Hey folks, Im not neccessarly "New" to trapping I did it off and on thru my highschool years catching a handful of muskrats and the occasional coon. Back into trapping again after a 7 year break I really want to get the most out of my fur and I have widened my horizon onto other species mustelids particularly.. One thing ive ALWAYS had trouble with is tail bones especially on the smaller critters. I ripped the black tip off an ermine i got this week. So today i paid very careful attention to it on a marten i was skinning and once i got down to the very tip it just seemed like that was it. It was extremely tight and no matter how hard i worked it with my finger nails It was not going to come out any further! So i cut the bone at the last half inch or so.. My question is. Is this acceptable? Is there an easier way or trick to it? Mind you I doing this without a tail puller just a small razor knife. Is a tail puller the answer?

Get a tail puller.

Yes get a tail puller and splitting quide !

Good video re weasel skinning although the auction houses, and other buyers, recommend splitting weasel and squirrel tails.

Splitting these small tails is made easy with the aid of a tail splitting guide and a small fur pelting knife or scalpel. Just insert the splitting guide into the tail as far “as it will easily go”. This will be only an inch or so. Then with a “little” pressure on the guide, while lifting it up slightly, make short strokes with the knife. As the hide splits the guide will penetrate the tail a little further with each short stroke.

bctomcat, I've made a splitting guide from an old umbrella rib. The ribs (or umbrella stays) have a groove to place tip of knife.
Just saying if anyone wants to make their own tail guide.

Hern, an old timer gave me one of those, there alot smaller than the guides you buy.

Never used a tail guide. Once the tail bone has been pulled just place the tip of your knife In the void and open the tail.

Whether ya use commercial tail stripper or two sticks out on line the "trick' is to maintain lots of pressure all the way through pull. Make sure ya skin far enough down back first so ya got room for full pull