I've been having problems getting the grease out of the birds I've been doing. I flesh the heck out of the bird with the wire wheel getting most of the fat between the quills. Then I wash in dawn and rinse 4 or 5 times then rinse for a couple minutes in mineral spirits. But yet still the grease manages to come through the sew line. Do I need to be doing more of a thorough job washing or degreasing. I've done probably 20 ducks/geese now and probably 1/3 have leaked not alot but a little fat/grease. Just a little nervous as I have 4 snows approaching very quickly in my freezer. Perhaps more preservative would help before sewing up? Or sewing tighter stitches. Not sure. Anyone got any wise words of wisdom for a rookie.
Return to Bird Taxidermy Category Menu
I usually use quite a bit of cotton fill on my birds. It helps to make the chest and belly look full...but cotton will also absorb alot of grease. Try it.
DP, I think you explained your problem when you said that you get "most" of the fat out between the quills. It all has to go or you will continue to have problems with the grease leaking out. Don't consider other methods of stopping it, like cotton to soak it up! Just improve your technique of using the wire wheel. That problem will hurt your business and reputation. You can't produce a good mount if you are sloppy on your prep!
Bruce hit tha nail on the head,,Now let use the set..
You need to do pass's on the wheel in rows then tunr the skin and get it from another angle,,Use coarse borax to help in the removall and it will help speed the abrasiveness of the wheel,,
On the quill tips if you cannot hit them with the wheel break out the hand brush and borax.the borax is just like if youve ever buffed out a paint job on a car or polished metal...
Once you get the base of the fat off the skin then bunch the skin so the quill tipps are grouped tight and hit that with the wire wheel This will get the rest of the fatty membrain off the skin.. Presaok in 409 its strong enough to remove oils on the freshly fleashed skin and wont cause ya greif liek some of the strong degreasers..Soak the skin for 20 minutes or better .THEN was it in dawn and oxy clean twice then a couple time in just dawn.,.I use a garden hose nozzle to rinse off my bird skinns..Instead of think of how to obsorb think of how to remove...remember 1 zhitty job will cause you more reputation damage than 20 good birds will do.........
What helps is chlorox if you use it carefully