I've experienced a large amount of shrinkage (3/8") around the antler base on a recent deer mount. It is only on one side. Is it possible to cut a section from the excess skin and using an epoxy glue to repair it? Just using Magic-Sculp and painting to blend will be to noticeable. I did take proper measurements, using a commercial tannery, Critter Clay and Killer Glue. I had too much faith in the glue as this is the first year I've used it and bypassed some common sense practices. I did check the archives George, (LOL) but it covered more preventive steps. Any helpful suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
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But I'm on the downside of a happy pill right now and I'll repeat what I do. I take a tube of RTV Clear Silicone bathtub sealer and fill the void between the burr and the hide. Then I go to the backboard area and snip small locks of hair colored similar to the scalp cape. I stick these straight down into the RTV starting at the hide and working toward the antler burr. When I have the complete void imbedded with hair, I gently rub my hand across it to make it conform to the existing hair pattern. Then I take some small bandage scissors and clip the ends to match the burr hair length. No one will ever know. NOW, to eliminate some of this in the future, take epoxie clay and make a small buffer under the antler burr (remember, you probably shaved this off before tanning). Now when you sew the "Y" back together, you can cinch your thread tightly over that buffer and under the burr to eliminate shrinkage. Use epoxy glue under the hide liberally, and your shrinkage with shrink.
George's method will get you out of the mess this time but your faith in the killer glue was fine. The problem only happened because of insufficient clay buildup under the burrs -especially that area behind and toward the outside of the antler. A good bit of flesh is taken out when cleaning the skull plate and shaving the cape removes more of what has to be put back to avoid the problem you had. Remember that under the burrs goes one thickness of skin and the rest has to be built up to support the skin. The problem area gets a good bit of clay work or will fail no matter what glue you use. Enjoy, Aaron H.
also check and make sure your nose to horn butt measurement is right when setting antlers might of been a little long in this case I always nail skin around antler base untill dry have not had any problems yet good luck. dwl.
Great advice and tips guys. Thanks for taking the time to help me with my problem. It's not only great to have this site as a safety net but comforting knowing that the people you respect have screwed up just as bad (LOL). Maybe at the next NTA Convention, there should be a seminar on how to properly use the "search" section of this site. I know I'd be interested. How 'bout it George, you up to the task? ROFLMAO!
one more tip for you and the masses. you'll find it in the Breakthrough deer manual. this antler base insurance policy takes a few extra minutes as all quality assurance measures do, but here it is: you use clay or earbase on the bases as mentioned above, but the clincher is you run a couple of feet of thread through the two sections of hide right where they meet behind the antler base. close the opening with a square knot or so. pull on the remaining thread ends at an angle (roughly the same angle as the y-cut) and tie off to a screw anchored into the form (use a 2.5" or so)at the base of the mannicans skull, then screw in the screw flush. create an X by doing the same from the other "horn". your hide is pulled tight and will dry even tighter.
Try 2 part epoxy around the antler bur, Sally used it in her
video, I tried it, works great