Originally Posted by
Big Z
Some have used a heated pressure washer to blast the worst off, but I'd rather take my time by hand--or at least soften the meat up with a boil beforehand. 8 hours seems awfully long...You can cut off a lot of stuff before starting the boil, including sawing off the lower jaw and opening the base of the brain cavity more. You can add some borax to the water. Aside from being persistent, you could always try maceration or dermestid beetles. Not faster, just--perhaps--easier. A 3% peroxide soak will lend bleaching effect but will also do wonders in loosening up any leftover pieces on the skull.
I cape out the whole entire head and try getting as much flesh out as possible.
We also take the air hose to it to get some of it off. It might now be as powerful as your heater pressure washer though.
So will putting borax into the heated water make it come off faster? Will it make any color changes?
Our taxidermist also tries burrying the skulls in the ground but he was saying that takes a long time to do and the skull is stained from the dirt when you take them out.