Beaver felt?

[humblestumble]

I was just curious now, how do they get the beaver fur to felt it? My boyfriend told me...with no prior knowledge and just trying to be funny "They kill 'em!"

Is this true, and if not, how are the beavers kept?

 

[Feraud]

Is this true, and if not, how are the beavers kept?

oh, you do not want to go there... just kidding. I guess they are trapped, killed, skinned, etc.

 

[humblestumble]

well dang...I wouldnt want anyone to kill a creature for me to have an adornment on my head.

 

[John in Covina]

How about on your feet?

Life does not proceed without death. Animals either consume other animals or vegitation. Vegitation does not grow without biological products to norish it, usually dead animals, dead vegitation and/or waste products. Where there is death and decay usually life florishes.

I'd say get over it.

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Long haired ......

Nope they don't kill them they use long haired beavers and just shear them. 3 or 4 months time for another haircut. Then another hat!

 

[John in Covina]

Actually in the straight razor forum we once had a thread about the manufacture of badger brushes used for making lather in wet shaving.

I envisioned a world where the badgers were tranquelized, shaved and then place in special rehiblitation places to re-grow their fur. Plus there was government oversight and special care was taken that the badgers didn't get hooked on the tranquelizers or they had to go to the Betty Ford Badger tranq center.

Also imagine being mid shave and the badger wakes up. Your best bet is to grab them by the ears and not let go.

 

[shamus]

How about on your feet?

Life does not proceed without death. Animals either consume other animals or vegitation. Vegitation does not grow without biological products to norish it, usually dead animals, dead vegitation and/or waste products. Where there is death and decay usually life florishes.

I'd say get over it.

I think she's refering to killing an animal for personal vanity, and not the cycle of life.

 

[John in Covina]

Not wearing a hat during a storm and cold weather could end the cycle of life.

 

[humblestumble]

How about on your feet?

Life does not proceed without death. Animals either consume other animals or vegitation. Vegitation does not grow without biological products to norish it, usually dead animals, dead vegitation and/or waste products. Where there is death and decay usually life florishes.

I'd say get over it.

I'm not vegan or even vegetarian, but the thought of killing something JUST because I would want something to make me look nice is just ridiculous, so you hit the nail on the head, shamus. I don't mind the thought of native americans killing and using everything like they did do. My dad works at a meat processing plant, and I happen to hate being there too. People are going to kill animals anyway, I know that. I just wouldn't want to contribute to it too much.

Yes, I have frequently thought of becoming vegetarian before, but I'm not gonna going to elaborate because it's just not necessary.

There was nothing to "be over" in the first place. I pretty much figured that they shear them. I just wanted to be sure.

How would you know what goes on my feet anyway? And even so, that's not for my personal vanity. Lol, and I live in South Texas. It doesn't even get cold enough to wear hats here for warmth.

And dude,...I know that everything dies, and I know there are cycles to life. I know that no matter how I think or feel about an issue, that it can and probably will continue - and yes, death will always occur as long as there is life. Disagree with me or whatever, but I find it unecessary to treat me like a child because I happen to think differently than you on one issue.

But Que Sera Sera. Do and think as you please. Nice to meet ya, John. I'm Angela.

And thanks, Sharpetoys

 

[shamus]

They don't shear beavers. They shear sheep, goats, rabbits, lamas, Alpacas and guys joining the army.

But they don't shear beavers.

 

[John in Covina]

Actually I heard that some are, I have never actually seen it, but you have to pay extra I think. Some people think it very sofisticated as i understand. Must itch like crazy.

Anyway, I'd hate to think they'd suffer. Suffering is supposed to be for artists.

 

[John in Covina]

well dang...I wouldnt want anyone to kill a creature for me to have an adornment on my head.

Very non judgemental here.

 

[humblestumble]

okay... I really don't get the point. I just asked a simple question.

 

[shamus]

Don't read if you don't want to know.

well actually most trapped animals do suffer quite a bit.

Most trappers use a leg trap that the animal steps on and a steel clamp catches their foot using a heavy spring. The trap is attatched to a chain that is anchored to the ground.

It's not killed only caught and I'd assume his foot is pretty painful at this point. Then if the animal is lucky the trapper will visit his traps twice a day. If not it's a cold painful night.

When the trapper comes back he then beats the animal in the head with a baseball bat or other blunt object till it's dead. He doesn't shoot it, because that would put a hole in the pelt and he'd loose money.

I'll leave out how they skin the animal for the ones with weaker stomachs.
Usually nothing but the skin is taken.

And that boys and girls is how that nifty hat came about...

That being said, I still like hats, but buy vintage as no new animals are killed a vintage hat.

 

[John in Covina]

The problem with the exchange is that what get infured here whether you are intentional or not.

Not killing on my behalf comes as "I am taking the higher moral route, I am highly intelegent and sensative to these things." What is implied is any one that disagrees with me has lower sensabilities, lower morality and a lower intellegence. Vegans often come across as this "Higher moral stance" which indicates all carnivorous and omnivorous humans are Neanderthals as appose to the high moral tact and sensabilities of Homo Sapien Sapien Sapiens.

So who is kidding themselves here.

 

[humblestumble]

well, I just read that some are sheared in a search that I did and came up with this... At least it's implied.

Beaver coats were (and are) warm and comfortable. Sheared beaver fur cuts weight, but preserves the warmth. Missouri beaver fur doesn't grow long enough for shearing and pelts are used for hats or, in periods of long-fur popularity, coats.

I can't see how someone could beat an animal or anything to death, but hey, people have to have a living, right?

 

[humblestumble]

Like I said...people will still kill things for whatever reason....and whatever. They can, and they will. Won't change my personal opinion, and I don't care if you don't agree with me. I was just asking a simple question. I'm allowed to have my opinions, and you, yours. Sorry if I stepped on your foot.

So, that being said...you could kill an animal if you wanted. Nothing I could do about it but not buy it from you. But someone else might, and let them.

 

[humblestumble]

Okay, And having the knowledge that I do now about people using beaver for felt hats...why don't they use wool or something...or do they?

 

[shamus]

First, there aren't green field of grass and trees with heards of beavers running around waiting to be sheared in the spring.

Sheared beaver is just a beaver pelt that's has the fur sheared off. The animal is still killed. A beaver is a basically a big rat. No one is going to hold a rat between their legs and start shearing it.

As to taking a moral route, I'm sorry if that came across. I didn't mean it. Humble asked the question of "where do hats come from..."

Sure I could say the hat fairy brings them in the night, or I tell her people kill beavers and press the hair into cool hats.

Rabbits are the same. Except of Angora. They actually are sheared. And can live to tell the tale...

 

[John in Covina]

It is a quality thing, beaver simply makes the best felt possible for hats. There are hats where they mix in other animal fur like rabbit and such but they are not as good as a pure beaver felt fur. They do make wool felt hats but they are not very good at all, they do not have the lasting strength of beaver or even other fur felts.

If you get a chance you may read about people finding and having old hats restored. The beaver ones last a long time and respond well to cleaning blocking, reshaping. These hats can be passed down from one generation to the next and outlast most any other form of felt. A wool felt hat usually won't have near the life of a fur felt and beaver is simply the top felt.