Scraping In 50 below? I think the frost has gone to your head. LOL

Only thing I ever have to flesh is otter and wolverine and if they start getting warm and greasy I just hang em outside for a bit. Not saying my way is better. I am a squarehead.

Boco-One more question....Do you at some point remove individual nails to be able to scrape those areas? After it is all done I assume I nail it out like normal.

Moosetrot

You can get close to the edge,then just clean around the skirt with a one hand scraper when boarding,like normal.
You dont need many nails to hold the hide for freezing and frost scraping-10-12 nails all around is fine.Should be able to scrape right out to the edge if you want.I dont find it necessary as I always use the one hand scraper to clean the skirt before nailing out to dry.

I was at work up the north line,and brought some pelts to do at night while up there.
I worked outside all my life Beav,At 50 below there was always half a dozen old rails would snap under the train and we had to go out and change them out before the next train.
Cold weather is nothing for Canadians.

Thanks again, Boco!

Moosetrot

BOCO,

You're starting to sound like that Arstin Possum-Monkey character !!!

walleyed

Since you pointed that out I can see the similarity. LOL

Probably doesn't get hot enough up there to experience sun kinks in the rails, eh?

The idea of disposing of the fleshings to the birds and mice is a good idea, just not near the home. Mice and scavenger birds are considered nuisance and not welcome here.

I just finished the beaver the fat came of really easy but when I got to the meat that's where it took three hours I might not have done it correctly but it looks good. Boco how do you dry your furs after frost scraping do you brig them inside?

It does,Posco-lined out quite a few rail buckles in my career.
The temp extremes between winter and summer causes it.
Often when there is a pull apart in winter,we would cut in a chunk of rail.Next summer if you dont adjust you could get a rail buckle(sun kink).
The good section foremen would document all the extra inches of rail added in winter and go back in spring and change out the plug.

My father worked as a conductor for a small line here in northern Maine, the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad. He spoke about those kinks from time to time. I guess they could really give a train a good whiplash if they were severe enough.

I f I just have few scraps I just toss them out In the drive way and the crows have them cleaned up In no time.

They will de rail a train,posco at track speed.

3 hours?
Something aint right,lol.
Got any pics? I might be able to point out some things your doing wrong.
Yes I dry them inside.

I'll post pics in a bit the meat was rock solid, but the fat was still able to be scraped of easily the next time i do it im going to have a sharper scraper I think the at was the problem.

Go easy on me that's the first beaver I've ever skinned and boarded. If I recall right I got real cold, or I didn't skin the head because I didn't know if you were supposed to. The problem was probably a combination of having too much meat from skinning and the dull scraper.

The hard meat should scrape off same as the fat.

I just got mine boarded and outside in the unused dog kennel, away from the morning sun. Supposed to be around -17F tonight so might go at it tomorrow. Once I got it on the board I went back with my beaver knife and fleshed off a lot of the bigger chunks of meat and fat.

We'll see how she goes!

Moosetrot