I'm new to the skull mounting so please be nice. I've read lots in the archives. I'm currently doing five skulls. I've boiled and cleaned them all up with Sal Soda. Last night I tried to whiten with 20 developer and whitening(pastey style) first time for a hr second time for 3 hours with very little results. I'm currently trying 30 developer and whitener probably for 3hrs. Any advise to get results. Also if its not white from the sal soda is that area considered oil and needs to be soaked in dawn detergent or something.
BTW Michigan got robbed last night. This comment coming from a Hawkeye fan.
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Hi
What I do is degrease for a few days after the 'simmering' and meat removal process. After the degreasing I will use 40 volume peroxide and Basic White mixed to the consistency of tooth paste. Once this mixture is 'painted' on I will leave it over night and clean it off the next morning. This process works for me and the skull comes out nice and white.
Steve
I peroxide my skulls much the same as Steve, except I wrap mine in plastic. I will leave them this way for about a week. They come out bright white. In a pinch I have used plain baby powder and 40% peroxide to form a paste. Worked just fine.
A note on the degreasing. Over cooking the bone can seal in grease. Be careful not to over simmer. 20 to 30 minutes is plenty. Before applying your peroxide, degrease your skulls (I assume these are deer)in dawn dish soap for a few days. Changing the water and re-soaking in a fresh solution won't hurt. Deer really aren't that greasy, but you would be surprised at what you will see in the bottom of a pail after degreasing.Rinse and apply your peroxide/paste then wrap. Good Luck.
Dan
Iknow you said you read a lot it the forums. Did you happen to see all of the post on NOT boiling skulls because it ruins them? LOL Just had to man. Seriously though bugs are your best bet. Degrease your skulls, rinse them, and then whiten them. The seran wrap is a good idea. I usually use a cheap paint brush and just brush it on. If you have sunlight let them sit in it. If you don't halogen lights seem to work well. Good Luck and DON'T boil em. LOL Dan
I never could maintian any kind of uniformity when using beauty supply peroxide products. I use 35% peroxide mixed into a paste with Mg carbonate. Apply a liberal coat, leave it on two or three days, rinse off, and expose to sunlight for a couple of days. If I'm not satisfied, I'll repeat...this is usually on skulls that have been in the back of a pickup or on a barn roof for a while...unskinned and smelly...it's harder to get them to whiten up. BE SURE AND WEAR SAFETY GLASSES AND PLASTIC GLOVES. This mixture will eat your a$$ up!
Go to the beauty supply and get the 40 volume peroxide and the activator, not just the peroxide and follow the directions. You will have a gleaming white skull in 4 hrs. Also, let the skull dry out for a few days before you use the peroxide, when the skull is wet it will not allow the skull to soak up the peroxide. Bone is pourous.
Doug,
I have been doing skull mounts for years. Here are some tips that I use. Get your skull and a big pot. I sub-merge the whole skull in water with salt. exp.( just like cooking a chicken) Then let it boil. All the boiling will loosen all the meat throught the skull. As you boil the skull use hemastats to remove the meat as it loosen. This whole process takes about 3-4 hours from start to finish. When the process is finished the skull will be loose. Use fishing twin to wrap snout, and nose area to ensure tight bone fit. Once boiling is completed and a 3 day drying process is complete. The skull will dry to the natural color of the skull. Some will dry a light yellow, to a grayish white: these colors are the only colors it will dry.
So for the natural white color affect that you are trying to accomplish is futul due to the fact that the whiting agents deteriate the skull, therefor resulting in damage to the skull, and a waist a vauable time and money on attempts to aquire a white skull.
For my clients I use a non deterating white paint and air brush the skull to my clients satifaction. I sepify in the boiling process do not over boil the skull and do not add cold water to boiling pot. Always pre-boil the water before adding to the skull pot.
All the years that I have used this method for the skull mounts I have never had a client return a mount that was not satified with the finished product.