The way I nail them its a wash with sewing.

Thanks for the ideas, guys! I hadn't thought of zip ties. I really like the way the sewn shut ones look. I agree that nailing them is probably the fastest option and I doubt any other method of closing up the leg holes gets a premium. But it's all the little things that might add up to a better grade.

If a fur grader at an auction looks at the leather side of a beaver pelt to notice how you did the leg holes, you're already in trouble.

Sometimes, well a lot of times, the fur handling things are just for us

You can do a nice neat job with nails also.

I agree, Boco. I've used nails my whole life...except for one season I used staples. Staples go on fast but come off SLOW.

I put one up using the zip tie method and I'm not sure that I'm going to like it. It's not dry yet but I'm thinking it's going to have two pegs that stick up on the leather side. Nails turn out pretty much flush.

Probably the nicest looking method would be to sew up the leg holes but I really don't want to spend that much time. In the end, I doubt it really matters. I'll probably just stick with nails.

I'm talking to producers that want the beaver hides opened up the back instead of the belly. They are looking more to use the belly fur then the back fur. Doing It this way the belly fur stays Intact and you don't have to sew It back together to get a full sized piece.


I don't know that would go over In the over all market but there are some that want It that way.

I saw that too, Beav. My thoughts about that would be prepayment only. The second you open one up the back instead of the belly, you just limited yourself to a very, very small market.

Iwould think the easiest way to put bands on would be to put band on needle nose pliers ,put it on the pivot point then grab the leg with the pliers and roll the band onto the leg from the pliers . I dont use bands myself .i use staples . I have used this technique to put bands on other things

Iwould think the easiest way to put bands on would be to put band on needle nose pliers ,put it on the pivot point then grab the leg with the pliers and roll the band onto the leg from the pliers . I dont use bands myself .i use staples . I have used this technique to put bands on other things