I need some help I am bleaching a skull I wraped it in gauze and Iam soaking it in bleach.I was a little low on bleach so by wraping it the gauze wicks up the bleach an keeps everything evenly wet.how long should this take to get it white? thanks ED
Don't use bleach. It yellows, and deteriorates the skull. Use 40% Hydrogen Peroxide that you can get at the Beauty Supply stores.
I think it was on here last year where a gent used Dawn dishwashing detergent and very slowly boiled his skull as white as snow. He got the skull as clean as possible first, then cooked it once with Dawn, changed the water and repeat. Turned out white as snow. Run a search and see if it was here that I read that ?
Woops, I said "Boiled" his skull but he kept it on low heat and never had it boiling per say.
This thread will help you out. Use the Borax.
http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=050988#000000
I use bleach and never had a problem. I pour a gallon of bleach, 1 bottle of Peroxide, and the rest water into a galvinized drum. Just enough to cover the skull. I let in in there for 5 hours rinse it off good and let dry. Comes out perfect every time.
NO bleach. Bleach will continue to destroy the bone for many many years. Especially if it is exposed to UV. I have worked for man taxidermists and have had to repair lots of bleached skulls.
40% Hydrogen Peroxide, Commonly called Developer at places like Sallys Beauty supple. 8-9 Dollars a gallon.
If the bleach has already soaked in seal the bone with hodge podge or elmers wood rot preventer cut with water. It will help stabilize it.
My taxidermist soaks the skull in water for a few weeks, then boils for just a couple minutes to remove flesh. Then he paints on a paste of borax and peroxide.
Ditto the peroxide. I use a mist bottle also from the beauty supply. Hang in sunlight for a quick job. KEEP OFF THE ANTLERS ! Also while boiling the skull for cleaning , a trip to the car wash makes for easy cleaning. You will need a bath when done.
A tip for when boiling you can use Borax tide and a little dawn. I add in a little OXI Clean as well.
It's probably too late now but finding someone w/ beetles to clean it makes the skull look SOOO much better.
I just stick it in the woods under the galvinized can for 6 months. Just take it out and rince it off. No UV rays here. All the skulls are in the house. FerretWYO, is that if you use 100 percent bleach? I don't know why but my skulls are fine.
There is a bug you can buy that will eat it clean. I guess it depends on how many skulls you want to clean over a period of time.
I soaked one in bleach one time and it ruined the skull. It almost turned it into something like chalk, very brittle. I ended up spraying several coats of sealant on it. That has been many years ago, it is still holding up but it is now yellow and looks like crap.
wish I had asked before I put it in bleach,the skull is like a potatoe chip an the teeth are falling out all over the dam living room floor.owell live an learn
I have learnt the hard way too. You can get some Baking soda and make a paste or powder it all over the skull, it is suppose to neutralize the bleach (has worked for me). If it still not white follow some of the thread above with HP or soap. Take a picture and post, looking at it might help analyze what you need to do also. I have about 8 done like this and 3-4 done the right way.
Many- teeth will fall out even with beetles-you just glue them back that is common.
thanks everyone
Don't worry about teeth. Like others soda glue them in. You can use the stuff I mentioned before to stop the flaking.
I am not sure why but most I have seen with beach have that problem. Also that can happen if they are boiled dry as in ran out of water co wring the skull.
QuoteOriginally posted by Craig:
I just stick it in the woods under the galvinized can for 6 months. Just take it out and rince it off. No UV rays here. All the skulls are in the house. FerretWYO, is that if you use 100 percent bleach? I don't know why but my skulls are fine.
I am not sure. I have seen people use the 50/50 cut and some are ok. Most are not. I am glad yours are working though.
One day of simmer in Dawn with periodic cleaning with needle nose pliers, a brush, and even a little brush on a drill (lightly). Keep water off antlers. After it is completely clean-and still wet, I then coat it with peroxide cream from a beauty salon. Leave that overnight. (Don't get it on anything- turns white!) Rinse off and set it out in the sun. (if the teeth did fall out, glue them back in before it dries)
Perfect!
A clear coat really seals it after it dries.
Dan-
Teeth are just like ours, if you loose your gums no more teeth. Just like everyone else said glue them back in.
I used to use peroxide on all of my skulls, but recently I tried a flat white spray primer and they are turning out better than bleaching them. You cant even tell the diference between a bleached one and a primered one.
I put a hog head on a big fire ant hill and let them clean it. I removed all I could by hand first.
James
QuoteOriginally posted by KSdan:
A clear coat really seals it after it dries.
Dan-
Use paste wax for buffing floors instead. Rub it into the skull. Clear coat will eventually yellow with age.
I cut away as much as I can but leave the brain as is. Then I put the skull in a plastic bag and poke a hole in the bag. Flieswill go into the hole and lay eggs. The eggs hatch and the maggots will eat all the flesh off andactually turn everything into a soup since the bag keeps everything moist. Then I use the saly beauty supply peroxide and you are done. For hogsafter cleaned I soak in dawn and borax.
http://youtu.be/TO8r-VtF29Q
this shows the best way.
We have been using the cold water method for several years now. Take a cup of mud from the bottom of a pond and put it in a bucket. Fill the bucket with cold non-chlorinated water. Tie a stick to the antler that will keep them from going under water. Remove as much of the hide, meat and eyeballs from the head. Immerse the head in the bucket of water and put he entire setup down into a 55 gallon drum and cover it.
Usually the creatures in the pond mud will consume the remaining tissue on the skull within a month or two. Once you remove the skull from the water just washing it off will complete the process. 40% hydrogen peroxide in paste form works great to finish the whiting process.
QuoteOriginally posted by Plumber:
wish I had asked before I put it in bleach,the skull is like a potatoe chip an the teeth are falling out all over the dam living room floor.owell live an learn
:scared:
I simmered mine for about six hours while periodically scraping off the excess. After that I took it to the car wash and power washed it off with soap then rinse then sealed it after it dried for a week or so.
tusca- Thanks. Great idea. Have not had one yellow- but makes sense after time.