I do all my own work, on everything. Not just for trapping but in all things. Where it is possible of course.

Myself as well. Not very often I bring a trade or service person in & I do as much maintenance/repair as possibly can. Tool/jig making is a hobby within a hobby. This is why I was asking actually, as I was considering making my own beam.

Interesting that your method of work allows you to not need one.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by RolHammer

Myself as well. Not very often I bring a trade or service person in & I do as much maintenance/repair as possibly can. Tool/jig making is a hobby within a hobby. This is why I was asking actually, as I was considering making my own beam.

Interesting that your method of work allows you to not need one.

It was a matter of necessity.
When I was learning to trap we simply didn't have the space to have a fleshing beam setup.

Our traplines cabins were tiny compared to today's cabins because we had no power tools to assist us. No chain saws, no Ski Doos, no hoists of such things.

When fixing fur at home we had to work in whatever space was available at that moment. With 16 people living in a two room shack there just wasn't a lot of space.
Plus we never knew where we would be spending the night during the active part of the season.

We had three line cabins. Each a day's walk apart and the homestead. Together they formed a loop that took from four or more days to cover.
We would have had to install a fleshing beam at each cabin and at home.
With the very limited space and limited equipment it was just a lot easier to flesh the smaller hides right on the stretcher and to do beaver on ones knee.

Another factor was the spring beaver hunt where we would set up a tent beside a colony and hunt the beaver within an hours walk.
Because we often had to move camp a time or two in a two week spring hunt, fleshing hides on one's knee just made life a whole lot easier.

Everything had to be back packed in and out as well. Flesh is heavier then hides so it just made sense to flesh the days hides in the evening and building a beam at each camp simply wasn't an option.
There was too much other work to do and packing one around would have meant a lot of food and other supplies would have been left at home.

All the trappers I grew up with fleshed pelts the same way for the same reasons.

[FlyTrapper]

Originally Posted by KegRiver

It was a matter of necessity.
When I was learning to trap we simply didn't have the space to have a fleshing beam setup.

Our traplines cabins were tiny compared to today's cabins because we had no power tools to assist us. No chain saws, no Ski Doos, no hoists of such things.

When fixing fur at home we had to work in whatever space was available at that moment. With 16 people living in a two room shack there just wasn't a lot of space.
Plus we never knew where we would be spending the night during the active part of the season.

We had three line cabins. Each a day's walk apart and the homestead. Together they formed a loop that took from four or more days to cover.
We would have had to install a fleshing beam at each cabin and at home.
With the very limited space and limited equipment it was just a lot easier to flesh the smaller hides right on the stretcher and to do beaver on ones knee.

Another factor was the spring beaver hunt where we would set up a tent beside a colony and hunt the beaver within an hours walk.
Because we often had to move camp a time or two in a two week spring hunt, fleshing hides on one's knee just made life a whole lot easier.

Everything had to be back packed in and out as well. Flesh is heavier then hides so it just made sense to flesh the days hides in the evening and building a beam at each camp simply wasn't an option.
There was too much other work to do and packing one around would have meant a lot of food and other supplies would have been left at home.

All the trappers I grew up with fleshed pelts the same way for the same reasons.

This is very interesting Keg. I really enjoy hearing/learning about the past and the more traditional ways of living in the bush. I would eventually like to use more traditional methods in making many of my things that I use. Always wanted to build a traditional dead-fall trap. Many of the traditions used to build this country are being lost. Anyways, sorry for the derail OP.