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First Euro Mount Advise (pictures Included)

Discussion in 'Beginners' started by tanner1, Nov 22, 2020.

  1. tanner1

    tanner1 New Member

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    I am doing my first European mount. I have read many of the articles on here regarding degreasing, bleaching, macerating the skull, and sealing it with paraloid B72. I decided to simmer the skull for a few hours, never to boiling temperature, for the macerating part. During this I used Dawn dish soap as a degreaser. For bleach I used the 40 volume peroxide. The paraloid should arrive by Friday.

    I have a few questions, or ready for critiques before I seal it.

    - Does the skull look to be completely degreased?
    - Anyone ever use beeswax, linseed oil, and turpentine on antlers?
     

    Attached Files:

    msestak likes this.
  2. Tanglewood Taxidermy

    Tanglewood Taxidermy Well-Known Member

    It looks good to me. Nice work.
    Maceration, though, is soaking it in warm water for a period of time. Not simmering or boiling.

    I have used boiled linseed oil for years and then George suggested using turpentine mixed with the linseed oil. That is what I would use on your antlers and don't get any on the skull.
     
    msestak likes this.

  3. joeym

    joeym Old Murphey

    I don't put anything on antlers. I do give them a good scrubbing after skinning to remove blood and dirt. Horns are a different matter. They tend to fade and become really dull. George's turpentine/linseed oil formula works great on them.
     
    msestak likes this.
  4. Richard C

    Richard C Well-Known Member

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    Nice work !
     
    msestak likes this.
  5. Mandi

    Mandi Well-Known Member

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    I also think it's well done.
     
    msestak likes this.
  6. Mike Powell

    Mike Powell Well-Known Member

    Doesn’t appear to have any grease spots. The skull looks good. Like Joey, I don’t put anything on antlers, but on horns yes.
     
  7. tanner1

    tanner1 New Member

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    Here is the final product. I probably spent close to 25 hours doing my first euro mount. Much of that was cleaning off the flesh with knives and picks. Please pick apart flaws and improvements I could make. Please seriously pick it apart, though young, I am not a snowflake.
    00A258C3-573B-415C-A479-6FA3A8258D75.jpeg 00CDBA2A-1C26-41CA-BDF6-BCAC266E4838.jpeg EAEB53E7-8E92-4CF9-8664-A85E76FD1221.jpeg 3488F741-9357-4669-9E20-50922A16EFB9.jpeg
     
    Lance.G likes this.
  8. Tnrandy

    Tnrandy Well-Known Member

    Doesn't look bad at all...my first recommendation would be to switch to maceration. We did the simmer and pick method for a few year and it takes a lot more work than maceration. If you can make the switch I highly recommend that in the future.
     
  9. Tanglewood Taxidermy

    Tanglewood Taxidermy Well-Known Member

    You asked for, you got it.
    The "BAD" list first.
    1)

    Now that we got that out of the way, the "GOOD" list.
    1) everything
     
    Dwb5 and Tnrandy like this.