So I got a Beaver Hide, Now What I do?

[Roy from Pa]

Fixen to make Beaver Balls out of it, and other trad things. Do I need to cut it a certain direction? How do I keep from cutting the hair too much? Thanks, Roy

 

[Razorbak]

good deal..cut with grain/hair..you will lose some hair after cutting but real minimal..I use a electric clippers to take hair down for arrow rest about 1/8" of hair and about 1/2" for beaver balls..need to cut against the hair when trimming hair down..alot easier that way

[Roy from Pa]

Would wetting the hair a little help before cutting? It seems it would be easier to part the hair if wet. I dunno, never tried this before, thanks.

[Art B]

You want to cut just the hide from it's backside with a razor blade Roy. This way you don't cut into the hair. Any where from 1/4" to 3/8" wide strips is what I like myself. Or cut to liking........Art

[Roy from Pa]

Ok thanks Art.

[vanillabear?]

[Osagetree]

Originally posted by vanillabear?:
I've wanted to pull the electric clippers out on a beaver or two myself.

[Roy from Pa]

[Mike Yancey]

I use a razor blade from the hide side and start cutting in a circle all the way around the hide. You get as long a piece as you want then cut the lengths as you like.

[Ricky Wallace]

Yall aint right,,,,,,,,,,,,,      

[Pat B]

Mike, I used to make leather lace like that but never thought about string silencers. Live and learn!

[TroutGuide]

All thread rod, razor blodes, thin nuts, cheese slicer frame, some inginuity, and you have perfect even strips at whatever width you want. Cut from the bottom and you wont loose much hair.

[Roy from Pa]

Ricky, please define right:) LOL

[John Cooper]

If you cut in a spiral, the direction of the hair won't lay right as you're going across the pelt.  I'd cut strips going with the grain.  Oh, and I second the "ya'll ain't right!"

[b.glass]

I use a stanley knife on the hide side too but also never thought to cut in a spiral. But the hide I got was of very poor quality with very good quality fur. It was cheap that way and I've got a load of silencers off it already with lots left.

[b.glass]

TroutGuide, you need to be more specific for us uningenuital.

[Ricky Wallace]

Originally posted by Roy from Pa:
Ricky, please define right:) LOL

[SEMO_HUNTER]

I use power scissors on mine, the razor blade trick didn't work. Skill makes a power shear with a rotary blade for cutting leather and that's what I use. Cut the sides first in about 1/4" strips working from the outside edge toward the center of the back. You will reach a point where the hide will get super thick and extremely hard to cut, that's usually where I stop with it. I have used that thicker part for silencers, but you have to thin the hide down on a belt sander until it's thin enough to be pliable so you can wrap it around the string.

I've been selling my own beaver silencers for over a year now. I'm out of tanned beaver at the moment. You will find out that those silencers are tough as nails. I get alot of repeat customers for these silencers, but not because they wear them out. Normally it's when they buy a new bow.

Good luck with it and if you need help just shoot me a PM.