How to dissolve the flesh?
02-19-2009, 07:54 PM
#2
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Kansas Unit 7
Posts: 576
RE: How to dissolve the flesh?
I'm no expert, I just know you can google it, try, "How to european mount" and numerous choices pop up.
Good luck, sounds stinky.
If you have a pond, you can tie it to a couple of milk jugs and suspend it in the water, do not let it lay on the pond bottom as this will discolor whatever contacts the mud, pull it out after afew months and it should be clean, we did this with a buck my brother inlaw shot, the bone did not seem to weaken.
Good luck, sounds stinky.
If you have a pond, you can tie it to a couple of milk jugs and suspend it in the water, do not let it lay on the pond bottom as this will discolor whatever contacts the mud, pull it out after afew months and it should be clean, we did this with a buck my brother inlaw shot, the bone did not seem to weaken.
02-20-2009, 02:23 AM
#3
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Hillsborough, NJ
Posts: 130
RE: How to dissolve the flesh?
BOILthe skull. This will remove all of the flesh. Try to position the skull so the antlers begin where the bubbles of the boil are popping.
Trade secret: carefully(for your sake, not the skulls)take an air compressor to thenasal holesof the deer and much of the brain will explode out the bigger whole in the back of the deer where the spinal cord used to connect in. If this doesn't work sometimes it may be appropriate to drill a small hole in the upper pallet of the deers mouth, since it will not be visable on the mount and use it as your air compressors entry point. This method is even more effective for speeding up the process when you attach a little L shaped wire to a drill and use the spinal cord whole to stick the wire into the brain and blend it up a little....just be careful during the whole process as the brains like to get the last laugh by hitting your face if you're not paying attention.
Trade secret: carefully(for your sake, not the skulls)take an air compressor to thenasal holesof the deer and much of the brain will explode out the bigger whole in the back of the deer where the spinal cord used to connect in. If this doesn't work sometimes it may be appropriate to drill a small hole in the upper pallet of the deers mouth, since it will not be visable on the mount and use it as your air compressors entry point. This method is even more effective for speeding up the process when you attach a little L shaped wire to a drill and use the spinal cord whole to stick the wire into the brain and blend it up a little....just be careful during the whole process as the brains like to get the last laugh by hitting your face if you're not paying attention.
02-20-2009, 02:57 AM
#4
Fork Horn
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Northwest PA
Posts: 250
RE: How to dissolve the flesh?
I usually dip the skull in bleach water (careful not to get any on the horns or it will discolor). The bleach water will loosen up the flesh andafter awhile it peels off quite easily. Works ok for me but not sure if it is the best method out there.
02-20-2009, 03:42 AM
#5
Spike
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Pensacola, FL
Posts: 58
RE: How to dissolve the flesh?
If it’s something you found it would probably be easier to use maceration. Get a bucket or tub filled with water. Throw the head in it and get a fish tank heater that will keep the water 80-85 degrees. Cover the top to keep the critters out and keep the smell down. Leave it for a week. If the water is black pour out half and put clean water back in the container. Continue this until what’s left washes off with a water hose. Keep an eye on the water evaporating and causing the heater to overheat and melt your container.
Depending on how much flesh is gone when you start will determine how long it takes to finish. I would recommend skinning and taking off as much flesh as you can to include the eyes, tongue, and brain. With this gone and most of the meat off it will probably take about a week.
Even though it works, I wouldn’t recommend boiling or bleaching. Both can cause damage to the bone usually noticeable long term. If you want to do something else both simmer in a pot and scrape the meat off every half hour or so and use a peroxide solution to whiten. I would also soak in water/dawn solution for 6/7 days to degrease before whitening.
If you do change out the water during the process always keep some of the nasty brew in the container. This will keep bacteria working instead of starting from scratch. Be prepared when you crack the lid because this F’n stinks like you couldn’t imagine.
www.taxidermy.net is a good site to reference.
Depending on how much flesh is gone when you start will determine how long it takes to finish. I would recommend skinning and taking off as much flesh as you can to include the eyes, tongue, and brain. With this gone and most of the meat off it will probably take about a week.
Even though it works, I wouldn’t recommend boiling or bleaching. Both can cause damage to the bone usually noticeable long term. If you want to do something else both simmer in a pot and scrape the meat off every half hour or so and use a peroxide solution to whiten. I would also soak in water/dawn solution for 6/7 days to degrease before whitening.
If you do change out the water during the process always keep some of the nasty brew in the container. This will keep bacteria working instead of starting from scratch. Be prepared when you crack the lid because this F’n stinks like you couldn’t imagine.
www.taxidermy.net is a good site to reference.
02-25-2009, 12:40 AM
#7
Typical Buck
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Belgium
Posts: 996
RE: How to dissolve the flesh?
FL/Law's the way to do it, I use washingpouder which contains enzyms that dissolve proteins, in a container with water and a aquarium heater to around 37 degrees celcius.
After a few days depending on the volume of the skull the meat's gone.
I use peroxide to whiten as well.
F.
After a few days depending on the volume of the skull the meat's gone.
I use peroxide to whiten as well.
F.
