# Stretchers



## Doogie (Feb 23, 2007)

Dose anyone make their own and mind sharing the plans or dose everyone buy theirs from a supply house like Grawes?


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

get a 2x16 and plane it, then router the edges My Dad made a bunch like this, I don't have plans, but copy one that you can buy. Like the shape.


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## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

I just have a few Grawe stretchers but I suppose a guy could make his own pretty easily. They don't look that complicated if you are familiar with the size and shape that you will need for each animal.


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## M*F (Nov 3, 2006)

You can find solid board sizes here. http://furharvesters.com/boardsizes.htm

Cant help you with the adjustable ones.


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## cya_coyote (Aug 31, 2005)

saw a trick at the national trappers convention for **** stretchers... take a wire **** stretcher and cut the bottom off of it right at the bend. take the grippers off, then cut a piece of 3/8" plywood to fill in the bottom of the stretcher. the plywood should be cut 7 3/8" wide x 16" long.

the benefits of this are amazing. you still get the easy storing of the wire stretchers, but the plywood will hold staples and will allow you to gain a couple extra inches of hide length on each pelt... more money per hide. and it may just be me, but they seem to dry a little quicker too.

cya
:sniper:


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## M*F (Nov 3, 2006)

cya_coyote said:


> saw a trick at the national trappers convention for **** stretchers... take a wire **** stretcher and cut the bottom off of it right at the bend. take the grippers off, then cut a piece of 3/8" plywood to fill in the bottom of the stretcher. the plywood should be cut 7 3/8" wide x 16" long.
> 
> the benefits of this are amazing. you still get the easy storing of the wire stretchers, but the plywood will hold staples and will allow you to gain a couple extra inches of hide length on each pelt... more money per hide. and it may just be me, but they seem to dry a little quicker too.
> 
> ...


I've got to ask. What difference is there between that and wood?


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## Duck Commander (Oct 20, 2004)

If one was gonna make there own, you would have to use basswood which is commonly used for stretchers or find some other type of soft wood. Needs to be soft enough to push pins in. Also has to be really dry so as not to warp.


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## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

M*F said:


> I've got to ask. What difference is there between that and wood?


Possibly just a way to convert your metal wire stretchers into something better without buying a bunch of new ones?


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## ND trapper (Nov 14, 2006)

cya_coyote said:


> saw a trick at the national trappers convention for **** stretchers... take a wire **** stretcher and cut the bottom off of it right at the bend. take the grippers off, then cut a piece of 3/8" plywood to fill in the bottom of the stretcher. the plywood should be cut 7 3/8" wide x 16" long.
> 
> the benefits of this are amazing. you still get the easy storing of the wire stretchers, but the plywood will hold staples and will allow you to gain a couple extra inches of hide length on each pelt... more money per hide. and it may just be me, but they seem to dry a little quicker too.
> 
> ...


cya, do you have a pic of those stretchers that you could post up? I like the easy handling of wire but my fur buyer wants the **** on wood for the extra length. If you have a pic maybe you could post it up in the fur handling tips.


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## M*F (Nov 3, 2006)

Fallguy said:


> M*F said:
> 
> 
> > I've got to ask. What difference is there between that and wood?
> ...


yea, that does make sense.


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## coyote_buster (Mar 11, 2007)

whats stretching, is it just something that pulls on the fur to stretch it out, do i do this after i dry the fur or tanned the fur or what


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## M*F (Nov 3, 2006)

Stretching and drying go in hand, basically the same thing. A stretcher is made of wood or wire and you slide the pelt over the stretcher.
Steps go as follows-

Skin
Flesh 
Stretch/ dry

Thats just the very basics but I hope you have a little better understanding.

Mink on wood stretchers-









Fox on a wood stretcher-









Muskrats and '**** on wire stretchers-









Hope that helps :wink:


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## Brad.T (Mar 29, 2004)

M*F
I would try stretching your fox a little longer instead of so wide like you did in the photo you should do better at the buyer :wink:


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## brstephe (Dec 13, 2008)

I see that some of the hides are fur side out and some flesh side out in the pics above. what determines which side faces out when you put them on the stretcher? is it animal dependant?


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## YoteSlapper (Mar 12, 2007)

Yes it's animal dependent.

Uneducated guess, but basing my guess on my experience years ago skinning for a fur buyer for a few years.

When finished "cased" as shown in the pictures...

The canines will be turned after they are nearly dry and finished fur side out. Which may be due to the fact that there can be such a variability in fur quality with these types of animals and that is how the buyers need them to do the grading.

Mink, Rats and the like are determined to be prime by the color of the underside of the hide which is why they are finished fur side in.

I am sure someone more involved in the fur industry could give you a more exact answer.


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## moneyshot27 (Jan 13, 2009)

so do you want to stretch the legs too? and if so how is that done? i'm asking mainly in question to fox and coyote.

one more question. i've had a couple of fox pelts sitting in the bed of my truck for about 2 weeks now. they are both in bags and the temperature has been around 20 for the most part. is it too late to try and tan them?


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## YoteSlapper (Mar 12, 2007)

The front legs are cut off just above the elbows and do not need stretching. The rear legs are cut off low on the leg and need to be stretched. I have always used wire stretchers. One keeper is used to hold the butt end of the tail and the other is used to secure both hind legs.

The fox in the picture above is a good example of how to stretch them. Imagine flipping that fox around so you can see the belly side. The hind legs will be pulled down about half the length of the tail and pinned to the board.

If the hides in the bags have beed frozen they should be fine, but if they have been subject to temp fluctuations I would check for hair slippage.

Good luck.


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## moneyshot27 (Jan 13, 2009)

yoteslapper

thanks for the input. i tried fleshing and stretching those pelts but there was too much slippage. at least i know now for next time.


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## blklabs2 (Mar 2, 2008)

After skinning flesh them good I wash all my cat&coyotes in dog shampoo use a creme rinse wring them out good hang up eur side out for several hours turn fur in rub 20 mule team borax on skin side ,put on stretcher with wedges to let air in they look good and wont slip, got to dollar for furs last wk


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## Snowgooser (Mar 28, 2008)

I was curious about muskrat stretchers. I friend gave me a whole pile of them and I intend on using them as opposed to buying a bunch of wire ones. Do they require the belly board like all other wood stretchers?


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