Main Discussion Area > Primitive Skills
Hide stretching frame/process questions
boxerboxer:
--- Quote from: Pappy on June 02, 2023, 07:25:06 am ---Here is one of mine, it is ERC so not sure how buckthorn would compare , mine is about 2 inches and I make the frame 7 foot, nothing worse than start stretching the hide and the frame to small, just takes a little more string if the hide is small. you could use a hatchet head I guess but the tool I use has a one sided bevel , I will try and get a picture of it this weekend.
Pappy
--- End quote ---
Thanks for all the info. The frame I just finished is more like 6 feet and small change, but I only have 2 hides to process and if I have to split them in half and do 4 pieces total that's alright. I can always make a bigger one later.
As for a scraper I found a piece of steel angle about 1/8" thick whose sides are about 2"x10". I'm going to try cutting a piece of that, making some holes to bolt a handle to on one side of the angle, and grinding a curved blade onto the other. We'll see how that goes.
boxerboxer:
How far from the edge of the hide should I make my holes? Can I use the point of my pocket knife? I'd worry that a cut slit might want to tear, but I don't really have any leatherworking tools. Would it be better to drill holes with wood backing?
Pappy:
I slit with a knife, make the slits going with the length of the hide not to big, just big enough to get string through , I make them about an inch off the edge , maybe a little more around the belly area, make sure the hide is wet and will stretch, also as you tighten it pull on the hide not on the rope, pull the hide at the hole to stretch and slip the rope through. Hope that makes is clear. I make holes every 5 or 6 inches apart. Pappy
boxerboxer:
How does this scraper look? I will attach to a handle but I will probably use it just like this to scrape the last few bits off the flesh side once I get it stretched. It's about 3" wide with a single bevel.
Pappy:
That should work. :)
Pappy
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