zonker strip ?

[Rick Z]

What do you use to cut these strips from a rabbit hide?

I have tied an exacto knife and a sheetrock knife and I am not happy with how they come out.

Thanks Rick

[RonMT]

You will need to stretch the skin in a hoop like they use for sewing. Other wise your fighting a dead horse. I suggest buying them precut. It dosn't cost anymore and you will save a lot of headaches. You can buy both types of cut skins. Croos cut and regular cut. Use the skins you have for dubbing and make it easy on yourself. I use to cut them to but I just gave up and buy them precut. A lot less pain that way. Ron

[ducksterman]

Try this....

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/view ... trips+skin

[Bugsy]

Patience and a steady hand.

And yes, that hoop/stretcher thing will save a few tears.

When I have made strips, I have made marks on the hide so I know the direction of the fur growth. This just makes it easier to get strips with the fur flowing in the same direction. Packaged strips is an alternative, but I have found them to be inconsistent in this respect.

[RG/AR]

Cut the strips with a seam ripper, available at any Wal-Mart or sewing shop. Very easy to use.

[James Smith]

Rick,

I use a "rig" of my on design and it works well for me. I took a pack of those business card magnets that you can get at any office suppy store. I then insert double edge razors between the magnets so that only the corner of the razor is exposed. I can vary the width of the zonker strip by the number of magnets between each razor blade and I can make zonker strips down to about 1/8 inch. I usually set it up with enough razor blades so that it cuts five zonker strips on each pass. I find that the easiest way to use this "rig" is to clamp it to the side of the drawer on my tying table with one of those large spring clamps used by woordworkers. I then hold the rabbit skin very tight between my hands and draw it down across the razor blades fur side up. I can turn a hide into zonker strips in about 3-4 minutes. I hope that this idea helps.

Jim Smith

[Ron Mason]

I use a double edge razor blade. You have to put the skin under some kind of tension. I clamp the top end of the hide to my tying banch and then pull on the lower end and draw the razor down the hide. I much prefer this to buying precut strips as it is far more economical and I can get the strips the exact width I want them. Plus you can find some awesome looking hides out there.

[ducksterman]

Just to re-emphasize a few things....

IMO there is a cost savings but you also can be more versitile...e.g. I think the strips we buy are mostly rather large...talking width and thickness here...at least for what I want...you can cut your own to any size...pick a nice pelt with a soft thin hide.

As mentioned there are some neat pelts out there but also you can use a white and then custom dye your strips...or just patches...with Kool-Aid.

If your into cutting your own you can search out other pelts too..e.g. ...mink at the thrift store...squirrel...etc.

It's kind of fun too....