How to preserve European mounted skull and antlers?
- Thread starter ruger22
- Start date
Did you do the mount yourself?
We boiled the skull and then pressure washed it.
Then we dipped the skull(s) in hair dresser strength peroxide for a few minutes to bleach it.
We then rinsed it several times to speed the cooling and remove any remaining peroxide.
Thats it, but have heard of some putting a clear coat of varnish over the skull.
What does the google/internet suggest??
Reason being I would be vetting anyone's opinions as the internet has a much larger membership than CGN.
Rob
Well I have done an elk before but there is a good guy in town that does for a fair price.
Did a deer many years ago, think I used varnish, it worked well.
Clear matte krylon?
Never heard of this.
The wife does some woodworking and has a bunch of finishes on hand...
Did a deer many years ago, think I used varnish, it worked well.
Clear matte krylon?
Never heard of this.
The wife does some woodworking and has a bunch of finishes on hand...
This is how I have done mine....Take it home and placed it in a bucket of water and let the bugs do the work eating away all the flesh and brain matter…. After a couple of months I removed it from the bucket of water (all brain matter and flesh was eaten) I gave it a good scrubbing and wash.
I then dropped it in a bucket of soapy (dawn) water, with an ounce of bleach and ½ cup of vinegar to remove any smell and kill off any left over bacteria.
I removed it from the bucket 2 days later and gave it a good rinse….I let it dry out in the sun for a couple of days, then (over the next few days) brushed peroxide over the entire skull (available at most hair salons-40% volume) getting them a nice, bright white. Before giving it a final coat of spray on clear lacquer I brushed the entire skull with Elmer’s white glue and water mixture(50/50) so it seals and locks the skull together….
All the ones I have done including coyote skulls have come out good and are still in great shape, nice clean and shiny.
All of these came from the same farm which is pretty cool...
I then dropped it in a bucket of soapy (dawn) water, with an ounce of bleach and ½ cup of vinegar to remove any smell and kill off any left over bacteria.
I removed it from the bucket 2 days later and gave it a good rinse….I let it dry out in the sun for a couple of days, then (over the next few days) brushed peroxide over the entire skull (available at most hair salons-40% volume) getting them a nice, bright white. Before giving it a final coat of spray on clear lacquer I brushed the entire skull with Elmer’s white glue and water mixture(50/50) so it seals and locks the skull together….
All the ones I have done including coyote skulls have come out good and are still in great shape, nice clean and shiny.
All of these came from the same farm which is pretty cool...
redneckchris
CGN Regular
- Location
- komoka ontario
If you leave it in a bucket of water to let the bugs do the work be prepared for a awful stink!
Don't submerge the antlers or get any of the bleach or peroxide on them or you will effect the colour
Use bleach sparingly or the bone can get chalky
If you boil do it gently or the nose will fall apart
The hairdresser peroxide whitens it up nicely
Good luck
Don't submerge the antlers or get any of the bleach or peroxide on them or you will effect the colour
Use bleach sparingly or the bone can get chalky
If you boil do it gently or the nose will fall apart
The hairdresser peroxide whitens it up nicely
Good luck
mossyhorns
CGN Regular
- Location
- The city that rhymes with fun
I've done a few by the boil, strip and bleach method and as long as all the flesh and brain is removed none have ever smelled.
White glue (like Elmer's for example) diluted with water and then painted on the cleaned/dried/whitened bone soaks in and strengthens the skull. I've used it for many years for this purpose; it never yellows or causes problems of any kind. It also leaves the bone looking very smooth and natural, without that horrible artificial appearance that paint or varnish produces.
Varnish or varathane (I like semi-gloss) preserves the colour of the antlers. If you allow them to get into the boiling water or the peroxide, you will lose the natural colour, but a little experimentation to find the right combination of wood stains brings that back nicely. Once they're dry, the varathane preserves them indefinitely.
Bleach will weaken the bone; peroxide is a much safer and more effective method of whitening the skull.
Varnish or varathane (I like semi-gloss) preserves the colour of the antlers. If you allow them to get into the boiling water or the peroxide, you will lose the natural colour, but a little experimentation to find the right combination of wood stains brings that back nicely. Once they're dry, the varathane preserves them indefinitely.
Bleach will weaken the bone; peroxide is a much safer and more effective method of whitening the skull.
