Re: The Almighty Alaskan Thread #6
[Re: Family Trapper]
#3750194
04/08/13 06:31 PM
04/08/13 06:31 PM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,371 Interior Alaska
smalltimetrapper
small greenhorn
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small greenhorn
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,371
Interior Alaska
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Stiff fur is not true IMO. But if I were to make hats in the future again it would be from otter hands down. Wears much better than beaver. Especially if your some one that wears goggles. Just pulling them off repeatedly will pull your forehead guard hairs out over time. Never see that on otter. I think plucked beaver is in style now, could even shear it before hand and not have to worry about guard hairs.
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Re: The Almighty Alaskan Thread #6
[Re: white17]
#3750233
04/08/13 06:54 PM
04/08/13 06:54 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,275 Homer, Alaska
Family Trapper
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,275
Homer, Alaska
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The last hat I made and lost in the Anchorage Airport was a plucked and sheared beaver belly fur for the inside lining and leather out side with the traditional beaver V in front. My next one when I ever get it done is the same except otter fur on the outside front V. Beaver appears too long against the leather IMO. Nothing finer to wear on a cold day in my opinion. Comfort, Warmth, and good looking. My dream is to match it with some otter mukluks as well. On my bucket list. ;0) I have the chrome tanned otter and beaver for the job. Just need the time. LIke Ken all I have ever made and worn were beaver. But when I started making hats for my kids I turned to otter as it was much shorter and they didn't look like they were wearing a football helmet. I really took a liking to it. But was too busy keeping them in cloths to ever get mine done. ;0) Found this photo of my kids and I years ago putting on a fur fashion show. ;0) My youngest at the time, Libby, in a beaver parka. Jenna (in red) sporting beaver mukluks. Both Jenna and Garrity in Otter hats with plucked beaver insides. And my hat described above with the leather outside and plucked beaver inside. Only way I was able to take my kids out on the line with me for any length of time was to dress them in fur. ![](http://www.hunt101.com/data/542/2951family.jpg)
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Re: The Almighty Alaskan Thread #6
[Re: white17]
#3750294
04/08/13 07:22 PM
04/08/13 07:22 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,761 SW Alaska
otterman
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,761
SW Alaska
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Land Otter is considered one of the most durable furs in the world with Seal actually being even a bit better but for warmth and softness nothing beats sea otter with sheared beaver a close second. Spek I would be sad if most of my beaver ran in the mid to low sixtys here they tend more to be on the large side of things 66-72 we call them large but that is what I catch the most of. I have a couple every year in the 74-78 inch class but have yet to stretch one 80
We get out of life only as much as we really want and work hard enough to achieve
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Re: The Almighty Alaskan Thread #6
[Re: white17]
#3750518
04/08/13 09:03 PM
04/08/13 09:03 PM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,046 Homer, Alaska
Spek Jones
"FATHER"
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"FATHER"
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,046
Homer, Alaska
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Otterman, I was happy as a clam until you said that, now I'm all down in the dumps. Lol. You have bigger beaver there sounds like, wonder if it's feed related, genetics, or maybe predation related? Only the very old ones here, with the tough, scarred up hides, ever go over 70 inches. They are pretty rare, which is fine, since my wife doesn't particularly like them for sewing.
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Re: The Almighty Alaskan Thread #6
[Re: white17]
#3750533
04/08/13 09:09 PM
04/08/13 09:09 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,761 SW Alaska
otterman
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,761
SW Alaska
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Spek, I wonder if it is a feed thing or do they get pressure from other people as well as you? I have noticed that the tundra beaver here run slightly smaller than those in the river eating bark rather than lilly roots. They also tend to have more beaver in a house on the river vs the tundra ponds and creeks.
We get out of life only as much as we really want and work hard enough to achieve
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Re: The Almighty Alaskan Thread #6
[Re: white17]
#3764661
04/17/13 12:57 PM
04/17/13 12:57 PM
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,982 Alaska
Hupurest
"Andy S wannabe"
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"Andy S wannabe"
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,982
Alaska
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my next hat I am going to try something different.
Instead of skinning the beaver the "normal" way, I am going to cut down the back and leave the belly "whole". Leaving it intact will allow the sewer to have a bigger piece of belly fur to work with. that way I will have all that nice soft belly fur with none of the long guard hairs or having to pluck it.
the hat i have now is super warm, but those guard hairs poking in te ear or frosting up on the front are annoying...
