What Fleshing Knife?

So I am looking to get myself a fleshing knife to try and do my own hides. Any recommendations for my first fleshing knife? Mainly catching Coons, Beavers and I also have a Otter I would like to tan. Thanks

Necker 600 is a good knife for the money especially for a beginner you won’t regret purchasing it

X2!

Lee Steimeyer. Great knife I love it. Eric

Good for collecting dust when you get your hands on a good knife. At least that is what my Necker is good for.......

Post and Lee Steinmeyer knives are much better and very little more money IMO. They really shine on coon, beaver and otter that were mentioned in the original post.

I have never fleshed a coon, beaver or otter in my life! However, Lee Steinmeyers knife works great on coyotes, cats, foxes and badgers!

So you have never held a fleshing knife In your hands right.
So If It were me I'd go with a cheaper knife and learn how to use It. Then once you get the feel for what your doing you can up grade to a different knife.
I started out with a Necker 600 and that was a long time ago ago and I'm still using It. I put up fur for NAFA for 12 years and It's all I ever used. All you have to do Is get proficient with what you have to work with.
It's very important to have a 2 sided knife One that's sharp and one that has a square edge for pushing.

Come on guys you can scrape a coon or a fox with a 2X4 and do a decent job.LOL

This - Lee Steinmeyer - plus he's a member of this forum... As nice a guy as they come.
https://lptraplinesupply.com/index.html

That's right never have used one. Sounds like good idea. Thanks guys!!

Put the money you're going to waste on a Necker towards a good knife like one of Lee's. I'm really liking his little knife.

I have a Wiebe Elite and it works great. It all depends on what you want in a fleshing knife. The Wiebe is super sharp, holds an edge and is easy to touch up when it needs it. Handles are comfortable for me. Never liked the handles on the Necker. Technique and understanding how to use the knife is just as important if not more so than the actual knife if, A - the knife will hold a good sharp edge on the slicing side and B - the pushing side has a square edge on it. Any knife that has those two attributes could be used by any good fur handler and they will get excellent results. Just my opinion.

I have tried a few.

It can get expensive, so you don’t waste your time and money, just get a Post to start with.

Game over.

I thought the same way until I tried a Lee Steinmeyer knife. Still agree that Post is a fine knife but I like my Steinmeyer better.

^^^^^^
This

Post

Steinmeyer and never look back. I wish I had ask this question befor I bought my first knife. Upside is if you buy a lesser knife I think you have a greater appreciation fo Lee's knife.

Does anyone have lees contact or his TM handle. My wife emailed about a knife but I don’t trust email, I would rather talk or at least text directly.

Lee Steinmeyer is his uderid on here.

His website is http://lptraplinesupply.com/index.html

You will want to call anyway. Lee is a great guy and enjoys conversation.

Mailman just delivered 2 knives from Lee Steinmeyer!! His "Standard" knife and his "Parallel" knife!

I own 5 other fleshing knives and this is what all fleshing knives should be judged bye!

Lee's knives are really works of art. Hand made with walnut handles, stainless steel and super sharp!

Don't worry Lee, someone might have gotten their knife on the market before yours, but your's is what all other knives will be judged bye!

Thanks from Alaska!!

I have 2 Necker fleshing knives. They work just fine. It is all in what you get used to using. Most critters you are going to push off the flesh so you don't need anything to expensive for that. But it is all in what you want to purchase.

I'm use to 5 different knives and I could definitely rate them in order of what I like. My necker is middle of the pack. Beaver I prefer a super sharp knife. Easier fleshing means easier on my back. I also prefer a very sharp knife on coon and skunk necks. Every thing else I push. My fleshing knives have two different styles for this, beveled blunt and square. I prefer the beveled blunt. My first fleshing knife was a 6 dollar, blunt on both sides cheapie. I sharpened the one side and learned the slicing motion by going to fur demos at conventions a long time ago.

Square up that blunt side and life will be a lot better when pushing.

Can you give me exacts as to why you like it better?

The geometry of the handles and the weight and stiffness of the blade and the angle of the blade of Lee's knife is more to my liking. It is more rigid than the Post. BTW, I have Lee's parallel knife.

I recently bought a knife from Lee Steinmeyer, when we were at the FTA in Indiana. Can't wait to try it out this fall!

X3

Lee steinmeyer.

Necker 600 is a great one to use

Here ya go ….

Tailhunter, great video thanks for sharing. I also use a razor sharp knife on beaver and coon & skunk necks

Great video, thanks for posting it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9gzfdMJuhU

Excellent flick. But I would put the belly board in from the head end. You want the widest part of the belly board In the tightest part of the hide. This will make It a lot easier when It comes time to remove the hide from the board.

Then its not a belly key its a neck key.

What ever you want to call It, It should go In from the mouth.

When I turn cats wolves etc(skins with heavier leather that tighten up) fur out I use a couple keys in the back as well as one in the belly.
Keeps the skin from sticking to the board and allows air flow from a fan to dry the turned skin thoroughly without wrinkling.

When doing coyotes I always put one KEY in from the tail end and one KEY In from the mouth end.

When using split boards no keys/belly sticks are needed.

That's true.

Not needed maybe,but you get much better air circulation when you turn the hides with 2 keys on the back even on split boards,most especially in the head.
I board wolf on split boards and use two 1 inch dowells all the way up from each side of the tail right to the eye holes.Then use a fan to blow air up the back between the skin and the board.

You can see the back keys here,and right up to the eye hole to keep the ears up off the board for air circulation into the turned ear cavity.Drys the back and neck area quickly allowing the all important air circulation up through the hide between the pelt and the board.

In one pic you can see the small fan that does the job.

Once the hide has been turned fur out on coyotes I leave them drying fur out till the hide is dry enough to hold It's shape then I remove it from the board. I then reposition the KEYs so they give me good air circulation through out the length of the hide. Never had a slipper doing It this way.