I ordered some items the other day from one of our supply shops, one of the items being hide paste. I also ordered some borax and paper mache. Well, I went to work on my first deer head. I stuck the horns on the form, put my eys togather etc. When it come time to apply the hide paste I got it out and mixed the so called paste with hot water. Before I mixed it (when it was still in dry form) looked alot like the mache but a little different color. After mixing it was still very lumpy looking. For some reason I don't believe this stuff was hide paste. It felt as if it hade a glue or some type of ashesive material included in the ingrediants of this mystery material but it was not real strong. Any ideas?
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Call them and ask .
Different manufactures use different compounds in their hide paste, though they are basically the same, If the hide paste simply has lumps in it, try adding more water, and mixing thoroughly sometimes letting it sit over night, will help dissolve the lumps. However I once ordered 50 pounds of hide paste from McKenzie. which came in 5 pound bags, Although they were all Marked hide paste, One was actually antler Base. everyone makes mistakes. But they happily made it right. BTW, McKenzie's hide paste mixes to a smooth consistency if that happens to be what you have.
Try using Antlers instead of Horns next time...makes the Deer Heads look more Intelligent thataway. Hmmm..."putting your eyes together"...doesn't that give you Double-Vision?
On the Hide Paste...did you pour the water into the powder?...or the powder into the water? Makes a difference...like mixing plaster. If you poured the powder into the water and started mixing...that's why the lumps developed.
Sift the powder into the water as you're mixing it to get a smooth consistancy. Let it cool to room temperature before using...save any excess in a capped plastic container...like butter comes in...and store in your refrigerator for future use.
Now then...yes...there 'is' a 'glue' in it. What do you think 'paste' is?...It's 'glue'...glueing the skin to the form. The ingredient is Powder Dextrine.
Hope this helps.
Oh...one more thought...mix your Papier Mache (spelled correctyly...not 'paper' as everyone advertises) the same way...but...NOT in 'Warm Water'.
Sift the dry powder into the water. If you put the water into the powder...you're going to have a mess and premature drying...because Papier Mache contains Plaster as well as Dextrin.
You cannot save any extra Mache after mixing...it will get hard from the chemical setting process.
~ ETCC