how do you make skulls look good

[RAWCJW]

I have a couple skulls w/ horns that are cleaned no meat. What do you do to make the horns look good? Sanding? polishing? peroxide?

 

[millstreaminn]

I think Mike Rowe of Dirty Jobs boiled the skulls then soaked them in peroxide to whiten. I don't think it was the drug store strength peroxide either.

 

[A6gal]

after soaking in peroxide, spray paint with white paint, flat or glossy depending on the look you want.

 

[kjones]

The 3% peroxide you get in the drug store should be strong enough. Someone on these boards with taxidermy expeerience will know better what to use. It would be a good idea to stay away from industrial strength peroxide as it can be very dangerous and volitile.

 

[sewall]

I have bleached many deer skulls and they looked as good as the taxidermist. If you can, go to a beaty supply store and get a product called Clairol Basic White and also some 40 volume peroxide. It doesn't cost much so that should'nt be a problem. Mix it according to the directions and put it all over the skull in every nook and cranny. Be sure not to get this on the horns or it will bleach them too. Next, cover or wrap the skull where air can't get to it and leave it like that for a about a week. After a week take it out and let it dry and brush all the mixture off the skull. As for the horns, I usually put linseed oil on my deer antlers. I don't know if it works the same for horns though. If you do this, it should produce a very nice looking skull. If you have leftovers that you don't wan't, you can always give it to your wife or ladyfriend to use on her hair. Hope this helps.

 

[TLCfromARK]

Sewall is correct on his method. A few words of caution, get all the "meat" out of the skull by boiling and scraping it. Also the mixture has strong fumes, doing the work outside the house works best unless it's your wife's deer head you're working on. :lol: You may need gloves when handling the peroxide, it may burn your hands a little.

As for as keeping it off the horns you can use the blue painter's tape ( it's not as sticky as other tapes ) and wrap up the horns a few inches.

;-)

 

[MikeC]

Put it on top of a fireant hill.

It'll be clean as a whistle in a day or so.

 

[Susie David]

I have some that have been out in the weather for two years...hide still on the darn things.
Will be hard to sell to the town folks that way, especially with the .22 hole in the forehead.
DMc

 

[Julian]

For skulls that do not have the hulls still left on the horns I have put them in a tub with 1 gallon of bleach and fill with water until the whole thing is submersed.

I have also observed the fire-ant method when we lived in Texas. Most skulls that we found had already been through this process.

 

[Earl Thigpen]

Bleach.

 

[novatech]

The horns should pull off in most cases. On or off if they are in need of cleaning take a knife and scrape them.
If they are very bad you can even use a grinder or sander on them. Be careful they are very thin at the base. Some people cut off that thin ragged edge at the base. The knife scraped finish does come out well.

 

[Herefordcross]

After cleaning them up good. A few good coats of polyurethane.

 

[certherfbeef]

Bleach will weaken the bone. Be careful.

 

[Just_a_girl]

One part bleach, one part water. Let soak for a few days of days.

I had to put together the skeleton of a dead animal for a science project one time. I soaked the bones in bleach and water for a few days.....turned out fine.

Good luck...

 

[RAWCJW]

The skulls are pretty clean so I will whiten them, but what do I need to do to the outer horns? they look rough and flakey. Thanks

 

[ROCKSPRINGS]

The skulls are pretty clean so I will whiten them, but what do I need to do to the outer horns? they look rough and flakey. Thanks

Put liquid shoe polish (light brown) on the horns. If you want them darker just use another coat of polish. Test on a board first. If you need any fire ants, let me know, FREE :lol: :lol:

 

[Joey Martin]

The mixture of peroxide and the other stuff works great , you may be able to find a skull whiting kit at your local gun or sports store , as for the horns , leave them on the skull and scrape the larger flakes with your knife , be careful not to gouge them , then slip them off if they will and use sand paper to smooth them , the grinder will leave flat spots which is ok if it will be high enough that folks won't get a good look at it . after all is like you want it rinse it off and hang it to dry for a few days in the sun and slip the horns back on the skull . the best stuff i have used is an epoxy acrilic clear spray , it is strong and leaves a great finish , $10.00 at the crafts store , it is good!

 

[ga. prime]

I caught a 20 pound Gar fish in a gill net a few years ago. After cutting his head off with a chainsaw, I placed it on a fire ant mound so the ants could clean it. An Armadillo made off with the head.

 

[tytower]

When you get them all ready you might try a marine varnish . Reason being the ultra-violate light is stopped by this and lengthens the life

That works on number plates too and when the flash goes off at night the number plate can't be read

 

[Brahma Bull]

I boiled the deer skulls then bleach them.Did the same to a indu-brazilian cow skull,had a whicked set of horns.Came out great.Looked so good,some thief took it off our front gate last month.