I have watched and read alot of your posting on this subject. I to am a Skull boiler due to I can seem to get any beatles.
My question is when you degrease using Dawn dish soap,acetone or Rittle's Super slovent 618 is the skull fully imerresed in the fluid or what is the proper procedure?
Thanks to all that respond in advance
AL
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The super solvent is your best bet for degreasing. Acetone is too expensive and takes far longer to produce quality results than the solvent. Never use dawn to degrease skulls. For one, it won't do a fraction of the job that the other solvents do. Further, dawn may actually damages bones by displacing calcium in them. So use the solvents for best results. Fully immerse the skull in a mix of the solvent and warm water (2oz. for every gallon for Rittel's)and let it sit for no less than two weeks. The water will get mighty nasty. For large bears you are probably going to want to repeat this more than once. When the skull is fully degreased, rinse it off thoroughly and let it dry in the sun. It should be sufficiently white after this, and depending on the finished look you are going for, you may not even need to whiten. In a nutshell, use the solvents, fully immerse, and be very patient. Hope this helps.
I must have purchased a bad gallon of Super Solvent or my bears are greasier than yours. I have cleaned bears after beetles in Super Solvent and in Dawn. The Dawn cleans MUCH, MUCH quicker and you use MUCH, MUCH less. Super Solvent is 45.00 a gallon and Dawn in a couple of bucks a quart and you use a small squirt. I clean only big game and have noticed NO ill effects from Dawn. Maybe in 10-20 years? I will say that I was disappointed in Super Solvent and it was still necessary to use acetone or paint thinner(auto body type not home improvement store variety)to completely remove the deep grease. Dawn definately did a better job in at least half the time. Bears, I do soak in the Dawn solution changing daily for 2 weeks then completely dry before Acetone or thinner soak. If there is a better way...I'm all ears and I will be eager to try it. This is my experience and most the bears I clean are 200-400lb range. Dave, I like your new handle and email...it has a professional ring to it.
Kind Regards, Randy
I like the new email too! I, like many skull chums on this site, have tried everything under the sun in search of the best degreaser. In my opinion, super solvent works the best. True it is $45 for a gallon, but that gallon goes a heck of a long way. The super solvent should not be used full strength; it doesn't work well like that and I often find myself using less than the recommended 2oz for every gallon for the best results. I guess this may have something to do with the differing concentrations creating a greater diffusion... who knows. I've been trying to find a way to test just how it works but I've got nothing yet. Also, I use warm to hot water in the immersion baths, and for bears I change the bath at least once, and I find this helps a lot. Now the reason I always argue against the use of Dawn and other detergents is because I am doing research right now on its effects on bone, and my studies so far have shown significant calcium depletions as soon as 8 hours in such immersions. This may not mean anything to most individuals on here, but to an osteologist and and perfectionist, it's a big deal. I'm cursed with being both. Let me know if you want any info on my research. You can even use my new email! But as for the super solvent, I'd say you should give it a second chance sometime. I was once completely against chemical degreasing, but now the solvent is all that I use, and Rittel gets free publicity every time I chime in. I should be on the payroll. Anyway, I'd like to hear more about your experiences with degreasing, not just on bears but on other skulls as well. And since you use beetles, I've been doing some things with them too and might have some useful information for you. I could chat about bones all day... Take care, Dave.
I use warm hot/warm water as well and I use old plastic ice chests with the lids removed for soaking bins. Keeps the solution warmer longer especially in winter months. I may have used too strong a mix with the Super Solvent and considered that a possibility. I will definately give it another try. Always open to a better way. I have a BIG bear skull coming up and might try the SS again. Thanks