Ok, I am stumped! I have a buffalo skull that has been in the shop for over a year. I rec'd this skull from one of my best customers who had it in his barn for a few years. The skull was allready cleaned but it is my job to whiten it. I have used 40vol and basic white 3 times so far. There is still stains on it (yellow).
What do you think? Should I just bite the bullet and mist it with light ivory? Any info would be great! Thanks! Joseph R Osborn (Hunter's Dream Taxidermy)
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im sure you will get better answers than mine, but you could try using a dremel on it, start with a buffing wheel first but you could use a mild grinding or sanding head to, just to spot whiten it.
But your peroxide might be closer to three percent than 40 if it is very old.
air brush Mist it with OFF WHITE laquer. It will come out perfect and if you apply it very lightly to to cover and blend the stains no one can tell its got some paint. Not white or ivory but "off white".
I too have had some skulls I could not get "White". So on a couple spares I tried water based colors, I had problems of bibbles and bubbles, the results sucked.
I later tried ona some different skulls ivory colored lacquers, polytranspar, off white, the FP series worked great.
And I just used it on a W/T that turned out blinding white!
Would rather not use a dremel, Buffing wheel maybe. But no sanding wheel.
I was thinking the light ivory because its the color that is half way between the bone and yellow stains.
I just got to thinking... I wonder if this guy tried to use bleach on it? I have done that in the past and the skull turned out yellow.
Joe
in water for 24 to 36 hours before immersing in 40 volume peroxide. This sort of loosens up the cellular structure better and the peroxide is accepted better.
Degreased? If not the paint will lift. With the skull being yellow it sure sounds like there is grease in there.
.....Oxyclean first, then a new batch of peroxide.
...there's grease in the skull that's set in. Put it in a bucket of hot tap water and a good degreasing cleaner and let it sit for about a week and see if the water changes color, if so, then there's grease in that skull. Keep changing out the water about once ever 1-2 weeks until the water stays clean, they whiten it again with new peroxide. If you have an aquarium heater, place it in the bucket to keep the water at about 80 degrees, it will help pull the grease out.
Wolfwoman
I will try to folow up on this post.
Just to give some more info. I did use a degreaser. Not going to mention the brand. But I only used it for about an hour.
I have another brand of degreaser in the shop. I will try what wolfwoman said.
buzzi, The skull was kept wet for about 2 days after I degreased it.
If nothing else works, Well Off white laquer it is!
Thanks again! Joe
I'm new to this msg board stuff. So I don't know if its two late or not. But, try mixing your peroxide with powered magnesium sulfate. Mix it into a pudding like paste. Apply it to the skull, it will foam up over the next few hours doubling or more its volume, so use a large container. After a day or so it will dry to a powder, you can then wash off with water. I use this on my toughest skulls and it does work.