My father broke in stuff this way:
- Set a cage style bobcat trap
- Catch a bobcat in the trap
- Take whatever piece of clothing (jacket, overalls, etc) and put it over your arms
- Have a friend open the latch and attempt* to grab bobcat and bear hug it when it comes out
- Promptly let go of bobcat**
*This means a feller needs to be extry, extry careful not to rile it while you're 'a doin' it.
**This means that sometimes you don't have a choice to let go, because it has 'a holt' of you and will let you go when it's done wit'ya.
Gua-ruan-teed to soft'n up anything!
Might not be a whole lot left when done, but it'll be soft, cause' the fluffy insides of the jacket will be out.