dumb question guys & gals... how do you tuck the skin around the eyes? i learned on pre-set eyes. (thin the eye lids, trim the skin and set.) how and where do you tuck the eyes. i know that you have to keep some of the membrand around the eye lid, but where do you tuck it in the clay. or can you do it the same way for pre set eyes and pin the heck out of it? thanks for any advice.
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I have'nt tucked an eye in 10 years. I set my eyes in critter clay and I shave the eye lids thin leaving the coruncula in the front corner of the eye. Pin the front corner of the eye using the coruncula skin and place the eye lids up agaist the eye. If you shaved the eye lids thin and use a good glue(I use derma grip)the eye lids will not pull away. I get a finer eye lid and less finish work than what I used to get with the tuck method.
so... set eyes with the clay, thin eye lid (like on preset eye manikins), set the eye lid close to eye, pin like normal. Do you have an issue with the clay moisture and the hide shrinking. (drying at the same time? could you set the eye with critter clay, let it sit over night/1 day then set the eyelids? just wondering. THANKS!
I don't know of any glue on the market that will "hold" skin to wet clay. If you're going to use that antiquated method of eyes, then don't even bother until after the clay has hardened. What MOST of us do is to mold the clay to form the eyelids. Flesh them so that you actually open up the oil glands at the base of each eyelash. Leave about a quarter inch if inside skin is left attached. TUCK that inner skin up under the clay that you've laid over the glass eye. You can pin the front corner if you'd like, ut it's simply a failsafe. Let them set overnight. The next day, with a fine scribe, remold your eyelids and shape them in the moist clay underneath. This continues each day until the clay firms up and hardens. Once that happens, you'll have the natural clearance between the eye and the lid. Rick Carter has a good article on the claying in the latest edition of Breakthrough. I don't know of any top end taxidermist who is not tucking the eyelids.
Brian, George is correct but simply put you slide the eye lid skin down the surface of the glass eye which leaves the skin between the glass and the clay. Then final shapeing of the clay by pressure on the skin around the eye sets it solidly in place. There are other ways to mount the eyes as there are choices in all things taxidermy. Enjoy, Aaron H.
Brian, there are different ways to setting eyes and placing the skin. George is a very knowlagable man but I feel his words sometimes are one sided.
I let my clay get firm (1 hour or so) and mount the deer. I use a water base glue (drema grip) and I never have a shrinking problem with my eyes (skin not sticking to the clay). I use one pin in the front corner of the eye and thats it.
Just remember that everyone has their way of doing things and not all are wrong. Taxidermy would have never got where it is to day without changing and trying new things.
i used to glue all of mine until a bot a lion that had the membranes 'hanging' out - i said what the heck i'll tuck this one - i tuck everything down to pine martens - you have control when you tuck - no control if you dont - ive done it both ways
I read Rick Carters article last week when I got my Breakthrough mag. What a great article, I was always farting around trying to make the eyelids the right shape and everything it was a big pain and very frustrating for me since Ive only been doing this 3 years. Now that Ive read his article, setting the eyes just seems so much simpler to me I dont really know what it is, and they look great too. If you read this Rick, "Thanks for the great article." Sorry guys that this was not about tucking the eyes it was about the shape and claying them, but if any of you are having any problems with your deer eyes get the latest issue of Breakthrough and check out that article. Good Luck and have fun, Kevin