I have searched for this answer. but only found the Question. A friend came in with a fresh mounted duck, with greese bleeding through the breast. his taxidermist won't or can't fixit. I don't know how to fix the problem. Any help on remounting a bird would be nice.
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Sounds like friend's hackidermist did not flesh and degreese the skin.
The only fix would be to tell your friend next time don't bring his duck to the cheapest guy he can find.
To not have grease bleeding out the breast,It takes time... which cost money.... to get a job done right the first time!
The problem is that the bird was not fleshed and de-greased properly when it was first mounted, but you already know this.I don't know if it is possible to fix this problem without ruining the bird, but if you want to take the chance( since the bird is ruined by the grease anyhow)and if the customer agrees,you might try to re-hydrate the bird in a brine solution and take it apart. Find the stitch line and cut the stitches free soaking the bird as you go. Once you get it apart do your best to flesh the fat that was left behind and soak the skin in a bucket of ACETONE "O-U-T-S-I-D-E" and agitating as you soak it.I would leave the head and neck attached if possible and also the wing support wires.Then borax the skin well and remount. Chances of success are remote but if you want to try, this is how I would go about it.....and charge plenty! Good luck JL
This is exactly why it takes some of us longer to mount a duck than most of the "successful taxidermists" out there. I can't tell you how many times I've heard "you're going to have to get a lot faster if you want to survive", followed by something like "I mount seven ducks a day from start to finish". My apologies if I'm stepping on toes, but I'll pay good money to see someone actually skin, FLESH, wash, degrease, dry, wire, sew, inject, paint, and groom seven ducks in a day.
you can work borax into the feathers and then brush it out after it soaks up the greese. this will take several tries..It may not take it all out but it will help alot....
If you can find K2R spot remover (kmart or walmart)and spray it on. it will dry and remove alot of the greese too.
there is more grease in that bird and it will eventually come out again. I would find it hard to believe that if you have a leaker that all the grease has already come out. The taxidermist probably did and equally bad job on the entire skin so theres more grease where that came from. Your best bet it to tell him that he learned a lesson and not to take a bird back to the guy again. I personally have only had one bird leak and it was one of my first that I mounted for a friend. I only charged him for the materials and I still promissed to mount another for him to make up for my mistake. If your taxidermist will not do something to make up for this he doesnt need your business in the future.
......And then use the MATCH!
I was recently cleaning out my mother's garage, when I came across three duck mounts(pre 1965) that my dad had saved. While the taxidermy work was poor the actual condition of the mounts was pretty good, but a bit dusty. There was just a slight hint of a grease problem, most likely because they had been in the HOT garage for a lot of years.
My wire wheel was a pair of scissors in those days and my tumbler was a plastic bag filled with borax, that I shook and rolled my skins until dry enough to mount. They were then finished with a blow dryer that I wish I still had. No, it wasn't that great, it had to go back well into the 40's or before. I never used gas of any kind, and still don't, although I may do a quick rinse in alcohol to displace water.
My point is, there is no excuse for any taxidermist to put out a bird that isn't perfectly degreased. Personally, I don't believe there is any hope for your friend's bird. The "hack" that did it, didn't know how to do it right in the first place, how the HE! would he be able to fix it! Take it back and demand your money back. If the "hack" refuses, put the following ad in your local paper. Show him a copy of it before you do, it may get your money back.
"FREE TO A GOOD HOME, one(name the species of duck) mounted by(name the "hack"). My wife refuse to allow ths bird in the house as it is practically dripping fat and she doesn't want to clean up after it. You will also have to be willing to put up with the smell of rancid duck fat that will eventually be present. It will make quite a conversation piece!"
My exact sentiments.
And Robbie, your point is well taken, HOWEVER, I think it's was Joe Ferebee who explained how he does 6 ducks in one day. Joe didn't say anything about posing, grooming or finishing, just mounting them. I THINK Joe puts them in the freezer when they're mounted and does all that time consuming work progressively. But I still agree with you and why we charge less than we do for a deer still amazes me. I can mount a deer in about the same time I do for a duck and certainly for a goose.
George, I hadn't heard that from Joe Ferebee. I was referring to one on one conversations I've had with taxidermists here in the south. Most of them have been ones that I knew could use some help on their birds, and I was seeking wholesale work. After justifying my prices, is usually when I get the speed up or sink lectures. Anyway, I agree with you and OF whole-heartedly. My fear is that someday people won't think highly of our profession, but will rather group us with attorneys, politicians, and used car salesmen. No offense intended to those professions (I know great people in all of them), but let's face it, they're few and far between.
JL your answer was on track with another taxidermist i talked to yesterday. however I pined a scott towel under the brest inschion, with borax worked into the feathers & on the scott towel. the greese seems to be minimal, and only in about a 1 inch strip along the inschion. I will keep the feathers cleen with mineral sprits. Thanks for all your input, BUT some of you were off the subject!!If all else fails i will hold a sponge under it and drink whiskey till it looks dry. Thanks agin.
.....For being willing to attempt this project. I've never been happy with rehydrating a dry bird skin, they just never come back to what I want. As long as your friend understands that it's not a guaranteed situation, go ahead.
My question for you is, since you knew the right answer in the first place....Why did you ask the question? I would recommend "Famous Grouse" for that method, however! Let us know how it works, no matter what method you try.