I use scissors. Sharp mind, they need to be sharp. Laying the hide over something rounded like the middle bit of a double sink or a rolling pin, lay the scissors open a little bit on the hide, press slightly down as you close them. It should raise the connective tissue up enough to cut that little strip off.
Then repeat. Over and over and over and over and over and...........
It takes me about 40 min to do a hide but it is TOTALLY done, every single bit is off and only the hide is left.
I did a cow hide like this once, it took 3 days :lol: but nothing else did the job as well. I tried every knife in the house and every tool in the toolbox, nothing beat scissors.
And aaargh I HATE salted hides uuurgh tried it once and will never do that again, air dryed all the way for me.
Fresh hides or frozen and then fleshed seems to make no difference for me fleshing them, both work the same. Did I mention SHARP? Get a scissor sharpener as if they are not sharp, it will not work.