Duck Hunting Forum banner

Fleshing ?

2K views 8 replies 8 participants last post by  SGM-DKHNTR 
#1 ·
does anyone have any pictures i can see of birds that have been defatted ? i dont know quite what it looks like ? HELP PLEASE!
 
#2 ·
I know what you mean. My first was terrible, then I got a video. You need to see the actual skin. In it you see the bumps that are from each feather. These bumps are in tracks seperated by about 1/4" to 1/8" apart around the duck radiating out from the neck. The skin is shiny and after a dawn bath in hot water, you won't see any "skin" hanging off in areas that is really fat still there. Then I wash the skin 3 or 4 times in Dawn in warm to hot water, and soak each time for about 15 minutes. Then I rinse REALLY good.
 
#5 ·
I use White gas (Coleman Fuel) as my degreaser...I was it is Dawn twice, then let it soak in the white gas for about 5-10 minutes, then pull it out and pat it down...let it sit for about 5 min. to allow most of the gas to naturally evaporate...then tumble...

To answer the original question: You shouldn't see alot of hanging fat or yellow coloration once it has been washed.
 
#6 ·
Although I have no pictures, the feather butts will be free in their feather tracts, the quills will be sharp, and the coloration of the feather on the opposite side of the skin will be showing through.

As far as degreasing goes, it will be the argument of the Century as to whether or not soaking in Mineral Spirits, White Gas, Gas, etc. etc. will actually degrease a bird. In my opinion, solvents are only that, due to their specific gravity, they will aid in the removal of particles, because of their densities in comparison to one another. duck fat is an oil, and these solvents are (nine times out of ten) oil based, so removing oil? I'm not so sure about that. I do use Odorless Mineral Spirits after I wash in soapy water, to help the drying process, and I do have a bit of colored water in the bottom of the bath, but that probably means that I didn't wash properly, or enough times. I like to flesh, wash in warm water with a degreaser that I bought commercially (used in oil removal in huge vats) PH is 8.5 nearly neutral, but with warm water (also a different specific gravity than oil) along with a toothbrush, and a soapy solution, removes the majority of fat. The solution of crap in the bottom of the solvent bath is more than likely fat, soap and water that was improperly removed during the washing and rinsing process. In other words more is coming out of the feathers than is coming from an improperly fleshed skin. Please don't feel you can take a shortcut in fleshing because you THINK you can remove the fat during the solvent bath. I think that fleshing, washing, and rinsing are all equal in their necessity in cleaning the feathers and skin of a bird. Rinsing is probably the one that is overlooked the most. I seen on another website, of a bucket that had a hose connection on the bottom, and when the water filterd up and around the bird's skin, it would remove all the fat and soap, because fat floats on water. When the water was completely clear, then and only then was the skin completely cleaned. (Thanks Wingman)

-Pete
 
#8 ·
I just finished a drake goldeneye with 5 DAWN baths Fleshing with a scissors additional fleshing between baths at the sink. The spots you missed show up better in between the washes. I dried the bird with a blow dryer it was only moderately "fluffy" I then remembered a tip from one of you( Whistlerwhittler I think) about using fabric softener(just about a half ounce) . Back in the bath for one more time WOW! The feathers fluffed up completely, this really shows how well it works because I could see the 2 results on the same bird.
 
#9 ·
I'm not a taxidermist by trade, just a hobiest, but I have done a lot of ducks, geese and turkeys.

Fleshing, like anything else, takes practice to get good. Don't worry about burning through, because you will. When you do just take a hunk of rubber gove (the kind your favorite Doctor uses :lol: ) and super glue a patch. :thumbsup:

As far as white gas/mineral spirits, etc. Go for it if you like smelling that stuff. I just use multiple dawn washings and my fleshing wheel and finish w/the tumbler and use plenty of Borax when rebuilding.

Good luck.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top