Boiling out skulls
#41
#42
Spike
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 14
boiling is the worst. so is bleach. boiling drives the grease and fat into the skull. bleach destroys the bone. after a few years the grease works it's way back out and looks bad. there are lots of secrets they use in the business. the best way is to send it to the pro's. if you are happy with what you did that is all that counts. just remember, it won't stay that way long and once it falls apart you can't get it back. if it is a "once in a lifetime trophy" get it done right.
#43
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Grangeville Idaho
Posts: 138
That should only take about an hour and a half if done correctly, keep it from boiling too hard. Throw a couple table spoons of baking soda in there, this will help immensly. If it is boiled completely off, you've let it go too far. You'll have to pick it clean to do it right.
#44
Fork Horn
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: State college PA
Posts: 183
BOiling a deer skull is simple. Never bleach a skull!!!! Cabelas makes a nice european kit for around 45 bucks. Includes whitener, plaque, and etc. MIne turned out as great as any taxidermists and was pretty simple. I have had it for 5 years and still looks awesome. I recommend sealling it when your done whitening it. i just tried a coyote skull. alot more difficult, next time i might try beatles.
#45
Spike
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 2
maceration is better than boiling but it stinks beetles are the best way and only a small amount of work if maceration is the way you want to go its best if you skin and take out brains and eyes and take off as much meat as u can and just put them in a bucket and let them sit for about a week or more you will know when they are done when you take them out and the meat falls off i wash them off and degrees them and whiten it is a smelly way but nice product
#46
Spike
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Arizona
Posts: 4
I have two skulls that were bleached and I thought they came out fine. I like the clean white look even if they're a little more brittle... They could have used a special cleaner but I thought it was bleach. When you're done I also recommend getting a cheap mounting bracket to hang your skull on the wall. Using the old nail or clothes hanger method is unreliable in my experience and doesn't look as nice. If you spent the time cleaning it up you might as well spend 20 bucks or so to hang it securely. Heads of State Panels has the best in my opinion, it's called the Head Hanger. Here's a Javalina I had done, also on that bracket-
#47
I have never had greasy skulls from boiling them and I am talking hog skulls, not deer. Put some dish washing detergent in the water to cut the grease when you boil the skulls. When they are clean and dry I paint them with clorox and let them sit in the sun for a day or two, then wash them again to dilute the clorox on them.