Beavers with tail-on back from Moyles

As an experiment last year I skinned all my L, LM and S beavers with tail on and sent them off to Moyles to see how they came out. They made no guarantee on how the tails would come out, and indeed most of the tails had at least some minor damage but all and all I was very pleased. I have had beaver done at another couple of tanneries over the years, the job Moyles did was by far the best.

The idea I have is to hoop these smaller beaver with the tail on. I intend to brighten the tail up with lacquer and glue a piece of leather on the underside to stiffen/straighten out the tail. The tails tend to be crumpled over.

The first pic looks like pieces of the tail are gone but it is just torn and and part of the tail curled underneath. Mostly fixable.

Trim the ragged tail edges with a scissor before you hoop.
Fur looks good on that beaver hide.

I have been seriously considering doing the same thing you have done.
Please post an update once you have them all trimmed out/complete

Beaverpeeler... tried to send you a PM...... You're "over the limit" it says.

Did they charge extra for the tail?

Wow, I like that, I'm gonna try it

I had a tanned beaver tail that faded out pretty bad, so I used some Mop & Glow on it and that brought the dark color back really nice. Plus, it had a nice smell to it afterwards.

No extra charge for tail on tanning.

I will trim back my PM's, sorry muskrat.

Good idea Boco. And of course all those smaller beaver seem to have the densest nicest fur.

Do they charge extra for the tail on??

Again, no they do not. They also don't guarantee the tails will turn out OK. In other words they don't put any effort into making sure the tails don't get damaged in their processes.

That said, most of the tails on the 23 I sent up are fixable. Very few came out pristine.

Genius pure Genius

You can take them lines and kinks out of the tails if you spritz them moist on the flesh side, then place a cloth on both sides and with two piece's of flat board clamp together with mild pressure for a day or so You don't need to get them dripping wet just moist enough that the will bend with out breaking

I do this with some of my tails for wallets and belts when they have a twist or line in them back from the tannery.

They also can be dyed with most leather dyes to make them look more natural as well, black and brown work the best

I think I may try that. Thanks Carl! Wait I would have to trap a beaver? Never mind!

Neatsfoot oil would probably bring those tails back to life.

That’s a really good idea. Thanks for sharing.


Please share pictures of the finished, hooped product. I’ve been thinking of hooping a couple

Nope, you don't need to trap a beaver Jim. I got the solution...buy some off of me. Just like ol' times! LOL

Are you trapping beaver now Carl?

Jim, he’s trapping castor, the rest of the beaver is an unavoidable evil.

Perfect!

Tail on beaver are the way to go...been doing them that way for some time, and my buyers like it.