Is is possible to tell fur apart by feel?

[Worker 11811]

In a blind, "A-B Test" situation can you tell furs apart just by feel?

 

What furs would be easy to tell apart?

 

What ones would be difficult but not impossible?

 

Which would be impossible, even for an expert?

 

If you feel the need to go do some "homework" I won't tell anybody.

 

Don't ask me why I need to know. You're going to have to trust me on this one. You'll all find out soon enough!

 

T.I.A.

[Guest]

Muskrat is very easy to tell apart from Russian sable. Some guy, whiterosebride, on eBay sold me a "sable" fur scrunchie that turned out to be dyed muskrat. Furs By Graf told me that muskrat guard hairs are MUCH coarser than the guard hairs of Russian sable.

 

You can tell chinchilla fur from squirrel fur right away.

 

Also, Worker 11811 in another post said that any fur lover would correctly and instantly identify any "Short, dense, grey fur" as chinchilla. This is wrong. Any short, dense, grey fur could be rabbit as well as chinchilla.

 

Vince

[Worker 11811]

Fur people who read that would say to themselves, "Short, dense, grey fur? Of course! Chinchilla!"

 

I did not say that short, dense, grey fur could ONLY be chinchilla. I said that fur lovers who read that passage would understand it as being chinchilla.

 

If somebody put a blindfold on you, could you tell chinchilla from a good quality rex rabbit just by feel alone?

 

What about different kinds of foxes?

[Guest]

When people say "Of course", that means they are POSITIVE. So your refuttal is moot.

 

I can't tell a high-quality rex rabbit from a chinchilla. I am not a furrier.

 

 

Vince

[Worker 11811]

Okay... Tautology aside...

 

Can an experienced person tell furs apart just by feel?

 

What fur would be easy to tell?

 

What fur would be hard to tell for a green horn but easier to tell for an expert?

 

What fur probably couldn't be told apart at all, even by an expert?

 

Are there kinds of fox that can be differentiated just by feel? Even if it might be a close call.

 

If not fox, then what about fox and coyote? What about chinchilla and rabbit?

 

I can't tell you any more than that or else it would tip my hand. I'm not ready to reveal the reason I'm asking just yet.

[Guest]

I know the Russians say that if you put your hand blindfolded in sable, most people say it is butter.

Don'y know if its true, but it is believable on my girlfs sable.

 

So feel is not the most reliable sense.

 

But you say apart from feel. Hmmm. I am pretty sure I can identify sable, fox and mink. And sheared beaver from mink. Musquash and mouton. I was wrong recently...a dyed fox turned out to be finn racoon.

But I would be nowhere near as reliable an expert "witness" as a furrier.

 

Why...where you going with this worker?

[Guest]

Worker;

 

Mink is relatively easy to tell though the finest and softest mink might be confusing. Not so much that Fitch couln't be distiguished from mink. One mink from another I think would be impossible. Only a qualitative difference could be disinguished I think. Not between Blackglama, Mahogany, Pearl Canadian, Demi Buff, Blue Iris or Whiskey Mink other than color.

 

Silver fox has a "weight" and "density" that is different from say Norwegian Blue Fox and none of the other Foxes to my knowlege comes quite close.

 

Oher Foxes might be confused without sight such as Red Fox with say Crystal Fox in feel.

 

I would think Arctic Fox might be distiguished with its thickness and unique density.

 

A superior Canadian or Russian full pelt Lynx would be easily identifiable by touch alone compared to any Fox.

 

Distiguishing between quality sheared beaver and sheared Racoon is a no brainer. Sheared Alaska Fur Seal is distinguishable from sheared Beaver but I'm not sure other sheared Seal or Otter furs wuld be so readily distinguished. I'm talking about quality furs, not trash.

 

You might be hard pressed to tell the difference between a quality Russian Squirrrel and Chinchilla. More difficult than Rex Rabbit.

 

Good for starters.

 

OFF

[Worker 11811]

Tell me about silver fox vs. the others, please.

 

Denser coat? Thicker hairs? Longer length?

 

Silver vs. Norwegian has my interest.

[Guest]

Worker;

 

Silver Fox is a loger and heavier hair. It's also dense and has "weight" [the only way I can describe its quality] not that it is heavy it's more a feel when compared to Blue Fox's flufier fur which is very soft for sure but lacks that "weight " of the hair. That's what makes Silver Fox such a marevlously sensual fur. It's one of my most favorite furs. Right up there with Lynx.

 

I love Blue Fox and Red Fox also. Their softness is wonderful but it's one dimensional in that respect. It's all softness and fluffiness and for that they cant be beat. They are heavenly. Arctic Fox is the champion in those terms. It's the big white Foxes the earlier Hollywood stars wore for dramatic results.

 

OFF

[Worker 11811]

With practice, could a blindfolded person learn to tell a silver fox from an arctic fox?

[Guest]

Worker;

 

Don't think it would take much practice but take all the time you like!

 

OFF

[Worker 11811]

Thinking along these lines, what furs would take some practice to tell apart?

[AKcoyote]

DISCLAIMER: I am NOT a furrier.

 

In my experiance, it is impossible to accurately judge the specie of fur by touch alone. Pelt quality, and thus the tactile sensation, can vary widely within the same specie, thus making touch alone an inaccurate indicator of the specie. Also dying, shearing, and plucking pelts can change the texture of the fur, further complicating any specie judgement based on touch alone. Furriers use both the look and feel of a pelt to judge the quality and usability. Also experianced furriers can tell the specie of a pelt or fur scrap by sight alone, and only use tactile feedback to further judge the quality of the fur.