I need to know how to clean a alligator head so I can just have a skull mount
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Air hammer, ax, chisel, brute strength if it is big. Cut out tounge and eyes, skin out cheek meat and open up roof of mouth for the entire length of teeth.. clean out all that bits of bone and meat then go from there.
Ron if you are wanting a skull mount DO NOT chisel out the palate or open up the roof of the mouth. This method is used for a head mount but not for a skull mount.
For a skull mount only remove as much meat as possible including the tongue and eyes and the all that meat in the back of the head. Do not cut or hammer on any bones. Then after the meat is cut off, soak your skull in a tub of water. It will take some time (several weeks and even months) for the skull to be cleaned, but the bacteria in the water will start eating away the meat and skin. Keep a close eye on it and check your skull at least once a week. Anytime you can remove more tissue and skin do it.
Once all the meat and skin is off the skull rinse it off real good. Don't forget to rincse out the nasal passage really good as some meat could get stuck in there. Make sure your teeth are secured, they could be loose ore even coming out. Save them and after the bleaching process they can be glued back into their place.
If you have any question on the skull cleaning you can email me or read my article on skull cleaning on www.hidetanning.net.
thats what happens when one trys to think before coffee
Ron after the skull soaks in the water for a while it will start falling apart. The teeth will fall out and the bones will become "unfused". Don't freak they go back together easy and can be held together with elmers glue. This job will take alot of patients for the first time. If you can put the skull in something like a boiling basket and then put it to soak it will help. This keeps it from falling apart when you are pulling it in and out of the water and allows you to "take it apart" so you can see how it goes back together.
If you have any other questions just ask I have done several gator skulls.
BTW the bone is very pourous and will take 2 or three trips through the peroxide.
I keep the head in water for at least two months. And due to the season being in Sept. position the tub with the head to be in the suns heat, this will accelerate the bacteria. Leaving the head in longer is better due to the oils in the jaw hinge. If you take it out too soon there will be an off-color and odorous piece. I take the teeth out intentionally to ensure all tissue is gone, I want a dermested to die of starvation on my bone mounts. I soak the head in Malogon diluted water over night then peroxide the head over night. WASH the head after the peroxide, there will be a sheen of nasty stuff on top of the peroxide which has bubbled up stuff.