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I am hoping someone will recognize what I'm going to try to describe and be able to tell me what its called or where I can find or how to build one. I was watching youtube videos the other night about a variety of trapping/fur handling related topics. I stumbled across a video of a guy demonstrating a device that was designed to help pull on hides with your foot/body weight instead of pulling with your hands. It basically consisted of a chain that connected to one end of a board approximately 2 feet in length which I suppose could be longer or shorter depending on preference. The other end of the chain passed through a hole in a piece of steel that allowed the chain slack to be pulled through one way but grab and hold when you stepped down on the board. It used a vise grip welded to the chain latch to grab the skin. So basically it allows you to pull the hide using your body weight by stepping on the board and leaving your hands free to use your knife as needed then when you need to pull the hide further you pull the chain up lifting the end of the board the chain is attached to and then stepping back down on the board to pull the hide further. If anyone recognizes what Im trying to describe Id like to pick one up or find instructions on how to build one. It basically does what a skinning machine does but is body weight powered and pulls down on the hide instead of up on the carcass. Might be handy to have when I double on coyotes way back off the road so I can just skin them instead of carrying out the carcasses and all. Thanks for any help anyone can provide.
I know what you are talking about. I bought an extra "Skinners Friend" last year at the NTA Nationals. I'm willing to let one of them go. If you're interested, PM me. Thanks.
Life Member: ITA, IBA & NRA. Member of SA, FTA & NTA
It looks like a wonderful way to get rid of some hard earned money for something that will slow down your skinning . Even when I helped out at two different fur buyer's shops I was a proud member of the grip it and rip it club where upper body and hand strength ruled the day and a sharp knife . Allan
If you do not want to use a machine or the device, get yourself some burlap. You can use the burlap to help pull down the hide. Once you get the hide part way down wrap the burlap around it and drop on the hide with one knee. This will pull the hide off down to the front shoulders. After you reach the front shoulders, pull the front legs out. Now wrap the burlap around the hide and stick it between your legs. Now by gripping the wrapped hide with your legs and leaning back you can apply all the pressure that you need while skinning with free hands. Keep backing up and putting more pressure as needed.This is how we skinned all coyote and coon before there were any skinning machines.
I got one of these Skinner's Friend devices recently and finally tried it out on a raccoon last night. Worked fantastic! Wish I would have had it years ago. It make skinning so much easier and faster for me.
The tail stripper feature did not work for me - it pulled the tailbone right off the carcass. I'll need to use it some more to figure out the technique for the tail stripper.
For the amount of skinning I do, an electric hoist would be too much expense and too much setup. The Skinner's Friend is the perfect compromise for me. Love it!
What from Christ that soul can sever, Bound by everlasting bands? None shall take thee From the Strength of Israel's hands.
Re: skinning device
[Re: ~ADC~]
#7465796 01/19/2211:31 AM01/19/2211:31 AM
Those winch skinners are pretty neat. Me and a buddy, Bob Desbiens from North Bay were at a state trapping convention in Upper Michigan quite a few years ago.There was a winch skinning machine there,so Bob said lets try skinning a beaver on that for a demo.Bob is a rough skin and beam guy so I said you put it up after and we'll give it a go. Well this was in the summer and the old beaver supplied had been in the freezer for who knows how long,lol.Bob lopped off the legs,made an opening cut to case skin and hooked it up to the winch.Well he laid on the footpedal and that old beaver carcass ripped right in half spilling guts and goo all over the floor.Boy did we ever look like a couple of idiots,lol. Wound up rough skinning what was left by hand and I fleshed it on the board with a sharp victorinox.It looked pretty good at the end after the demo,lol
Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
Anyone have a close up of the vice grips part. Seems like the jaws between the two vice grips are around 1ft apart or so. Might use nested angle iron for the clamping part unless anyone has recommendations.
I got one of these Skinner's Friend devices recently and finally tried it out on a raccoon last night. Worked fantastic! Wish I would have had it years ago. It make skinning so much easier and faster for me.
The tail stripper feature did not work for me - it pulled the tailbone right off the carcass. I'll need to use it some more to figure out the technique for the tail stripper.
For the amount of skinning I do, an electric hoist would be too much expense and too much setup. The Skinner's Friend is the perfect compromise for me. Love it!
What i would do for the tail stripper thing is to keep pressure on the stripper but use your hands and pull the tail up. Anytime you you try to pull the stripper down the tail, all sorts of issues happens(tailbones rip off, tail rips, explosive diarrhea from the animal, etc). Always pull the tailbone up through the stripper .
I bought a skinning machine from ADC, quite some time ago. That's probably one of the best trapping investments I've made. I'd hate to be without it now.
Life Member: ITA, IBA & NRA. Member of SA, FTA & NTA