I've done several skulls now and my standard operating proceedure is to clean w/ bugs, degrease (I now use super solvent) and paint on 50-strength peroxide from the beauty store. Most of my skulls come out very white, but some never whiten even after a second treatment. Am I doing something wrong once in awhile, maybe not letting them dry out enough before whitening, or letting them dry out too much? I just don't know. What do you think?
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You might need to degrease it more.
You use bugs you said.. so no heat is present? Sometimes heat will look grease, blood and or proteins into the bone and can be very hard - maybe even impossible.. to whiten.
Try 3% and a longer exposure. It *might* be that there are proteins in the bone that keep leaching towards the surface... a longer exposure in a weaker solution could be the answer.
No guarantees tho....
Don't you use a "developer" with your H2O2? If not, try it and it'll work wonders.
I use a developer (Basic White)and I degreased it for a week. I started with the super solvent about 130F and after putting the skull in, let it cool and left it in for a week.
I hadnt read the thread until today, so I apologize for the un-timely response. I have used Super Solvent to degrease skulls, however only as a pre-degreaser. It does not require nor should you heat it. I always used it at 1:5 and due to the great expense of the product here in Alaska, and no distibuter willing to carry it I have stopped. The ideal method I found with SS is to soak for a week, change water soak for at least a weak again, and if the water is dirty, change again. Supersolvent has one very serious issue with skulls and that is that despite extensive rinsing it sometimes leaves bright yellow stain spots on the dried skull. The best way to prevent that issue is to soak in plain water for a couple of days to ensure the product is completely rinsed.
In reality is is no the best method. 5 gallons of lacquer thinner is the same price or less than SS and a far better degreasing method.