ducks look oily

Hi All,
We tried tanning our ducks in the bird tan by WASCO followed the directions but the birds look oily. We have always degrease in paint thinner and then washed with Dawn but the tan said to use degreaser then tan if didnt say to wash the bird after the tan.
So what can we try now that the bird is mounted? We were thinking about trying to wash just the feathers in dawn by wiping it on with out getting the whole bird wet. Think this would work? And what do ya'll think about still degreasing in paint thinner and then washing in Dawn and then tanning?

Thanks for your help!

Kim Collins
Bubba's Taxidermy

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Kim, your process is off

If you insist on washing the bird in a petroleum distillate, it's used to displace the water left after washing with soap. First off, however, is the use of any "bird tan". There ain't no such animal and simple borax or better yet, dry preservative, will be more than sufficient.

I wash my birds in Epo-Grip Bloodout Degreaser. I soak them for 20 minutes and then rinse thoroughly. I spin them dry in an old washing machine and then tumble them in corncob grit. Before they get really dry, I remove them, blow the excess grit out of the feathers with shop air, DP them and then mount them. After they're mounted, I use an Authentic Taxidermy Supply Bird Blower and complete the drying process.

I fear there's not much you can do after the fact.

Thanks George

We have always turned out great looking birds using dp. But was reading in Taxidermy Today that "tanning" would make the world of diffenece in feather placement but you live in learn.So its back to the tried and proven method for us DP.
We washed the two birds off with dawn last night and hope to see what they look like today at least these are our sons' birds.

Thanks for the help,
Kim Collins
Bubba's Taxidermy

IF the bird

was just mounted, it is not to late to undo it and rewash the skin. its a pain, but if the skin is not to dry yet, the bird can be rehydrated and called a "do over"

Sometimes........

...........we get caught up in trying to follow instructions and don't stop to think about what we are doing. I believe common sense is the most important part of this business. Here's my take on these birds: The wire wheel gets the fat..........dawn gets the grease from the skin and feathers left by the process of the wire wheel,and also gets out the blood..........water rinses the dawn from the skin and feathers.......a solvent (I use coleman fuel)displaces the water to make the drying faster.........air, corn cob grit, or saw dust, dries the feathers.......borax, or dp perserves it(or whatever it does to it).......and good reference makes it look like it's doing something other than just stuck on a piece of driftwood.
When all these things are done properly, you'll have great birds everytime. Of course all the anatomical things have to be right, but a clean bird makes a great mount!