Wondering if anyone else had a problem with the dull side of the knife making holes while fleshing.not sure if the dull side is to sharp or my technique is wrong.any advice is appreciated

More likely stuff(matts) in the fur or stuff(bumps) on your beam.

Thanks boco may need to sand my beam I appreciate it.

Be sure to comb the fur before you flesh. Usually a hole is caused from a sticker or clump of mud still in the fur.

Got a fur comb ready to go. I think I may have figured out the problem. It was when I was fleshing nutria and mostly around the tail. After watching a few videos I guess the nutria are fairly mean and often bite other nutria leaving small holes in the furs.still going to use the advice given so thank you guys.

That knife is to sharp for skins I don't use it anymore

Sanded the board and brushed the fur with a rake and comb but still got hole. It seems like the fur is bunching up as I am fleshing. Any little tricks to keep the fur tight on the board

I like my caribou but I had to dull the bejeezes out of the pushing side. If I have trouble keeping the fur taught, I’ll use a junk rag between me and the pelt on the beam to help keep it from slipping also squeeze clamps help to keep a pelt tight as well.

I'll trip the rag that may help. The holes aren't huge basically .22 size mostly under the armpits and toward the bottom off the critter.

Are you shaving or pushing when you cut the holes.
If you are cutting holes when shaving,you dont have the knife flat enough.
If you are making holes pushing you are likely making short strokes with the knife.
Use longer strokes,less pressure and followthru.
You will get the hang of it after a few.

I'm pushing when I cut the holes. I'll practice again tomorrow with longer strokes and see how it goes. Glad I froze a bunch of coon skins for practice.

Got better results with the rag and longer strokes but still put a hole in both arm pits. Going to keep trying. At least I'm starting to get the fat to come off in one big piece.

Armpit skin is very thin,not uncommon to make a hole there if too agressive.
The good news is any damage in that area is not discounted unless it is big.

Not popping off teats are you? Sometimes on a coon, they'll sneak up on ya!

Made sure to pop everyone. Sometimes you gotta learn the hard way it doesn't take much to pop those things.

Does a caribou knife come sharpened both sides.? I think you are supposed to dull the side you want to push with.

Caribou knives come both ways. One with both sides sharpened, and another with the convex sharpened and the concave dull

It's not the knifes fault it's user error when I took boco advice and did longer strokes 90 percent of my holes stopped.

Yep, learn where they are and be careful...I'm still new enough I catch one now and then. It happens.

It might not be how sharp, but the angle of attack.

Quite possibly I've found it a lot easier to use the sharp side and just take my time