Which Hide Paste to Use

If you're using a paste now that you get good results with why worry? When I was in taxidermy school we used the dry paste that McKenzie's sells. You mix it with water and it's ready to use. It worked fine but then someone said you've got to try Buckeye and so I did. Liked it used it until McKenzie's came out with their new paste. It's the first paste I have really seen a difference in. If you have a well shaved hide and there is a detail in the form that you don't want to show you had better fill it clay or something because McKenzie paste will suck it into it! I know some don't like it but I swear by the stuff.

 

I feel there is not one do all hide paste. I have different ones on hand and they all serve different purposes I think the buckeye surpreme tacks up to fast when mounting, preventing much time to taxi the skin. You need to go back and look and tweek the mount as it dries. I use it for some earliner work and other jobs where I want it to set up a little quicker. Buckeye has another hide paste similar to Mc Kenzie's new hide paste. (white stuff) I like both of them and they give you good work time for tweeking the next day. I use I believe it's a dextrin base hide paste from VanDyke. I use it on the African animals just like they advertise. It works great for them and other mounts too. It really gives you nice look when having to add wrinkles in the mount. I've been using that one on all lifesize and more and more on whitetail mounts and like it a lot. They all serve the same purpose it mainly depends on how your form is prepped and how good the skin is prepped and fitted. I could take any of the hide pastes out there today and have great results. If drumming is a problem then it is likely bad prep some where or a bad fitting tight hide.

 

I have been using Lifetone hidepaste on my gameheads with good results, cause it bonds within a couple hours. For lifesize i use either a dextrine based paste or cheap white caulk for more working time.

 

I Agree with Bill, I use lifetone paste for all my gamehead Mount's, and Lifesize. I usually mount all of my lifesize wet tanned which helps from the paste drying to quickly.

 

Buckeye supreme for larger areas and Epo-Grip waterbase on the facial or highly detailed areas. Works for me.

 

Dean's point should be taken seriously. In doing gamehead, Buckeye is spectacular, but it does tend to tack up quicker than I'd like on my lifesize. Epo-Grip water based gives me that extra day to taxi the hide and that's enough reason for me.

 

Kenny, that's the epoxy based hide paste. The water paste takes about 3 days.

 

I agree with George on the life size. I like the Epo-Grip water based. It works great and it's easy to move the hide around to get everything in position. The only problem is that if you apply too much it tends to "drool" and pool to the bottom of the mount.

 

When I first started I used Sallie Dahmes hide paste. Through the years I tried other dry mix hide pastes, but none of them compare to Buckeye Supreme. Try it, and you'll never go back to the dry mix! I haven't tried the new Mackenzie paste yet, so I can't comment on how it compares, but Buckeye Supreme works great, and I like the fact that I don't have to take time to mix it.