Euro Mount Help

[kschab123]

Hey everyone. I am in the process of processing my bull this year for a euro mount, I was in a pretty big rush to process the meat and kinda left the head hanging. I had thought about maybe taking it to someone with beetles to cleab in but it got pretty rotten and infested with maggots and i heard beetle guys wont take rotten heads. Anyways, simmered it for 4 hours about and cleaned most the meat off but there still was some hanging on so simmered it for maybe 2 hours a couple days layer and got the rest off. Im worried maybe i boiled it too long as some parts seem porous and chalky. its also a bit greasy at this point. Was just wondering if anyone jad any insight on the best approach from this point forward. Here are some pics. Does this skull look ok?

[kschab123]

Kind of flaky here...

[blindluck]

Simmering actually works good if you stay on top of it, what did you put In The water, something made it flake. The next step is to degrease then whiten.

[Wolfdog2314]

I simmer with some oxy clean or baking soda and some dawn dish soap. The  oxy clean seems to work the best in there. I’d give it another low simmer with that combo.

[snake]

Skulls fine, I've done hundreds of them and put 1/2 to a full box of 20 mule team borax in when I boil.

[kschab123]

I put baking soda in it initially. Was thinking of giving it another warm soak with dawn to get the grease out. I did my bull from last year and I think the temp got too hot. Used peroxide mixed with basic white and it turned out ok. Just wanted to get something better for this guy. