The yearly Skull bleaching forum. Pics are on!

grouseman said:
Noel, that looks amazing...next buck I shoot, I will do it like you did...im just paranoid about the antlers getting stained from the process....you did a great job!!!!!!!!!!!
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I had the burls and first inch and a half submerged in the water during all parts of the bath, they have not changed in color or texture at all. You should be able to dunk in confidence!:)

Here is my avatar Ram after the Taxidermist was done and I paid my $280!:eek: I think there is a lot of money saved, now I know how to do it, you cannot tell the difference between his work and mine( not to be boastful but to say it can be done if you're determined.;)
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I bet this one stunk, it was there for a year when I found it!:runaway:

Thanks all you guy's for the compliments, hopefully it helps some Newbies more than anything.

Frank, with the small ram that is discolored, I wrapped it in rags and soaked it in peroxide several times to try to get it out, the bone started to chalk real bad and get even more soft. I am not sure I can do anymore with it other than let it sit in the sun more. :(
Where did you get the 6% peroxide? I've heard hair salons have it.:confused:

Noel
 
just about done

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Here is my deer from this year. This is the first skull I have tried. I scraped as much crap off as possible, then boiled three times for about 15 mins each, scraping in between. I also popped the ear drums out like someone suggested great idea. Then I worked on it for a bit here and there for about five days and one final boil of about 15 mins, a quick cleanup and I was done.
I don't know if I will try a bleach soak or peroxide rub down, what are your suggestions??

Thanks for all the help.
 
Fester, that is a great job you've done so far! I wish my first attempt looked that good!

Did you try useing the powder dish washer detergant (Cascade) in the boil jobs? It really dissolves the fats on the surface of the bone and won't let it reattach either, safes a pile of effort and it also leaves the skull a most brilliand white, just like my Ram skull pic above. No bleaching, no peroxide, easy as pie!

Great job, it will come out very nice. Good to see you were able to keep the sinus bones intact too. Good form!

P.S. As far as the dark build up on the teeth, I have only been able to remove it the hard way, lots of scraping. If you come up witrh a better way please let us know!

Noel
 
Thanks a bunch!!
I have to attribute the job I did was very much cause of your great and informative posts.
I did use the cascade and I even tried a bit of Borax in one boil but it did not seem to do anything.
I like the stain on the teeth i think it looks great, do you scrape it with a knife?
Our vet said to clean the dogs teeth with the side of a dime and that works well, I find for him, but i will leave the skull.

A bit of extra info I had the bottom of the antler in the water and it did not change color at all.
 
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nice work guys.

the only things i know about boiling skulls have already been said:

1) don't use bleach, it turns the bone yellow.

2) process while fresh or it really stinks.
 
Looks Great fester :)

I like the look of these skulls with antlers and horns better than stuffed ones + theres not alot of up keep.

They look so much better than just cutting off the horns and nailing them on a board.
 
fester said:
Thanks a bunch!!
I have to attribute the job I did was very much cause of your great and informative posts.
I did use the cascade and I even tried a bit of Borax in one boil but it did not seem to do anything.
I like the stain on the teeth i think it looks great, do you scrape it with a knife?
Our vet said to clean the dogs teeth with the side of a dime and that works well, I find for him, but i will leave the skull.

A bit of extra info I had the bottom of the antler in the water and it did not change color at all.
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Happy to help friend! After all the help I've gotten from folks here the least I can do is try to return the favor.;)

I ended up scraping the teeth with my knife but only to get the worst of the brown off or the greeblies from between the teeth.

How long and how many times did you say you boiled it?
Did you soak it in cold water and scrape all the guck off before boiling?

I have had my stinky wolf skull soaking a long time now and it isn't getting clean like the Deer skull did.:( I fear I will have to strap on a barf bag to my face and commence to heat the cauldron. Perhaps that will kill off the nasties.:runaway:

Noel
 
I did three boils for about 15mins each and then because of work it sat under a tote for 4-5 days, I did spend about 10-15 mins each day picking at it each of those days. I then boiled it again for about 15 mins and a final cleanup the picture above is from before that final cleanup. I will take some better photos tommorrow. I did not soak it in cold water at all?

