Hey guys I was going to whiten the skull from the buck I took earlier this year with some 40% peroxide that I got from the hair store, the lady also sold me some powder bleach she said to mix this with the peroxide and it would make a paste, she said this would bleach it. Has anyone else done this method? I was also wondering how long I should leave the paste on the skull? I dont want it to become more brittle than it already is from simmering the meat off. If anyone could help out that would be great :thumbsup:
I wouldn't put that bleach powder anywhere near the bone if I were you.
I've had excellent results with all kinds of skulls (raccoon, coyote, moose) boiling the bone in a solution of part hydrogen peroxide part water. I've always just used 3% peroxide from the grocery store so 40% should do just fine, try 1:2 peroxide to water or 1:1.
1. Put the bone in the solution and then turn the heat up so you don't crack the teeth.
2. Boil for 10-15 minutes, maybe not even that, and then scrub to make sure everything's clean.
A few times I've had to boil, scrub, boil, scrub, but I'm usually getting the meat off at the same time as I whiten.
Good luck!
go to woman"s store and get 40% peroxide cream and liquid. dont get any on the horns
Taxidermists use the bleach powder all the time. Mix it up to a consistency of peanut butter then brush it on the WET skull, let it sit overnight and then hose it off. It always works for me.
The powder mix is what I was taught to use in Germany where they do nearly all mounts as skull mounts. They also coated the skull with diluted white wood glue after it dried to seal the pores and make it easier to clean later.
Ron
At the Medical Examiners office we use peroxide and Borax, and boil it for all skulls and bones
I have used the powdered bleach and peroxide. Works great. I would boil it with soap a few times first. Try and get as clean as possible before bleaching it.
I have simmered it in just water for a few hours, then I did the same with soap and water. This removed about 90% of the meat and gunk. I then removed the rest and put some borax on the skull to soak up some grease and take some of the stink off. I then scrubbed the skull with soap and water and a toothbrush. I was planning on using the powder bleach and peroxide mix next. I just didnt know how long to leave it on for sure. The bone has already become somewhat brittle and I was afraid that if i boiled/simmered it anymore it would destruct. So I figured the powder would do.
vandykes taxidermy site has some stuff. just to save you some time -order today have it by Friday
You'll be just fine with what you have. I've done dozens that way.
I typically leave the bleach on for 24 hours. Maybe less if you are able to leave it out in the sun.
You can wrap the base of the antlers in tin foil if you're worried about getting bleach on them. I also use a q tip to get inside the small crevices.
Make sure it is thoroughly clean and stink free first.You can glue any loose bones with elmers glue.Mix the 40% peroxide and powder and apply liberally.Leave it on for 24 hrs or so.Hose it off and let dry.
You will see the paste whitening as it dries.Here is an elk skull I did.
(http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm219/bighorncooch/2011ELKPICS052.jpg)
I simmered my deer skull then and scraped it down, took it to the car wash and blasted it with soap then a rinse. It looked great after that.
(http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y275/420W/100_0883.jpg)
QuoteOriginally posted by lpcjon2:
At the Medical Examiners office we use peroxide and Borax, and boil it for all skulls and bones
Thats an interesting visual Tim! :scared:
The walrus in my profile avatar had such a stinch I was happy to drop the $250.00 to have it professionally done, which included a week in a tub of bugs that ate every piece of organic matter inside and out.
(http://i632.photobucket.com/albums/uu47/chromebuck/283592_4098885029321_874826353_n1.jpg)
~CB
I use Hydrogen Peroxide and cotton balls. Lay a mat of soaked balls over the whole skull, leave overnight. "Baste" with the HP that drips out(everything sitting in an old roaster pan) and should be good to go after 24 hours.
thanks for the replies guys gonna give it a shot this weekend
put the paste on like the lady told you, its the same stuff taxidermist have been using for years.
apply it with a small paint brush and jam it into the deep spots(nasal cavity)everywhere.leave it on in a thick coat, leave it in a dry place and let it dry.
then just brush it off with a stiff brush. just dont get any on the antlers because it will whiten them also.
like said earlier don't boil it simmer it keep checking until everything starts falling off. U can degrease it by simmering it in dawn detergent and water takes awhile too degrease. I use the paint on whitener and stand it in front of a heater for an hour or so then rinse. everything is pretty easy but u will have to dig the brain out. ron
I boil in water and borax then a trip to the carwash. You can clean one up pretty quick with the water pressure. The solution you have is fine. Sun lite speeds up the whitening. As mentioned before , stay off the antlers.
When you do the 1st simmer in water & borax, does it matter if the antlers are submerged?
not really, just dont put a big rack in a small pot, the whole idea is to cook the meat off the bone. find a metal 5 gal. bucket and cut in half, deep enough for the whole skull to be submerged. it doesent take that much heat. just like heating up some soup.
Pm sent
It is important to remove any grease before bleaching.This isn't always needed with deer but sometimes it is.When you are sure the skull is dry,if there are wet or waxy looking areas,that is grease.If it all looks dry,you are good to go.
The bleach you are talking about will work fine.I apply the bleach paste and then wrap the skull with cling wrap overnight.This keeps it wet and that keeps it active.Unwrap and rinse the next day.
After bleaching and drying,it should be sealed.The best thing I have found is Future floor finish,thinned 50/50 with water.This will soak in to all that porous,dry bone and not only seal but helps with the brittleness.Saturate the daylights out of it.
After the sealing and it drys,hit any loose nasal bone seams and teeth wit a little Elmers glue to tighten them up.Future is water based and will soften Elmers,so Elmers AFTER sealing with Future.
Cutting the Future with water:
1.Helps it penetrate deeper.
2.Makes it go farther-cheaper.
3.Keeps it from being shiny.
When finished,it won't have that dry,chalky feel but will feel more like a smooth eggshell.
If you get any bleach on the antler,it will take some color off but holler and I'll lay out how to get that back very easily.
Bleach will yellow after time and weaken the bone!
(http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm177/WhiteFalcon_photos/DSCN17970740.jpg)