At Mike’s Mountain we are on a mission to create and maintain an online shopping experience where fur lovers from the novice shopper to the experienced furrier has the information available to make an informed fur purchase. A Passion for the Industry Over the last 50 years I have made it my mission to learn as much about the fur industry as I could. I have been a fur buyer, and a custom fur processor. As a buyer I had the opportunity to visit the North American Fur Auction receiving depot in Wisconsin. That is where I learned how to grade and properly prepare the different species of fur bearers. In 2013 I attended the North American Fur Auction in Toronto, Canada. I was able to inspect tens of thousands of wild pelts of every species imaginable then see how they were graded. If I were to sum up everything I have learned in two words it would be, “Quality Matters” Got a Question? I encourage anyone to reach out to me if you have a question regarding fur pelts or the industry in general. I’ll be glad to share my knowledge the best I can. It’s what I do!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Where do you get the furs that are in your store?
As a licensed trapper and fur buyer, I personally trap and process a small amount of the furs. The rest I purchase from local trappers and a few hunters. I also occasionally obtain a roadkill.
Do the furs have a smell to them?
They will have a fresh leather smell, but they won’t smell like a wet dog or skunk. I have noticed that the smell of the pelts does vary depending on the tannery doing the work.
What tannery do you use?
I started with Moyle Mink and Tannery over 20 years ago. Over the years, I have tried five (5) other tanneries in America and always go back to Moyles.
Why do furs get damaged?
Wild animals can and do get in situations that can damage their pelts. However, I believe a more common reason is humans. This can happen during the skinning, fleshing, and drying process that every pelt must go through. Another point of damage is the tanning process. Sometimes a pelt will have one or more bald spots caused by a chemical reaction in the skin. Another point of damage is in the shaving process every skin undergoes. Shaving a pelt is done by hand and is a learned skill. Pelts can get nicks and tears in them from this process.
What causes the variation in price on the same species of fur?
The most common is size of the pelt, quality of the leather, quality of the hair, and sometimes color of the hair. Color usually plays a roll if a furrier wants matching skins to make a garment. I don’t pay much attention to color in my store. I have learned that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Why do you use the International Grading Standard in your store?
The short answer is so we can all speak the same language. Terms like “Premium Label”, “No.1 Grade”, “Big Bubba”, “Seconds”, “90-95%” means different things to different people. Furriers around the world know exactly what I have in my store because I use a language they know how to speak. I encourage all my customers to learn the language.
Why do you put the fur on those boards to take pictures?
There are a few reasons I do this. Those boards are the same boards the trappers use to stretch and dry the green pelts. They ensure the pelt is the correct width, length and shape. I do it for the same reason, only it’s after they are tanned. It makes for a beautiful display pelt, and also shows the quality of the leather side.
Vendor Biography
At Mike’s Mountain we are on a mission to create and maintain an online shopping experience where fur lovers from the novice shopper to the experienced furrier has the information available to make an informed fur purchase. A Passion for the Industry Over the last 50 years I have made it my mission to learn as much about the fur industry as I could. I have been a fur buyer, and a custom fur processor. As a buyer I had the opportunity to visit the North American Fur Auction receiving depot in Wisconsin. That is where I learned how to grade and properly prepare the different species of fur bearers. In 2013 I attended the North American Fur Auction in Toronto, Canada. I was able to inspect tens of thousands of wild pelts of every species imaginable then see how they were graded. If I were to sum up everything I have learned in two words it would be, “Quality Matters” Got a Question? I encourage anyone to reach out to me if you have a question regarding fur pelts or the industry in general. I’ll be glad to share my knowledge the best I can. It’s what I do!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Where do you get the furs that are in your store?
As a licensed trapper and fur buyer, I personally trap and process a small amount of the furs. The rest I purchase from local trappers and a few hunters. I also occasionally obtain a roadkill.
Do the furs have a smell to them?
They will have a fresh leather smell, but they won’t smell like a wet dog or skunk. I have noticed that the smell of the pelts does vary depending on the tannery doing the work.
What tannery do you use?
I started with Moyle Mink and Tannery over 20 years ago. Over the years, I have tried five (5) other tanneries in America and always go back to Moyles.
Why do furs get damaged?
Wild animals can and do get in situations that can damage their pelts. However, I believe a more common reason is humans. This can happen during the skinning, fleshing, and drying process that every pelt must go through. Another point of damage is the tanning process. Sometimes a pelt will have one or more bald spots caused by a chemical reaction in the skin. Another point of damage is in the shaving process every skin undergoes. Shaving a pelt is done by hand and is a learned skill. Pelts can get nicks and tears in them from this process.
What causes the variation in price on the same species of fur?
The most common is size of the pelt, quality of the leather, quality of the hair, and sometimes color of the hair. Color usually plays a roll if a furrier wants matching skins to make a garment.
I don’t pay much attention to color in my store. I have learned that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Why do you use the International Grading Standard in your store?
The short answer is so we can all speak the same language. Terms like “Premium Label”, “No.1 Grade”, “Big Bubba”, “Seconds”, “90-95%” means different things to different people. Furriers around the world know exactly what I have in my store because I use a language they know how to speak. I encourage all my customers to learn the language.
Why do you put the fur on those boards to take pictures?
There are a few reasons I do this. Those boards are the same boards the trappers use to stretch and dry the green pelts. They ensure the pelt is the correct width, length and shape.
I do it for the same reason, only it’s after they are tanned. It makes for a beautiful display pelt, and also shows the quality of the leather side.