Developer Vs Shock Oxidizer

We mainly use baquacil oxidizer on our deer skulls. It's 27% peroxide versus 12% with the volume 40. I guess for me the pros are, it's not that expensive, I can get a gallon for $25 locally at the pool store. It doesn't take as long to whiten a skull with it compared to the vol 40, but I still usually let it soak for 48 hours. I use it straight and don't need to use the whitening powder with it. We did just over 70 deer skulls this year and we used 2 gallons. I could tell they were getting weaker but still worked.
The cons, it's very strong and will burn you. I'm sure you've had the vol 40 get on you and know how that feels, this is worse. I always wear gloves and goggles.

 

Yeah, the product was weakening...I'd soak the skulls an extra day towards the end of our season...
I wouldn't recommending heating peroxide at all. For one thing it will weaken the peroxide and you won't get as many uses out of it, and the risk of injury. I think the higher percentage is flammable, not sure the 27% is, but heating it makes it unstable and can react with the metal pot causing a fire.

 

I'm sure others will chime in at some point but I don't heat my peroxide, I think some do. I normally soak the skull for 48 hours, remove from the peroxide and immediately submerge the skull in the hottest tap water I have and I'll let it soak in that for about an hour. Then I set my skulls out in the sunlight for a couple days to fully dry.

 

I positively use the pool stuff if I can get it locally. A whole lot stronger and yes more dangerous that the 40 VOL but that stuff is hazardous too. Do NOT heat it, but don't dilute it either. Not only do you weaken it and shorten it's useful lifespan but merely adding water to it could cause an issue if you have a high iron content in your water. I can not stress how dangerous this stuff can be IF YOU ARE CARELESS. Treat it like the hazard it is and you will be fine. Do not splash it, wear goggles or glasses if you must. If you get this in your eye you will be instantly and permanently blinded. Assume the 40 vol will do the same thing. Make sure that kids and pets (and stupid friends) don't get anywhere near it. It is not flammable, not like gas, acetone or alcohol. It doesn't burn but the reaction it causes with organic materials can create enough heat to start a fire. I have a 5 gallon bucket of it with at least 2 or 3 gallons in it. All skulls I do, I submerge and soak, no heat, for 24 hours. On thin boned skulls, even less time. As time progresses and I run multiple skulls through the bucket, it does get weaker in strength but you just let them sit a little longer to make up for it. When I'm done with it and refill the bucket with new, I take the old stuff and wash down the deck with it. Still has enough strength to it to lighten the wood a bit and kill off the green algae. After a bit, just hose it all off.