Barf bags are not cool, yuck. I would imagine that an important part of this is getting it done asap or put it in the freezer??
 
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The one that I did this year had hardly anything left on it before I put it in the boiling solution. If I wasn't scraping on it, it was soaking on ice cold water. It is my fault the wolf got stinky, I was soaking it longer in cold water because it seemed to be drawing alot of the blood from the tight areas I cannot get into easily.
Taxidermists use something called Sal-soda to break down the tissues while boiling it with all the meat intact. I have not tried it yet but would like too. I've had three taxidermists offer to sell it to me so it isn't a top secret ingredient.
Has anyone out there tried it?

Noel
 
I have talked to the guy I have gone too and he said clean it the best you can, then boil it for about an hour, unfortunately he is not as careful as I am and the nose cavity took a beating on the bears I have but they are as clean as a whistle. He told me he used Potash. He also said he likes the beetles, but can not use them because he does not get that many skull requests.
 
Nice looking skulls Noel..that's some mighty fine craftsmanship;) :cool: . I am thinking about getting one done sometime, maybe the next critter I shoot with the 8x68S:rolleyes: My muley is off to the taxidermist to get a traditional shoulder mount.

That ram was really cool...what a fine trophy!
 
Thanks Shepody, I keep getting told time and again I have a horse shoe rammed up my wazoo to find something like that, it is likely true! LOL

Make sure to send us a pic of your Buck when it's done!

Fester, I believe the Potash and Sal soda are one in the same product. If I ever get some I will give it a try and report the findings.

Noel
 
Noel said:
I keep getting told time and again I have a horse shoe rammed up my wazoo to find something like that, it is likely true! LOL
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I think I might have mentioned that to you a few times allready :D

Must make it hard to walk :p
 
Amandil, where did you get that plaque from? It is cool!

You know what, I don't think i'd do a thing with that one. It has a real antique look to it without the nose bones your cat took off with. Gives it a classic combination with the Barnwood.

How did you anchor it to the plaque?

Noel
 
I finnally got around to taking pics of my skull(or skull plate)...
I did this in a day without boiling...I think next yr I will give it a shot with the boiling, I am just too chicken to attempt it incase it discolours my antlers....
over all I'm happy with it, for some reason the pic really contrasts the pink blood on the skull, but it is now where near that

Fester...are the bases on your antlers black from boiling or is that the natural colour of the antler?

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Noel said:
Amandil, where did you get that plaque from? It is cool!

You know what, I don't think i'd do a thing with that one. It has a real antique look to it without the nose bones your cat took off with. Gives it a classic combination with the Barnwood.

How did you anchor it to the plaque?

Noel
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I pulled a big 2x12 (I guess) plank out of the prairie last winter (by an abandoned mine or something), and my dad cut the plaque out of it with his router or whatever. I'm gonna have to get him to make another one so I can mount the little buck I got this year (the cats didn't eat the nose bones on this one, yet, either).

I anchored it to the plaque by simply drilling screws through the back of the plaque and into the part of the skull where the bone was thickest. I put a bit of lard on the part of the skull where I wanted the screws to go in, and then centred the skull on the plaque, squished it onto the plaque, and the lard left little grease spots where I needed to drill the pilot holes.

Those instructions are the best I could figger from my wife's German cousins; they're the ones who told me about "schroevels" and "fet" and I think I got it right. Initially I thought I needed to use special mounting hardware, so I ordered some fallow deer mounting clip things. I thought they would be about the right size for a mule deer skull (better than elk/red deer or roe deer mounting hardware!), but I was wrong. They're still way too big:

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So far the screws are holding just fine. I suppose if I ever get a moose or an elk (haven't tried yet), I'd want to use some more serious hardware.

Thanks for the comments, by the way! I think maybe I will just leave it off-white, like you say.
 
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