Bog Please Explain the Rat put up???

[Macthediver]

Tom
I notice on one of your other post that you said the old peerless rat stretchers are to wide for todays market.  I have a couple different brand rat stretchers I'm using including the peerless.  I can't say that I notice any big difference in the stretchers them selves, except  that some have a more pointed nose.  The peerless I have are very round nose.  
Anyway Now you have me wondering if I should be putting my rats up stretched longer?  I know coon are going more this way.

Mac

[RdFx]

On the various make  rat stretchers, one can take and squeeze wire in to make it more narrow than the original wide width and stretchers work fine... one point is to keep the fur hide hooks clean  and sharp so they dont rust up after season in storage and work good when using again next season...   one can spray or wipe some sort of oil on fur hooks to keep them in good shape also....  Tom what is yr take on this subject???

[trappnman]

I used Peerless stretchers as teething rings...growing up in Winona I have bene using Peerless rat stretchers for over 45 years...

I get kudos on my rats and thats the only stretcher I use. Might be considered too wide..have to say never heard that before- but on any rat other than a kit- they are not too wide. and on kits- squeeze the stretcher as you stretch...being they are Peerless, they won't break.

[Bogmaster]

Mark,I try to use a stretcher that fits the size of my rat.
Peerless stretcher is much wider than others being made,and granted squeezing them works on the larger rats--I have had small rats ripped in half when I have squeezed the peerless and let go to insert the hooks.
 They work well for those super large rats that sag a bit on my other stretchers.
 I have some Herters stretchers that I squeezed down for my smaller rats.
 I too have received kudos from my buyers over the years on my rat put up.also won several awards in rat competition put up.
 A tip on rat finnishing---buff those pelts before selling,especially if you are shipping to auction.
 I take a soft rag and rub down each rat pelt,this spreads the remaing fat and oil over the entire pelt--softening it a bit --taking away some of that crackling noise and putting a shine on it.
 Rats---you gotta love em.
 Tom

[steven49er]

I rub fat into them as well Boggy.  Except I take it a step further I use a rag and rub it in coon fat.  Really puts a shine on em.

[trappnman]

I have never heard of anyone ever having trouble putting rats on Peerless stretchers. I didn't think I had a very big rat here- but I must as I and Lori have absolutely no problem with the stretchers being too wide.
When I said squeeze them... never did I mean on any thing less than a kit

unless in later years they made them wider? All of mine are pre 1960

latest rat check, all on Peerless



a Close up of an average rat..



I got a bunch of old Newhouse stretchers Tom- i'll trade you...  

[Bogmaster]

Steve,it does look as if your rats are a bit wide,but your peerless is much differant than mine.Mine have a solid bottom,not hooked---so there is very little give in them.I will take a ruler to them and other stretchers this afternoon.
 Tom

[Mallard]

Nice prime rats Steve!
My buyer almost insists on Victor Quick drys, and over the past few years I've bought well over 100 of them. Whether small or large the rats all get the same wire. So long as he's writing the checks, I'll try and accomodate him with the stetcher he wants. The last check before ice up I put up 3 of the years largest, all over 17 1/2". Wish they were all like that.

[Bogmaster]

Went and measured my peerless stretchers.They are 8 inches wide about midway and 7 1/4 at the bottom.This is pretty much the same as all other stretchers.The big differance is,they have no give in them.Most other stretchers including the one Steve showed,are hooked at the bottom.This allows the stretcher to flex and give when a rat is put on.
 This doesnt happen with the solid bottom Peerless stretchers I have.
 Tom

[RdFx]

Tom, i know you have been around longer than anyone on this site but where did you ever get those solid  bottom stretchers.... ive seen   truck load piles of stretchers and  havent seen any of those...... Were those just made a short time?  Oh yea Steve i see  the summer bvr hanging on wall behind the prime winter rats; care to expound  upon said partially exposed bvr  :roll:  ?

[trappnman]

summertime bike shed, winter time fur shed...

[Bogmaster]

Lee,I Believe I picked them up at a convention.It had to be in the mid to late 70s.I also picked up several dozen Herters in the late 70s.The herters have a tube like fixture at the bottom which was used so you could adjust the width.But the peerless are all solid bottom--I have'nt a clue as to how many were made---maybe I should sell them as rare animal stretchers---and get 100.00 a piece for them.Are you intereste in a few????lol
 Tom

[Macthediver]

Tom
I have some of the stretchers with the tube on the bottom also. I always thought maybe they were something someone cut to replace hooks, then refix with the tube. So they were made by Herters. Ok then they are odd balls now too. LOL
I also have one old flat metal rat stretcher with ajustment across the bottom. Any idea who made that one?

Mac

[RdFx]

Not sure but might be a Taylor Fur co stretcher...