I'll take wolves over idiots any day.
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Re: The Almighty Alaskan Thread #6
[Re: Hupurest]
#3764707
04/17/13 01:33 PM
04/17/13 01:33 PM
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,365 Billings, MT
Wolfwoman
trapper
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trapper
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,365
Billings, MT
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my next hat I am going to try something different.
Instead of skinning the beaver the "normal" way, I am going to cut down the back and leave the belly "whole". Leaving it intact will allow the sewer to have a bigger piece of belly fur to work with. that way I will have all that nice soft belly fur with none of the long guard hairs or having to pluck it.
the hat i have now is super warm, but those guard hairs poking in te ear or frosting up on the front are annoying... That is why, when I make beaver fur hats, I position the earflaps along the edges, no poking. See, if you'd used me, you'd not have had that problem. ![wink wink](/forum/images/graemlins/default/wink.gif)
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Re: The Almighty Alaskan Thread #6
[Re: white17]
#3764720
04/17/13 01:44 PM
04/17/13 01:44 PM
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,365 Billings, MT
Wolfwoman
trapper
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trapper
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,365
Billings, MT
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Was thinking of making a beaver hat, but someone here told me that beaver gets stiff when it's really cold, unlike some other furs. Anyone have any comment on that? I've made a few 100 beaver hats over the years and never had anyone complain of them being stiff. However, that depends on the tanning job!
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Re: The Almighty Alaskan Thread #6
[Re: white17]
#3764839
04/17/13 03:16 PM
04/17/13 03:16 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,761 SW Alaska
otterman
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,761
SW Alaska
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Hup The use of belly fur from kits is even better particularly for inside the ear flaps nice and soft winter caught kits are best as the leather is thicker and not subject to ripping
We get out of life only as much as we really want and work hard enough to achieve
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Re: The Almighty Alaskan Thread #6
[Re: Pete in Frbks]
#3764883
04/17/13 03:51 PM
04/17/13 03:51 PM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,046 Homer, Alaska
Spek Jones
"FATHER"
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"FATHER"
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,046
Homer, Alaska
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OM, They have lot's of feed here, and no one else traps them anywhere near me. Bears do lay into them though, blacks and browns both. But it may just be genetics, because the few old ones I do get seldom will stretch to 70 inches. Pull harder.....! Pete, I stretch them by the 51 rule.
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Re: The Almighty Alaskan Thread #6
[Re: otterman]
#3765003
04/17/13 04:57 PM
04/17/13 04:57 PM
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,365 Billings, MT
Wolfwoman
trapper
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trapper
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,365
Billings, MT
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Hup The use of belly fur from kits is even better particularly for inside the ear flaps nice and soft winter caught kits are best as the leather is thicker and not subject to ripping Yup, yup, yup!!!!
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Re: The Almighty Alaskan Thread #6
[Re: otterman]
#3766010
04/18/13 12:29 AM
04/18/13 12:29 AM
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,982 Alaska
Hupurest
"Andy S wannabe"
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"Andy S wannabe"
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,982
Alaska
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Hup The use of belly fur from kits is even better particularly for inside the ear flaps nice and soft winter caught kits are best as the leather is thicker and not subject to ripping If only I could get me some unborn seal skin..... That would be the softest...
I'll take wolves over idiots any day.
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Re: The Almighty Alaskan Thread #6
[Re: white17]
#3766025
04/18/13 12:59 AM
04/18/13 12:59 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,275 Homer, Alaska
Family Trapper
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,275
Homer, Alaska
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Instead of skinning the beaver the "normal" way, I am going to cut down the back and leave the belly "whole". Leaving it intact will allow the sewer to have a bigger piece of belly fur to work with. that way I will have all that nice soft belly fur with none of the long guard hairs or having to pluck it.
From my experience it isn't needed. I saved my intact bellies for other projects. When I made a hat I cut out mirror images of the belly for the left and right. So you end up working from the middle to get matches anyway. Now if you were going to use two kits for your hat using a whole kits belly per side would be a good ideas. If you try to make the inside flap out of one side of a kits belly you will get too far into the back and the underfur is not nearly so thick. Now if you were going to pluck the belly whole bellie on a large beaver you would have a great piece for one side of a pillow. !!
Last edited by Family Trapper; 04/18/13 01:23 AM.
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