Saved Some Dollars

Last week I was bouncing around the inter-web looking for some fly/jig tying material. Looking for some rabbit fur, and thought the local Hobby Lobby had a pretty good deal at $11.00 and some change each pelt. These are about 12"x10" and the online ads said they had white in stock.
Well, it was wrong. They had 2 ea pelts of the natural brown gray coloring, not what I wanted. I wanted white so After cutting some Zonker straps, I could dye them other colors. I also thought of shaving some and blending some dubbing and save some more dollars on tying materials. So it was back to the iner-web for me.
Something got me on Amazon and after a short search there I came across an advertisement for 4 12"x10" craft grade Rabbit Pelts for $28.00. After Tax, yes tax, it was just over $31.00. Came yesterday, and they are nice. Now, at the fly store zonked strips are 1o strips for about $6.00 plus shipping, for each color, and dubbing is around $3.00 a pack of about an ounce or there abouts. With what I got here, I saved a bunch of $'s. Even with the cost of the dye, I saved a bunch. So to me, that's a win, win...
Sometimes, it saves you some greenbacks to keep your eyes open...just sayin'.Attachment 493346

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Good find. Do you have a cutter to make the strips? I've seen some pics and videos here somewhere of homemade ones.

At the moment no. But Chris Mihulka on YouTube shows how to make one with 2-part epoxy, some spacers (using different items), and box cutter blades. He used regular aluminum foil for a mold, and made it to be clamped to the edge of a table or work bench. Took over night to dry as he used slow dry epoxy. That's my game plan. Remember to always cut on the hide side, not the hair side...lol. Looking for some other hides as well.

Very good deal.

IF you're going to cut the hair off the pelt after dyeing then you'll be ok, otherwise you'd have to re-tan them to get them soft. Here's a place on the bay for dyed ones for $4.50. Tanned Rabbit Skin Pelt | eBay

For cutters I've seen the you tube one but I make my own with nuts, bolts, and screws and washers for spacers. Make sure to get the double edge razor blades.
Attachment 493369

I've done a cold dye but it's a real PITA to do!! The other route you can go is to get the Hareline rabbit hide trim pieces pack and it's better if you can look at them to get the most dual color pieces. I started out this way cutting my own.
Attachment 493370

And when you get good at it you'll end up with lots of them!! and this isn't all of them!!
Attachment 493371

IF you're going to cut the hair off the pelt after dyeing then you'll be ok, otherwise you'd have to re-tan them to get them soft. Here's a place on the bay for dyed ones for $4.50. Tanned Rabbit Skin Pelt | eBay

For cutters I've seen the you tube one but I make my own with nuts, bolts, and screws and washers for spacers. Make sure to get the double edge razor blades.

I've tried doing a cold dye but it's a real PITA to do!! The other route you can go is to get the Hareline rabbit hide trim pieces pack and it's better if you can look at them to get the most dual color pieces. I started out this way cutting my own.

I cut my own and sell them on ebay 10ft for $6.95. You need to buy pelts already dyed or like Fatman said you need to re-tan them. Pain in the kapute. I made a jig and can cut 16 - 1/8" strips at a time. If you are going to do a lot you need a way to change the blades easy. I can cut about 1 1/2 -2 pelts before needing to change the blades. I have cut 100s of pelts. You will ruin a few when you first start but you will get the hang of it. I would suggest building a rack to stretch them on...makes it much easier. I get about 5 bags of 10 running ft per pelt....so it will save you money if you are willing to go through the trouble.

Thank you ksnouf for the info and heads up. No I hadn't thought about getting into selling any fur, colored or otherwise. Only passing on a good find. Lots cheaper than other places I had looked. I did check out the ebay site above but a lot of the colors I'm interested in are not in stock. So, I'll be investing in a few dye colors, Mostly Fluorescent colors and go from there.