I’m guessing this has been talked about multiple times, but how is there work? I’ve sent a lot to Moyles in past years. Just curious I’ve got a couple critters that need tanning.

You wont be disappointed.

I was very happy with my Fisher!

Perfect thanks guys

Most recently received beaver pelts tanned by Sleepy Creek from different customers to be hooped have been a pleasure to work with. Supple yet thick enough there has been no tearing when blocking up. I'm pleased.

Sleepy Creek a plus ten for tanning and handling

They did a good job on the fur I sent them
the last couple of years, I'm also getting ready
to send them more on Monday.

I too have always been very happy with the furs they have done for me.

Sent fox that were all but ruined a few years ago. The coon weren't too bad but the leather was extremely rough and not smooth. Fox had lots of holes. Haven't used them since. This was 3 years ago. On another thread people from that year were also disappointed. Think they were overwhelmed with orders then.

I have had beaver done by both Moyles and Sleepy Creek. The Moyles product was a little better if I'm to be honest.

Do NOT send your stuff there… it twill just make it take longer for my stuff to get back

I’ve been happy with beaver, otter, muskrat and coyote they did. Just sent a coyote and gray fox last week.

Moyles requires fleshed and dried - right?
Sleepy will do that for an additional fee, which makes it easier for rookie part-timers, like me.

I too have used both, the product from moyles is better. The beaver I sent to sleepy creek were shaved too thin and tore when trying to hoop.

Had to sew my son’s first otter as they had cut it in places with the shaving wheel and had holes in the beaver I sent them the next year. Been sending fur to Z&L for the past several years and couldn’t be happier.

Additional info I think worth bringing to the thread here for those interested in Sleepy Creek tannery.

I recently received two beaver pelts from a customer to be hooped. Both tanned by Sleepy Creek. Let's call these pelt A and pelt B.

After tagging these and laying them out for initial inspection, I immediately noticed a difference between the two. One was longer/narrower than the other. I've seen this before, not a big deal really.

Then I blocked up Pelt A on the NAFA board and after repeated stretchings this was the best I could initially come up with:



The wrinkles/waves in the middle are just not coming out. Look closer at the head and butt end and you'll see they are cupped.

Now Pelt B on the board:



Looks like it should.

I've had pelts come in that are similar to Pelt A in the past. Sometimes I can't stretch them this tight as they start tearing as they are too thin in some areas, especially along the edges.

Conversation with the customer reveals the following:

Pelt A had been skinned, rolled and frozen then sent to Sleepy Creek. Sleepy Creek fleshed it and tanned it. That was three years ago.

Pelt B had been put up by the customer and then sent to Sleepy Creek. It is fresh from their tannery.

So . . . I'm just guessing here . . . pelt A was stretched out of shape either by fleshing or by tanning. Perhaps the head and butt end were attached "around" something that held it in place and produced the cupping. Maybe during fleshing?

On the other hand, Pelt B was a pleasure to work with and from what I understand is more representative of their latest work than a couple of years ago.

I sure don't mean to "beat up" on Sleepy Creek, as I have had very good experiences with them over the years both personally and with former customers' pelts. I will continue to recommend them from what I've seen this past fall/winter and will continue to send my fur there. I truly believe this issue with these beaver was temporary and have worked out the kinks in whatever it was.

Sidenote: tough to beat Speedee Delivery for shipping there/back for those of us who live in the upper midwest and are in their service area.

I agree with Muskrat on Speedee Delivery. Cheap and fast.

I've been tanning my own for years now, It is pretty easy if you have a good recipe and some time on your hands.

Muskrat...and chance pelt A was a result of freezer burn? We've all tried to stretch freezer burnt pelts. Never seems to work out well (for me anyhow).

Customer said he skinned, rolled, froze and sent to tannery. I doubt it had time for freezer burn. To be clear on that, I just raised that issue with the customer. His response: caught it in mid-November 2019. Skinned, froze right away and sent to tannery in December 2019. Got the pelt back March or April 2020 and has been hanging on the wall until I received it just recently. No freezer burn.

Here's a closeup of that head area. Just isn't going to flatten out.



And the base.



I have hooped beaver that look like this before. The leather grommets are glued just before the pelt arcs up, punched out and laced up. What you get on the hoop is a beaver pelt that has a 3D head, curling back towards the hoop. Not a bad look, just a different look. Sort of reminds me of hooping a bobcat. Big skull therefore big head. No way you're going to flatten that out. Looks 3D on the hoop.

But like I said . . this is product from three years ago. Tanned beaver pelts from SC lately have been very good.

Got another fella dropping a beaver pelt off soon to be hooped. Fresh from SC. Said he sent 5 of 'em in sometime in December and just got 'em back. That's not bad turnaround. I'll be looking forward to seeing how this one looks.

That fella stopped by yesterday with five pelts recently tanned by Sleepy Creek. Three beaver, a 'coon and a red fox. All tanned quite nicely. No problems. We sorted out one beaver to hoop and he's contacting Wild Things for choppers to be made out of the other two beaver. I'm fairly confident Sleepy Creek has this beaver tanning issue resolved.