I just finished my first mount a deer shoulder mount.It looks great
alot better then i hoped for. A feind who has several mounts done
by experienced taxidermists thinks it compares to his mounts.My question is i read alot about eyes cracking and hair slipping on the ears so i decided to use liquid tan and dp on the face and ears.
Will this help prevent that better then just using dp or will it hurt my mount over time.
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There are 50 ways to skin a cat and 100 ways to tan and mount it back up. It is thought by some people that DP capes will crack over time, and just as many say that the capes will not crack. And raising this question back up after it has been hashed over several times is like hitting the bee's nest with a stick. As long as you got it mounted, and you own it, you can use any method you want. Just in the last few days, a guy claimed that he never used any glue on any of his mounts ever, and claims that his work is super duper. 99% of us think he smokes Bondo. Only he thinks he is right by not using glue. Many people will oil the cape after the tan because it may help keep areas from cracking. Some use epoxy glue on the face, this is thought to be the best way to avoid future cracking. Everything breaks down over time. You need to find out what works for you, and after you decide, next year you will try a different way, and then a while on, you will change again to try something else, so, it really doesn't matter.
I don't know why you'd tan and DP, however. One has a low pH while the other has a high pH. By doing it that way, you've probably offset both chemicals, but as Mr. T says, it's mounted. You'll be able to make your own determinations.
Like i said it was my first mount and i thought this would help my cause.If one has a low ph and the other a high one what if any problems will this cause.What sould i look for on the mount if any thing.I'm glad that people do take the time to respond to these forums.Its been a great help and i'm looking forward to keep using these forums for info as i mount more game and get better at it thanks again to who ever helps.
if it were me, knowing now and not then, I'd order some videos, books, etc. You said this is your first mount, if you found that you liked it, spend some money and get more info on it. I am new to taxi. and I have found that a few books and subscribing to some of the trade magazine were a HUGE help. As far as things to look for, shrinkage around the ears and eyes, drumming (skin pulling away from the form and/or earlimers) making sure the hair patterns line up properly. There is a lot of things. Hope this helps.
For you're first mount first of all, congratulations. Now relax. No body knows why you used DP and Liquatan on the same mount. You thought that you could stop something from happening in the future. You were worried about something that you thought would happen and there is no proof that these things would happen. As long as you use a premium hide paste with plenty in the ears and around the eyes, you can only do you're best to prevent cracking around the eyes and drumming in the ears. Sounds like you over analyzed what you read and tried something off the wall out of fear of eyes cracking. What make's cracks around eyes can be many things, as hanging the mount over a fireplace, in a sunny window, or when she makes you hang it in the garage where the weather can beat it down. All you can do is after the tan, oil the cape so it has a chance of having a longer wall life. Time will tell. As I said before, you will try another way of mounting and tanning in the future, and when you get to mount number 25, you will look back at this mount and laugh and say, what was I thinking? And you're friend was only being nice to you telling you that it looks good. You should be proud of that first mount, now, onto the second one. Get-r-done.
You guys have been great i'll take your advise i'll try not to over react anymore.Well its on to the next mount i really enjoy this its something i think and hope i'm a natural at.I sat and compared it to my mounts i've had done and it does compare to them.So its on to bigger and better things.I will always look at every mount as a learning experience.Again thanks guys you've all been great HAPPY EASTER.