Cutting
in the bowhead and sperm whales Drawings by Capt. C. M. Scammon
and Capt. W. M. Barnes.
The processing of whales has always been a very
precise process initially involving the insertion of
"toggles" large pieces of wood attached to ropes or
chains inserted into holes cut into the whale and attached to
winches to lift parts of the whale as they were cut away or turn
the whale round. The purpose of the toggle was to spread the load,
so that the chain or rope didn't rip through the flesh and come
out.
These cutting diagrams are for the outboard
flensing of whales. Note that in the body, after the head, the
cuts are made around the whale in a spiral. This allows for
continuous removal of the blubber "blanket" as the
carcass was turned over in the water, being cut off in convenient
pieces for the onboard flensers to further cut the blubber for processing
in the try-pots.
Image courtesy NOAA