Tips on keeping tear ducts hair to hair?

I use a little bit of Apoxie Sculpt and tuck the tear duct into that and be sure to use a good hide paste that will help out a ton. You shouldn't have to put any pins or anything in the duct as long as the skin is thinned really good. Hope that helps!

 

I place 1 pin through all 3 layers of skin & MOST IMPORTANTLY I "handle" my mounts for a min. of 4 days depending on how these trouble spots are drying. Just keep squeezing it closed. The pin comes out in about 7 days.

 

Pro1 paste! Haven't had one open since switching. The stuff is the real deal

 

I first thin the area, if it's paper thin, which is .005" it's too thick. If I can see through it to the point where I can almost read through it, then we are getting there. I also thin in a big circle about an inch beyond the actual gland. I make sure the lachrymal crease is as thin as the tear duct. I make the slot in the mannikin very thin, stuff it full of hide paste and slightly over tuck it. I baby sit and refine them for 4 to 6 days until dry. I rarely have an issue with them.

 

First thing is to make sure you have it thinned. I always cut it open and slip a small fleshing cone in and get it as thin as possible. Helps line it up while your mounting because you can open it up and position it right where you want it. I place a small amount of clay above the slot where the tear duct is tucked and after it is tucked i grab the skin above the tear duct and move the clay so it "pinches" shut.

 

Stretch the face, and stretch the eye and gland skin well after thinning, you want slack skin everywhere on the face, taxi and push the extra skin towards the eye and gland area, it will have minimal shrink when the skin is not tight, you want slack everywhere. Pack the extra skin up to the gland slot, and keep that slot thin and tight.

 

X2 storing some slack skin is key also for keeping your lip in the front from pulling.

 

The way you guys are describing it.............I guess the 16 penny nails and the Gorilla glue is a bit of an overkill?

 

Don't tell me that Tim, I just spent $300 on a framing nailer.

 

All sounds good to me.

 

I've noticed that on whitetail I never have problems with the tear duct. On the blacktail/mulies the duct tends to open a tiny bit more times than not and I shave very thin around the whole area, have used Pro-1, T-pins, have slack skin, and babysit it for 4-5 days afterward. It opens very little so I fill it with apoxy and cover with dirt. When it dries I brush it off and it looks fine, but I'd love to know how to stop it. I've tried all the above suggestions.

 

I use a little roll of critter clay above the tear duct and plenty of glue, I slightly over tuck, and stock pile a little extra skin in that area, one pin on the top and one on the bottom for two days. Then pull pins out, smooth the clay and check for next day or two. Usually does not move much after 2nd day. I use Romans 555 for glue, am going to try Pro 1 when this gallon runs out.

 

I read an article somewhere that using super glue works. They tucked it where they wanted it and inserted the nozzle into the gland and squirted away. I tried it and it worked. No pulling away. It was hard to control the amount of glue to keep it only inside and the gland dried a little unnaturally shaped as if it was too closed off. With a little practice I think it would work good. I, for some reason, have trouble trusting super glue's long term bonding power.

 

I have heard the super glue gel is easier to control the flow...

 

The gel is what I used, but glue and I are a messy pair. If I put glue on my ear liners I'll look out the window 10 feet away and it will be splattered with the glue or I'll put hide paste (with a gloved hand) on my form, take the glove off and toss it. When come in at night and go to take off my hat, my hair will be hide pasted to the inside of my hat. Lol.

 

the gentleman that taught me used supper glue also. I wasn't sure about it. so I would keep an eye on it till the customer picked it up. none of them never opened up. he had one there that was over a year done. the customer never came. and to this day it still closed. were talking about 7 to 8 years now. so I also use it. so far so good. but I also pinch it every day for about 4 days.

 

thanks for the tips guys, i haven't had it happen yet but now i know what to do when it does.

 

One thing about the super glue, is that it will run right through the skin and into the hair if you use to much, I use to do nostrils with it, the leather will soak it up like a sponge.

 

I've been bagging mine for a few days and then opening the bag but still leaving the head covered and allowing to dry very slowly for the first week after mounting. I feel this has helped with all of the trouble spots, antler bases, tear ducts, and ears drumming.