For fleshing over the knee , i use a gunny sack or some canvas type material, works good. I prefer the canvas to be supple not stiff.

https://youtu.be/vm7QYS6zgl8

This works very good.

A recliner, filing cabinet, plywood floor and fleshing beaver all in the same room. I've been doing this all wrong.

Nice gift!

I have also made them with handles made from cutting board material. That was a request by none other than Alaskan!

Moosetrot

Thanks every one mine has a wedge type blade I guess its only sharpens on one side. Is that ok?

Nothing wrong with it, in fact it is very traditional. You will probably find it is easier to sharpen and it will most likely work very well for fleshing and other uses.

One of the main reasons I make and sell most ulu with a knife bevel is that a knife bevel is what most people...down here...expect in any knife. While I have sold very many to tourists and natives alike in Alaska, I sell most of them here in the States. I have made them for folks down here that flesh elk, deer, etc. for a living, and they requested that I make them with the chisel bevel. I can make them either way.

What is nice about the steel I use is that it takes and holds an edge like nothing else. A few strokes on a whetstone and it sharpens up nicely. I learned to use an ulu from an Aleut woman in Alaska that sharpened her ulu on a stone on the beach.

The ulu is an excellent tool that has many centuries of use to back itself up. Once you get used to it you will find its potential.

Moosetrot

The one sided edge is excellent for closely shaving a skin from fascia/fat/meat, although I will say Ive only seen the one sided edge inuse, and no beveled V ones.


To sharpen the one sided edge, you stroke the angled side with the stone, and touch up the edge in its flat side with the final stroke or two.....if that makes sense....

The are made to be gripped with a locked elbow and weight of body being put into the 'Push' on thick, heavy skins, and a delicate slash with the wrist for light, intricate work.

Ulu's come in many forms from what I see. The ones local here are made from old handsaws, at least one will have the original handle wood, the rest a chunk of what or not



Heres a few, one in the shadow box is slate with a decorated Ivory handle, the long one is Jade, from the upper Kobuk Jade, found in the Kiwalik river.





Put an Ulu in the right hands and a ton of work can be done, as long as your willing to move that ton a couple times while she works her slicing majic, great for skinning Walrus.




You cant go wrong owning an Ulu.

Moosetrot, your Ulu's look pretty fine

Looks like making an ulu or two is in my near future.

Great pictures Caribou.

Lol. Gun room also.

You can’t go wrong with a wife and kids that do all that skinning and fleshing either. lol. I know it’s a rough lifestyle. But I’m envious. Great family you have there, caribou.

Thanks, Caribou! Your compliment means a lot to me!

Moosetrot

That's what I was thinking.

I'll supply some moose antler for the handles if you have a hard time locating some.

PM sent, Posco.

Moosetrot

Answered. I found that shed two days after it dropped. I cut the snowmobile trail through there and when I went through again two days later the shed was laying on my sled tracks. About as fresh as it gets.

I mentioned in a earlier post that Woodcraft stores sell the blades, for $12. Well I was in the store yesterday. And they had 2 on hand. So I bought both. They are one sided like a chisel. But do have 2 different degree bevels on the blade. Now I just need to make the wood handles. I have some purple heart wood & bubinga. Should work good.

Handitrapper, be carefull dont cut yourself.....keep supply of bandaids and torniquets for what bandaids wont stop..... pics when you are done please.....

I was thinking the same thing. She would run me off cause I sure she would out work me.

They dont quite do all the skinning and scraping LOL!! I prefer to skin fur ''fresh' before the body cools and I can leave the carcass, and I do the same for meats/Caribou too, but there are the times the wife has a way of skin sewing and she wants something 'her way', so she will step in and demand to do it.
The dead frozen 'fur' will thaw in the house or tent and who ever is home usually tends such.
The Seals come from a long hunt and the women/people back at shore or home take over when the boat comes in, while its all fresh......... and all of that is basically a traditional division of labor......''git 'er done''

For the locals folks here, ''Ulurok/Ulu'' literally means ''woman's knife'', but no one says nothin' when a guy uses one, and most all bachelors/Trappers I know have one anyway, because they are so freekin' handy....... LOL!!