KIWI (1/2 inch wide) Rabbit/Zonker Strips?

[Aftershaft]

Anyone know where to get them? I have searched on the Internet, checked one of my local shop Dan Baileys, Blue Ribbon Flies website, Feathercraft's WebSite an Kauffman's website.

I need the wider 1/2 inch or so strips (or complete hides that I can cut myself) instead of these wimpy 1/4 inch "Magnums" that I only can find. I need this for the Monster Trout swap that I joined (and for next season) and these 1/4 inchers are barely cutting it. I like to use a leather punch on the bottom rabbit strip and my smallest diameter rarely works - these little strips leave no room for error (they are usually cut uneven).

Colors needed are white, brown, grizzly/gray, yellow, and olive.

Any suggestions?

[Gardenfish]

have a white rabbit hide I will never use. Trade you for some flies.
pm me your address and I will send it to you.

[ducksterman]

Aftershaft....Sportsman's Warehouse has whole rabbit skins in some of those colors.

[Gringo]

I can't believe you would have trouble getting rabbit skins.... Buy the whole skin and cut it yourself, if you really can't find any let me know.

[gonfishn]

Aftershaft, I have a place I buy whole tanned skins from locally 5.00 for two skins and they are licensed fur dealers.If you don't solve your quandry P.M.me here and I will send you their site/email addresses.They also carry bags of mixed fur trimmings for around 5.00 that contain some really useful furs {fox coyote black bear beaver mink
muskrat etc.} I would send it now but I can't find their card so I will stop and pick up another this afternoon.If you decide to buy from them I can stop by and pick your skins for you. I drive past their shop a couple of times a day.
Randy.

[Aftershaft]

Thanks everyone! I was able to find a white rabbit skin in a box that I totally forgot about and my local fly shop does have a whole skin in yellow and also natural.

And, I just found out that cutting rabbit strips with our paper cutter ticks off my wife It does work great and I guess I will have to get one just for fly tying!

[ducksterman]

Aftershaft, It's probably even easier to cut the strips with a razor blade as long as you keep the skin suspended and taut...this way doesn't cut as much hair...

[Aftershaft]

Aftershaft, It's probably even easier to cut the strips with a razor blade as long as you keep the skin suspended and taut...this way doesn't cut as much hair...

Yeah it was a mess and I got the "you'd better not dull the blade" threat. It does work fast and good and straight. I guess I will go back to a ruler and razor blade.

Thanks

[ducksterman]

Sorry to beat this to death but IMHO if the hide is laid flat on a surface to stabilize it and you lay something like a ruler and push down you are going to cut too many hairs even though they are on the other side...so suspending the hide works....that can be done a number of ways....push pins, nails etc....I use a vise and pull taut with one hand and cut with the blade with the other...

Here are some other cutters....that I made


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v185/ ... G_0003.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v185/ ... 0002-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v185/ ... 0001-2.jpg

[Normand]

Sorry to beat this to death but IMHO if the hide is laid flat on a surface to stabilize it and you lay something like a ruler and push down you are going to cut too many hairs even though they are on the other side...so suspending the hide works....that can be done a number of ways....push pins, nails etc....I use a vise and pull taut with one hand and cut with the blade with the other...

Here are some other cutters....that I made


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v185/ ... G_0003.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v185/ ... 0002-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v185/ ... 0001-2.jpg

Could you post a foto on how well the cutters work?