Where will just clean a skull?

[Pete112288]

I got my very first nice bull elk. I want to do a euro mount. But I really want to do most of it myself. Does anyone know a taxidermist realitively close to Vancouver WA that would just clean the skull for me? Nothing else besides clean it. And what it might cost. Thank ya much

[BeerBugler]

You tube it, super easy. Do your own in about an hour, looks as good or better. White bone creations has good videos.

[buglebuster]

If you want to drive to Yakima, I can do that for you.

[jackelope]

You tube it, super easy. Do your own in about an hour, looks as good or better. White bone creations has good videos.

I don't want to be "that guy" but if you don't degrease and then peroxide or bleach or whatever, it won't look "as good or better" than a pro job. At least not for long. All that stuff takes a lot longer than an hour to do.
 

[Dhoey07]

IMO don't take it somewhere that boils it, you'll end up with an inferior product than if you use beetles or maceration.

[Brushcrawler]

Just try doing it yourself. It’s not that hard. Check out this thread:
http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,206560.msg2747944.html#msg2747944

[Boss .300 winmag]

Anyone ever pressure wash one to get the outside hunk off?

[PastorJoel]

Anyone ever pressure wash one to get the outside hunk off?

After spending WAY too much time trying other methods, yes.  It worked really well, as long as you don't mind losing some nose cartilage.  Boil, then pressure wash while wearing FULL rain gear (so its easier to wash the brain matter off of yourself).

[Tjv28]

Anyone ever pressure wash one to get the outside hunk off?

Yes. It works great. Skin it, boil it in water and arm & hammer laundry detergent, pressure wash, boil again in peroxide/water mix, rinse, done. The laundry detergent decreases and turns the remaining meat into gelatinous material. Comes off like meat off a well cooked fish

[runamuk]

You tube it, super easy. Do your own in about an hour, looks as good or better. White bone creations has good videos.

I don't want to be "that guy" but if you don't degrease and then peroxide or bleach or whatever, it won't look "as good or better" than a pro job. At least not for long. All that stuff takes a lot longer than an hour to do.

And boiling will break the structure of the bone down so while it works it's not the best way.

[buglebuster]

The amount of terrible info in this thread is amazing do not boil the skulls. Even if you are going to do it yourself. There is much better options and it will only cost you roughly $40. Another thing is you cannot degrease a skull in an hour, or a day, or hardly even 2 weeks. That white bone creations guys skulls look good freshly whitened but I'd love to see them in a few months or year. His method absolutely doesn't degrease the skull, and he breaks out all the nose bones. Says he doesn't like them and you can't get the skull clean without taking them out. That is false.

[boneaddict]

There’s the pro way and the redneck way.  It all depends what kind of final product you’d like.   I have a ton of redneck skulls, and it is a fun project.   

[PlateauNDN]

The self maceration process was fun at 1st.........Ive now decided that one try was enough and will leave it to the professionals.

Sure it cost a few bucks and time but in the end, it's all worth it.

[PolarBear]

If you want it to look nice, clean and mighty white DO NOT boil or pressure wash.  Maceration or beetles will get it clean without destroying the bone and proper de-greasing is paramount, otherwise in a couple of months it will turn yellow around the temples, eye sockets and such.

[NRA4LIFE]

I'm with Bone.  I've done probably 10 of them the "redneck" way and they turned out great.  A little bit of work, but worth it.  If you're wife is squeemish about the "boiling skull stench", make sure you do it outside, when she's not home too.

[lamrith]

Black River Taxidermy does just Euro prep the right way with beatles and then bath to remove oils.  I took my bear to him a few weeks ago.  He is a member here: BlackRiverTaxidermy

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/BlackRiver-Taxidermy-1698718457022432/

[Tjv28]

Do whatever you want.

[lewy]

What I do is wrap tightly in a plastic bag and let sit somewere safe, for me it's in the wood shed rafters, out of the direct sunlight so the antlers don't bleach. It will start to decay. Pull it out of the plastic and simmer for a few minutes and it's clean and not harmed from boiling. Then go threw a one month degreasing process, then peroxide with the 37% stuff. One warning is that the initial smell and sight is unpleasant but is short lived. This cost very little and turns out very nice with all nasal bones perfect.

