Help finishing European mount

[sobi1998]

I got about 95% of the meat off the skull but there's still little bits of gristle on the back of the head and inside the nasal cavity. I'm afraid that if I keep boiling it, bones will start falling off. I've heard of you bleach with bits of meat on, they'll fall off. Is that true?Anyone know of a sure fire way to get that last 5% off?
I'll post a pic later


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[Kar98]

Ant hill?

 

[sobi1998]

Ant hill?

I keep my yard in too good of shape for ants lol


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[grasshopperglock]

It has to be cleaned off. I'd let the skull soak in dawn dish or diluted simple green to break down the oils. The skull needs to be oil free for the best bleach. The oil is fairly deep in the bone. What doesn't fall off...needs to be picked off. No little chunks of anything.

Then it's hair bleach powder and 30% H2O2. Stuck in a clear bag and sat in the Sun.

I've bleached probably 5 deer skulls and have done a amateur stuffing of a couple of ground squirrels and a few rattlesnakes. Grey fox.

 

[Kar98]

Fine. If you don't wanna ask your neighbor if you could bury a skull in his yard for a little bit, the pros use dermestid beetles. This link isn't an endorsement of that particular site, but it has a good explanation, and it's addressing your specific concerns.

 

[sobi1998]

It has to be cleaned off. I'd let the skull soak in dawn dish or diluted simple green to break down the oils. The skull needs to be oil free for the best bleach. The oil is fairly deep in the bone. What doesn't fall off...needs to be picked off. No little chunks of anything.

Then it's hair bleach powder and 30% H2O2. Stuck in a clear bag and sat in the Sun.

I've bleached probably 5 deer skulls and have done a amateur stuffing of a couple of ground squirrels and a few rattlesnakes. Grey fox.

You're saying just soak in water with dish soap? How long?


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[grasshopperglock]

You're saying just soak in water with dish soap? How long?


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Until the chunks come off easy. You can soak it as long as you need. It go's slows, I'd expect anywhere from three days to a week and half. It's gotta degrease. Soaking bone won't hurt it. It'll dry out after the bleaching.

 

[grasshopperglock]

Those super white skull mounts, you'll see, are done by professional folks that's been doing it for awhile.

It's harder then it looks. It's been over a decade since I last did it. There's lots of tricks to getting it that bright, pure white.

 

[sobi1998]

Those super white skull mounts, you'll see, are done by professional folks that's been doing it for awhile.

It's harder then it looks. It's been over a decade since I last did it. There's lots of tricks to getting it that bright, pure white.

I have a taxidermist that'll give me a 60% discount if I do what I've done to the skull so far. But I can tell he doesn't enjoy giving me the discount. He'd much rather get the whole $250 but I'm a tight wadd


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[grasshopperglock]

It's worth it...letting him deal with smell of hair, brains, and grissel boiling in soap.

 

[sobi1998]

It's worth it...letting him deal with smell of hair, brains, and grissel boiling in soap.

I'll soak it and work on it more. If I can't finish it. I'll take it to him


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[sobi1998]

Found an ant pile. What do you think couple of days? Hopefully the dog doesn't get to it


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[baboon]

Dermestid beetles & peroxide.

 

[grasshopperglock]

View attachment 126205
Found an ant pile. What do you think couple of days? Hopefully the dog doesn't get to it


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The ants will mess it up. While they're eating stuff. They'll also build a mound inside and around the skull. The dirt will stain the bone. You can't set it on top a board either. They'll still try to cover it with dirt.

Not recommended. I've tried it. Fire ants don't work.

 

[grasshopperglock]

Here's a taxidermy supply that's been around for a long long time. Anything you need, they'll have. To include bleach kits. Check out the exotic head forms and choice of eyeballs.


https://www.vandykestaxidermy.com/Taxidermy-Supplies-C4.aspx


It's been a while but look into TSP cleaner. It's a powder you mix with water to wash walls before painting. Lowe's has it by the paint strippers. Cereal box looking. It's a degreaser...and if I'm remembering right about a homemade diy. It's safe on bone. Try your best to make sure nothing touches the antlers. Wax or seal them off with tape and two bags. I'd smear them down with Johnson's paste wax after the bleach, regardless. Buff to a decent gloss.

Super careful with the bleach around the bases on the skull cap. It'll mess them up.


Btw, Nice harvest.

 

[sobi1998]

Here's a taxidermy supply that's been around for a long long time. Anything you need, they'll have. To include bleach kits. Check out the exotic head forms and choice of eyeballs.


https://www.vandykestaxidermy.com/Taxidermy-Supplies-C4.aspx


It's been a while but look into TSP cleaner. It's a powder you mix with water to wash walls before painting. Lowe's has it by the paint strippers. Cereal box looking. It's a degreaser...and if I'm remembering right about a homemade diy. It's safe on bone. Try your best to make sure nothing touches the antlers. Wax or seal them off with tape and two bags. I'd smear them down with Johnson's paste wax after the bleach, regardless. Buff to a decent gloss.

Super careful with the bleach around the bases on the skull cap. It'll mess them up.


Btw, Nice harvest.

I bought some cheap picks and tweezers at harbor freight. Working on it right now


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[sobi1998]

Here's a taxidermy supply that's been around for a long long time. Anything you need, they'll have. To include bleach kits. Check out the exotic head forms and choice of eyeballs.


https://www.vandykestaxidermy.com/Taxidermy-Supplies-C4.aspx


It's been a while but look into TSP cleaner. It's a powder you mix with water to wash walls before painting. Lowe's has it by the paint strippers. Cereal box looking. It's a degreaser...and if I'm remembering right about a homemade diy. It's safe on bone. Try your best to make sure nothing touches the antlers. Wax or seal them off with tape and two bags. I'd smear them down with Johnson's paste wax after the bleach, regardless. Buff to a decent gloss.

Super careful with the bleach around the bases on the skull cap. It'll mess them up.


Btw, Nice harvest.

I bought some cheap picks and tweezers at harbor freight. Working on it right now


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[sobi1998]

I have gotten 99.9% of the meat. Is it time to bleach?



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[grasshopperglock]

Degreaser one more time. Use a toothbrush and scrub it. I'd use toothpaste with some baking soda mixed in. Tooth bleaching if you got it. Scrub the outside pretty good. Lol....brush it's teeth too. No joke. Rinse it well...

Then bleach it. It's looking good.

 

[sobi1998]

Degreaser one more time. Use a toothbrush and scrub it. I'd use toothpaste with some baking soda mixed in. Tooth bleaching if you got it. Scrub the outside pretty good. Lol....brush it's teeth too. No joke. Rinse it well...

Then bleach it. It's looking good.

I'm ready to whiten. Any tips?



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