I finished my first elk mount and I have a question. I thought it looked good for my first elk but I am having problems with the eyes. The eye lid now has a gap between the lid and the eye after doing the finishing work. The area around the eye now is seperating from the form (drumming). The hide has raised up from the form and the only way I can tell is by pushing on the hide around the eye. I just now noticed this after it has been on the wall for two months. What happened and what should I do? It still doesn't look bad unless I touch the area and look really close but it bothers me.
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I SUSPECT that you did not remove the oil glands from under the eyelashes. Everytime I see the problem you describe, it always seems to go back to that point. And yes, it's tricky, and yes, it's tedious but it has to be done during the final fleshing if it's not done before. That small gap is just enough to dehydrate the skin and pull it away from the eye. I'd suggest doing one eye at a time. Lay the head down so the eye is "up". Lay a handtowel soaked with warm water and a clothes softener over the complete eye orbit. Wrap the head with plastic freezer wrap overnight. Next day, untuck your eyes, clear the oil glands, reclay the eye, and this time, put a 3 inch japan pin in the front corner of the eye. When it dries, you'll cover it with the nictitating membrane replacement anyway. DO NOT WALK AWAY. Check this every 4 to 6 hours for a couple days till the clay hardens. I'm continually adjusting and working those eyes until they harden completely. Once they have,then refinish your eyes.
Hi, I was wondering whether this technique will work on mounts that are between 5 and ten years old that were tanned with lutan F. I have an old mount whose eyes are just not right and I've often wondered whether I could gouge out the old eyes and replace with better quality ones and remodel the eye sockets etc.