I am going to be buying a few new stretchers for coyote and fox and wondering if the extra money for wood is worth it. I have wire now and they seem to work fine. It seems like wire is better for the skin side to continue to dry after turning.

The only thing I use wire for is muskrat.

Here we go!

same here, wire for rats- wood for everything else

Wood boards for me, as they provide the ability to pin out a square butt and the tail, they also provide overall better consistency in shape and fur density thus providing better overall appearance.

If you are happy with wire, fine. Purchase a few wood and see what you think.

I agree with what bctomcat has to say. All wood for me as well.
Wood gives each species a uniform appearance, while keeping the dense fur in skirt/butt area. No tee pee shaped pelts.

I like how my Fox, Coyote, Coon & Mink look using wood...






I like the uniform appearance by drying on wood...

Wood.

Wood for me too.

Hey Boco.....careful what you post these Wisc boys can't put stuff like that on wood, with no wolf season down there.

Go with wire....cause that bell bottom look is COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOol and maybe the fad will come back to the 70's again.

I think those that use wire On rats are losing money. But It Is what It Is.

Nice looking fur, Hern. I guess you guys convinced me to try some wood. I have already installed wood skirting boards on my wire coon boards like the NAFA examples.

You can convert your rat boards as well, just make it so they can not creep up as the pelt dries, ie hook on bottom to the wood

Thanks 8117 Steve R.
Just thought I would picture examples. A picture is worth a thousands word.
My best to you

All wood even rats.

I use.both. But I get most of it tanned so it doesn't matter for selling to buyer. HOWEVER what I do plan to sell I strech on whichever the buyer prefers. That means if I think I MAY sell it, buyers preference

I decide my fir as such

All early caught is going to tannery

Prime raccoon, beaver and rats stretched at buyers preference

Prime coyote , fox and mink likely going to tannery

Finishing fur is too much work for the low prices of raw fur (for my sections) to sell

Tanned fur takes investment and time to sell but the return it 2-4X the profit

Plastic all the way in this day and age.
That white semi=flex stuff cut into forming boards is great. No bacterial growth. Easy to wipe grease off. The corner round over with wood working bites just fine. No more sticking on lifted wood slivers from wood. Pins go in just fine and the hole semi-close up when pin pulled
just like the kitchen cutting boards plastic, polymer

interesting North

Both wire and wood...

wire for coon wood for yote

Wood, wood, wood.

I like wood stretchers. I also enjoy making them, it just adds another dimension to Trapping.

When is comes to muskrats at least GFW had a video about wood causing over stretching on rats, but with that said every has their own preference and what their use to using. I like wood for certain animals and wire for others.

I use wire for rats and possum . Coon I use wire many years ago and then seen the different in use of wood and do them on that now and all other furs on wood. I use my coon wires now for possum and if I am out of boards for skunks I put them on the coon wire and also if I have a rats that dose not fit on the regular wire I put them on the wire coon .

The way I have heard it as of late, the fur buyers are wanting wood even for muskrats. The edges of the pelt are very narrow and tend to break when dry. The wood stretchers are thicker and have a more rounder shape, or so I have heard. I am going to buy some wood boards for rats, and use them. If I run out, I`ll use wire. Just remember it is all about appearance, and what the major fur buyers want, just like beaver, they want oval, not round. Anything that will add to the fur check, within reason.

The fur buyer doesn't like wood for rats because he has to pay more money for a wood formed rat. LOL

I can get about an extra 2" In most cases when I do a rat On wood. And that rat Isn't over stretched. It's just formed to It's maximum shape. And 2 Inches doesn't sound like much but It can and will put you In another size grade and that my friends will get you more money.

Over drying and over fleshing Is what gets you those thin skinned rats It has nothing to do with what you put that rat on. Every time I hear someone say they leave their rats on the forms for weeks at a time just makes me shudder. When the nose and face are dry get them off the forms.
Leave lots of fat behind just get the red meat off the skin. In time that fat will be absorbed Into the leather. That will get you a nice supple rat.

When you get those rats off the boards or wire put them In a cardboard box and pack In the vertical position and pack them as tight as you can. That way they won't continue to dry put. I don't think I have ever had to deal with any mold when I've done that. But If you do a little bleach or WD-40 will solve the problem.

The wire vs wood debate seems to be 1 of those that people can't agree on. I know Groenewold wants me to use wire. But many prefer wood.

Maybe it’s just me. The fur I sent to nafa the past year averaged a slightly higher price than the past couple of years. The only difference is I started using wood stretchers.

Use to use wire on this deep south fur. Started using wood several years ago. Wire seemed to make a flat pelt even flatter looking. It is a big difference how the fur stands up when dried on wood. This southern fur needs all the help it can get.

100 percent wood. Nice work Hern! Wood costs more initially but it will pay for itself over and over. Northof50 , That's interesting, where can one get some of the plastic you use? Please and thanks

I'm going to try the plastic cardboard in the bottom of wire. Hold it on with hog rings .Just it see how it goes .I know pins hold good in that plastic.

That will work.

You can put garden hose on wire and it will help. I know a guy that does it on all his badgers. They look great. I’m a wood guy but just started putting up my own fur again after a 15 year break. Back then I used wire. Forgot how much I enjoyed it.