Does anyone know if walmart or any other store carries anything that I can use to sew up pelts?

go to your local veterinarian and get a few sewing sutchers (spelling?) they are 3 sided needles and shaped like a half moon kinda. use that and waxed dental floss. don't use fishing line, mono, or braided. it has too much spring to it. dental floss works very well and its tough.

Has any one used artificial sinew? It is a waxed nylon and can be separated to the strand thickness you need. Super strong and can be used for lots of things.

#7 glovers needle and upholstry thread.

the artificial sinew stretches too much to sew pelts.

x2 on the waxed floss. but i use a glovers needle.
still 3 sided, but is straight.

X3 on the dental floss(waxed)and I also use a straight glovers needle.

I was just testing the spool of artificial sinew I have had for a few years and I can't seem to make it stretch at all.

I use a curved needle with a three sided tip. Heavy embroidery thread(for doing jacket/uniform Logo's) doubled up.

The artificial sinew I have doesn't stretch at all either. It's what I use. The only problem with it is that the knots come untied easily. I worry about them coming out when NAFA tumbles the hides so sometimes I melt them with a lighter.

Switch to waxed dental floss and I think you will like it. It's very strong, does not untied easily and is easy to work with.

It's not cheap but the absolute best thing I've used is Berkley Fireline.No stretch and very fine,considering it's strength.I use it in all taxidermy mounts,repairs and fur repairs.Someting like 8# is very thin and very strong.I sewed several holes in muskrats and coons last year and got dinged for none of them.

good thread!! I've been told dental floss works great too.

thanks for all of your replies guys, how exactly do you sew the holes

first, here is a bad hole

Trim the edges nice and clean

Start by pushing the needle from the fur side to the skin side.

work back and forth pushing the needle from the fur side through, pull tight every stitch.

pull tight and tie off

I use a blanket stitch. Google it to see how it's done.

Very Nice Monster Toms!!!

wow Monster Toms!! great!! thanks for teaching!! What about if you're trying to sew two or more skins together to make a blanket?? Same concept??

I use a baseball stitch on all my taxidermy work.use wax thread or floss and it'll be good take your time sewing and try to keep the hair out of the stitches

I watched a former NAFA fur grader skin a fisher and a martin at a local rendezvous. He was saying that he prefers to use spider wire (which would be similar to fireline). According to him it holds better than dental floss.

I also use fire line and a curved upholstery needle on my holes last year. It seems to work well for me.

thanks for all of the replies guys

Try this video! the accent gets annoying after awhile, but he knows what he is doing!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0wDanq8PP8

ooohhh thanks coondagger2! headed there now.


Hey..HAPPY BIRTHDAY huntfishtrap!!

thanks on the happy birthday nay5 n and thanks for that good video coondagger!

cuff and buton thread,you can buy it at the dime store.And I lock my stitch.AND happy b-day huntfishtrap.

thanks guys

I'm working on a mountain lion right now.This skin is tanned but it's the same way I repair raw skins.Using 10# Fireline here.That's more than enough for any furbearer and 6# might even be better.

I use an overhand or whip stitch.The baseball stitch offers no advantages but doesn't hurt anything either.I also find that curved needles aren't needed unless the hide is on a stretcher.

I tie off the first stitch and pull the tag end parallel to the cut so my stitches wrap it up as I go.The thinner the hide,the closer the stitches.Long stitches cause puckering which dries as a hard ridge that can be felt.Sewing this way,I can normally repair holes in muskrats and coons without getting docked.

Monster Toms i could have used your services a few times, would have saved me alot of medical bills

A Glovers needle is the best for sewing up hides. It is a three cornered needle made just for that.

The J needles work better. They also have a 3 sided point. Easier on the hands to use.

On the NAFA Muskrat video, they show them sewing up damaged rat pelts. It was interesting to see that they cut the hole open into a diamond shape before sewing it shut. They said it prevented the hide from bunching up.

They had a pretty neat sewing machine for doing the repairs. It was neat to watch. The Video is wortht the time if you get a copy of it.