Well I've been putting up a few spring beaver using my Necker 600. I've had it about 3 years and never sharpened it so I was looking up the proper way to sharpen it on YouTube and past trapperman posts. We'll come to find out I've been using a fleshing knife upside down for over 10 years!! I always used the sharp side of a fleshing knife bevel down and at an upward angle looking at videos and such everybody else uses one bevel up laying almost flat. We'll today I sharpened my necker and started force re-training myself and now I got a 5 legged beaver!!! So theres my confession I put a big ol hole in one and I am ashamed lol!! So my question is bevel up or down???

I mean if you were doing fine before I don't see a reason to change necessarily. Might improve your efficiency if you switch I don't know, I always flesh over my knee.

We'll that's what I'm aiming for is being more efficient. I don't consider myself a beaver trapper. Marten and fisher is my bread and butter and there isn't too much fleshing to be done usually. I dread putting up the dozen or less beaver I catch for bait every year so I've been catching more beaver for fur handing practice forcing myself to become better at it. And my upside down fleshing knife was one of my findings.

Bevel up here, I use Lee’s knife.

wws

Which ever way works best for you.

There's some people that do bevel down

There is better beaver knives out there than the 600 necker.

Hal Sullivan is the person i know that uses the knife bevel down. The wrong way.
You want the bevel up, so the fat and gristle roll up and away. And with the bevel down you have to raise the knife higher to get the edge to cut. It's best to keep the knife blade flat to keep you from cutting the hide.
I just came in to take a break from putting up 11 beaver. Got to two to skin. I did try and clean skin the last one and it didn't turn out to bad. I think if I had a decent knife, it would go a lot better. I have to keep sharping It all the time.

And I've fleshed 1000s of beaver with my Knecker.

The Beav nailed it

I’d say most folks lean towards bevel up-it usually gives a more consistent edge. But if what you’re doing is working, there’s no harm in sticking with it while you experiment a bit.