Hair while processesing

[Desert Rose Rabbits]

I was curious if there's any tricks to dealing with the hair while skinning 'em. When I was processing the little doe the hair kept 'blowing' like the coat was being shed. It seriously got in the way and despite being a short haired rabbit the coat had a very cottony/wooly quality to it. Did a nice job of blowing into my mouth/face and set off my allergies really bad. I tried spritzing the body down as I was processesing but with the heat the coat dried almost immedieately.

Also, I used my skinning knife, but found that I had to stop and constantly to sharpen the blade. Are there any other tools that anyone might suggest? I was thinking something like kitchen shears.

 

[coffeenutdesigns]

I dunk my rabbits in a bucket of water after dispatch to thoroughly drench the coat. I learned that here on Rt. Since it is hot and windy here, I keep a water hose handy to rewet if I need to. I found that using my husband's fishing filet knife works better than anything else. It's really sharp and the point is nice for the fine detail around the feet and to open the belly without nicking anything.

That said, I am hardly the world's fastest processor, but learning the water trick and changing knives has greatly improved my process time and ease.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I wet down the back legs and neck only. I have found that one of those shut-off valves that you can attach to the hose works best because it blasts a spray of water and wets them down to the skin quickly.

I also use a fish filet knife. Walmart- a little over $10 bucks. I use garden shears to remove the head. You can also cut the feet off with them if you don't mind sharp bone ends- but I prefer breaking the feet off at the joint so there are no sharp ends.

 

[Frecs]

I use these: http://www.amazon.com/Fiskars-Cuts-More ... B00472NNUQ

best scissors I've ever owned! The thing comes apart and you got a knife... the cover is a sharpener... it works as a pruner too...it's amazing!

And it is perfect for butchering a rabbit...except for the severing of the back feet from the legs...for that I need a pair of real pruning shears.

 

[Miss M]

It's my understanding that wetting down the fur helps a lot, but ILoveBunnies and I (who do the skinning) thought it felt really bizarre. :roll: We're weird, I guess. :lol:

Fish and bone knives here, too. We got ours at Bass Pro... $20 each (now $25), but I can take them there anytime and get them to sharpen them for me. I took them in a few months ago, and they guy said, "Wow, they're still sharp..." I said, "I know, but they don't skin as well. I can tell the difference." He sharpened them for me no problem.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

I did both.. and I will never do it again dry.. Always wet it down first.. and scissors only here. My husband does the head for me .. But I do the rest... No knifes

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

I hose 'em down before I skin them...no fluff everywhere and it helps cool the meat faster that way.

 

[zee]

I hosed mine down and used a 4" filet knife I got from Bass Pro Shops for $4.99. I used poultry scissors I got from Bed Bath & Beyond to cut off the head and the feet and hands. Here's the link:
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product ... U=16747530
These shears are AWESOME!! I watch BowBuild's video and did mine like he did his. It took me just over 5 minutes to butcher each rabbit. Here's his video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpDmHG_8pwE

 

[Demamma]

I wet the whole rabbit down after kill. I use some hunting shears for the head and feet and fishing knife for the rest. Afterwards I hose down again to clear off extra stray hair before putting in my water bucket.
Spell check is so funny. It put evil instead of whole rabbit. Lol

 

[Desert Rose Rabbits]

Hmmm... I'll have to change my processing location so I have access to the hose and invest in a good set of shears. I have my fillet knife for when I go fishing... didn't even think of using that. Wish I had, the whole process might have been less cumbersome!

 

[coffeenutdesigns]

I will tell you another thing I do that makes it easier for me, but I know a lot of peopedo it differently. I don't chop the head off. I cut off the front paws and then when I pull the skin down, I pull it far enough to expose the neck, then I pull the front legs out of the pelt from the inside, and then cut the exposed skinless neck with my knife. If I hit it right, it comes off smooth, but sometimes I have to use the shears. Anyway, that way the head comes off wrapped up in the inside out pelt and I don't have rabbit eyes staring at me. I find it easier to cut the neck without the skin and fur.

 

[dayna]

I use a kinda dull paring knife. lol I use branch cutters to cut off the head and I break the joint and use my dull knife to cut off the feet.

I process in about 7-8 minutes. I don't wet it down, but I also don't butcher when it's windy. I've never had a problem with fur going in my face. lol I would probably wet it down if I lived in a windy area though.

 

[JDWest]

We are soooo going to try the "getting it wet first" way.

We also now prefer to just slice a hole in the middle of the rabbits back, put our fingers in and then pull the hide off as a two piece. Like pulling it's sweater off, then pulling It's pants down. So much faster and less hair to deal with. Takes us about 10 minutes from in hutch to in the pot.
But doing it this way does ruin the hide.

 

[Desert Rose Rabbits]

Yeah... my goal is to keep the hides as intact as possible since I want to sell them and/or keep them for myself. The first time I processed, I did it in my bathroom over the tub so I didn't have too much of an issue, but this last time it was crazy. I'm sure it wasn't helping that she was as old as she was (older rabbits are officially MUCH harder to skin than the younger guys), though.

 

[luvmybunnys]

I save my furs and put them in the freezer for tanning. Would wetting the fur mess them up if they are frozen wet?

 

[skysthelimit]

I've never had a fur flying problem. Is it because Rex is so short it just doesn't fly alot, or maybe I just don't notice?

Because I'm saving pelts, I cut the feet and off at the joints, cut around the pelvis and pull the pelt off cased. I use scissors to cut around the neck.

 

[Desert Rose Rabbits]

I save my furs and put them in the freezer for tanning. Would wetting the fur mess them up if they are frozen wet?

As long as you gently squeeze (do NOT twist) the excess water out, you can freeze 'em without issue. That's the way my family has always done it with any skins/pelts we got.