Hi i'am going to try to do a bear skull up as a bonus for a customer,this will be my first one at nop charge.I was told to get some hyrogen peroxide for the solution mix,Where can a person find this material.
Thanks maybe there is another receipe?
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Than just peroxide, which you can get at WalMart or a beauty supply store. Here's my skull cleaning 'recipe'!
1. Remove as much meat as you possibly can with a knife.
2. I have a big pot that I can SLOW simmer in on low heat. I use the bottom to my pressure cooker (metal plate that has holes in it-if you don't have one of these turn a pie tin upside down and cut holes in it) in the bottom of a big pot. Put in enough water to completely cover the skull. Add 2 cups Arm & Hammer WASHING SODA and several tablespoons of Dawn Dishwashing liquid. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes before checking it and removing any excess meat that you didn't get off before (remember HOT). LEAVE the nose cartilage alone, that will come off later! Take something wire that you can make a hook out of (such as a coat hanger) and hook out the brains (this can be done before or after cooking). Be careful not to go into the nose cavity from the back and damage the delicate bones in there. Occasionally you will have teeth that have come out, be sure to strain the water.
3. After I've gotten as much meat and cartilage off the skull as I can I have a 10 gallon aquarium that I place the skull in hot tap water and keep the water warm with an aqarium heater on about 95 degrees.
4. Let the skull sit in the water for about a week, take it out and rinse off with warm water, a lot of the flesh will come off. You can use a brush to scrub a lot of it off at this point. If the nose cartilage hasn't fallen off by now, don't worry it will! Start watching for loose teeth at this point, some of them will fall into the bottom of the aquarium. Make sure you fish em out and keep em. Also watch for them to fall into the sink when you're cleaning, they're impossible to get out of a drain!
5. Place back in FRESH water and let sit for another week and repeat. By now 99.9% of the flesh should be gone, if not do it one more time, some skulls are more stubborn that others. After this would be to degrease the skull if it's needed (which it IS for a bear).
6. Once all the flesh, cartilage, etc has been removed place the skull in a peroxide bath. I just buy it from WalMart (3% solution) and let it sit for 24-48 hours to whiten. If you want to whiten overnight you can go to a beauty supply store and buy 40% peroxide (DONT get this stuff on your skin or in your eyes!).
7. Remove the skull, let it dry off for a day, replace all the teeth (that you've also cleaned) with a small amount of glue, let it dry for about 2-3 more days and you're done!
from doing this will be invaluable and Wolfwoman definately knows her stuff and gave you great information and directions. Once your done, I guarantee it will be the last one you do for no charge.LOL! Take care and good luck. Alan.
For 'the source' of Hydrogen?...ask amy 'Perovide' Blonde'...LOL.
Get it at any Pharmacy...Wal-Mart...K-Mart...Mart-Mart...you get the idea.
~ ETCC
The one step that makes the job one for the professionals is removing the brains. After an hour or so peering up that little hole in the head, I decided I wanted just an antler mount. YOU'RE getting my bear skull when I get ready to do it. Who knows, maybe the expression "picking your brain" was originally coined by a taxidermist. Did you find a copy of The American Rifleman yet?
Piper
Wrico Corporation, 210-590-4400, 4835 Whirlwind St, San Antonio, TX, 78217 They make a super oxide that does an excellent job in creating a "Transparent" look. Make sure you dilute it, and do not get any on your hands!
If you do not want to boil the skull soak it in a lysol/water mixture for a week or two.