[Dhoey07]

What I do is wrap tightly in a plastic bag and let sit somewere safe, for me it's in the wood shed rafters, out of the direct sunlight so the antlers don't bleach. It will start to decay. Pull it out of the plastic and simmer for a few minutes and it's clean and not harmed from boiling. Then go threw a one month degreasing process, then peroxide with the 37% stuff. One warning is that the initial smell and sight is unpleasant but is short lived. This cost very little and turns out very nice with all nasal bones perfect.

If you cut off as much as you can, it'll help the process go faster....the smell will be the same though 

[JakeLand]

Last year I had Bugs-N-Bones do a blacktail for me with the Beatles and it turned out fantastic!
I recommend someone with Beatles

[lewy]

What I do is wrap tightly in a plastic bag and let sit somewere safe, for me it's in the wood shed rafters, out of the direct sunlight so the antlers don't bleach. It will start to decay. Pull it out of the plastic and simmer for a few minutes and it's clean and not harmed from boiling. Then go threw a one month degreasing process, then peroxide with the 37% stuff. One warning is that the initial smell and sight is unpleasant but is short lived. This cost very little and turns out very nice with all nasal bones perfect.

If you cut off as much as you can, it'll help the process go faster....the smell will be the same though 

Yes forgot to add that, trim off everything possible first

[O. hemionus]

I've been doing this for some time now as a hobby (not professionally) and have learned a few things in doing so. BUT, I would definitely listen to the pros on here before you listen to me - they know what they are doing. I'd say my skulls are halfway between redneck and pro. I first started out boiling all my skulls in Sal Soda, which turns the meat into jelly. HOWEVER, depending on the animal, some skulls start to dissolve at the zygomatic arches and saggital crest if left in for too long. It depends on the type of animal. Additionally - this is very important - I found that within approx. 1 year of boiling skulls from a variety of different animals, the tooth enamel on all of my carnivores started to crack and flake off. Not the rodents, not the deer, not the ducks - mainly carnivores. I believe this is a byproduct of boiling. I don't have beetles (wish I did) but for now I either macerate my small skulls (phew - very stinky!) or try removing the flesh in warm (but not boiling) water. Unfortunately, that still usually results in having to scrape out the nasal bones. If you want those intact, stick with beetles.

After removing all the tissue and rinsing in water, I soak my skulls in Kemsol degreaser. I have purchased this from taxidermy supply stores online. It is reusable, and works great! I haven't had any issues with skulls turning yellow or greasy once I have soaked them in this degreaser.

In terms of whitening - I used to mix the hair care peroxide with the hair care bleaching powder, then paint it on. However, I wasn't super impressed with the results, and it was difficult to get the whitening paste in the skull case and nasal passages. I switched to using straight 3% peroxide baths (the stuff in the brown bottles), and that seems to do the trick just fine.

Anyway, just my  I will probably have my bear that I shot this year professionally done since it was my first bear and is a pretty good sized one.

[PolarBear]

If you want it dull and as if you found it in the woods, boil/simmer and bleach with household peroxide.  If you want it bright and mighty white macerate, completely degrease and use this stuff or 50 volume if you can get it.  I've done well over 100 skulls (probably closer to 200) from raccoons on up to bison and Texas longhorns.  This stuff is da bomb.  You have to get it at a beauty or taxidermy supply.  Luckily my wife owns a salon and gets it for me on the cheap. 

[Eric M]

If you want it dull and as if you found it in the woods, boil/simmer and bleach with household peroxide.  If you want it bright and mighty white macerate, completely degrease and use this stuff or 50 volume if you can get it.  I've done well over 100 skulls (probably closer to 200) from raccoons on up to bison and Texas longhorns.  This stuff is da bomb.  You have to get it at a beauty or taxidermy supply.  Luckily my wife owns a salon and gets it for me on the cheap. 

Very nice. Professional looking.

[PolarBear]

Thank you! 

[lokidog]

You will ALWAYS get best results with a controlled environment and beetles.

Having said that, I've pretty much always skinned my skulls, then put them in a mostly tight grocery bag and left them somewhere outside for the winter.  Make sure to tie the antlers to something or hang them so critters cannot drag them off.

I usually end up leaving mine out too long and the antlers bleach and the skulls are hard to get really white though.

If I had one that I wanted to display forever, I would pay to have it done, and done without boiling.  An elk I had done was boiled and has few nasal bones, a deer I had done, got bumped and basically exploded from being so brittle.   

[Tjv28]

I just did this one the “redneck” way and it isn’t brittle and I think it looks great.