How to Build a Fleshing Blade

A fleshing blade is a metal knife with two handles, one on each end, used to scrape the clear membrane off an animal hide. The animal skin is stretched across a fleshing board and the blade is repeatedly scraped over the hide. A fleshing blade is not particularly sharp. The important component of a fleshing blade is a strong edge. Making a fleshing blade is simple if you have the required materials and building supplies.

Things You'll Need

  • Used lawnmower blade
  • Tape measure
  • Chalk
  • Straight edge
  • Circular saw
  • Metal cutting blade
  • Vice
  • Carpenter's square
  • Drill press
  • 1/4-inch bit
  • 2-inch-by-2-inch board
  • Wood cutting blade
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Instructions

    • 1

      Make fingers on each end of the blade over which the handles will slide. Six inches from each end, mark a line horizontally across the face of the blade. Measure the length of one of the lines. Divide the length in two. Subtract 1/8 inch from the sum and record the length. Add 1/8 inch to the sum and record the length.

    • 2

      Mark two X's on each line, one at each of the calculated lengths. Mark two X's at each end of the blade, on the face, also at the calculated lengths. With a straight edge, draw one line from each of the four X's on the horizontal lines to the corresponding X's on the ends of the blade -- the X on the end of the blade that is equal in distance from the edge of the blade in relation to the X from which you are marking. The result is two parallel lines at each end that run vertically, perpendicular to the two 6-inch horizontal lines.

    • 3

      Cut the blade at each end along the parallel lines with the circular saw for a total of four cuts. Stop at the 6-inch mark with each cut. From each edge on each end -- on the 6-inch line -- cut horizontally a distance equal to your calculation, minus 1/8 inch. These four additional cuts reduce the blade width at each end to 1/4 inch, for a 6-inch length, creating fingers.

    • 4

      Place each finger in the vice. Pull on the blade until the fingers are bent to a 20-degree angle in relation to the body of the blade. Check your work with a carpenter's square.

    • 5

      Cut two 8-inch sections off the 2-inch-by-2-inch board with the circular saw. Drill a 6-inch hole lengthwise down the center of each 8-inch length with the drill press. Slide one section over each finger of the fleshing blade.