What is the best way to thin hides for tanning, Home tanned most of last years catch and had trouble with beaver and raccoon. The back of the neck on coon and rump and pretty much all over on the beaver, Id like to get the hide much thinner. Used a wire wheel and it worked ok but took a long time. Am I better off to buy a fleshing wheel? Any one tried the Merlin? Thoughts?

You can get the leather thin by dry scraping.Its work.
Learning curve to that though you will pop a few holes while learning the technique,but they can be easily sewn.

If you're talking about softening up a hide after tanning i use heavy grit sandpaper on a block for certain areas like the head & same sandpaper wrapped around a fleshing beam and pinned to back of beam for main part of hide. manhandle back & forth to break & thin down.

I have used my Merlin fleshing tool while they were in the pickle to thin things down. It is slow going, but it works. I find it a lot easier then using a knife.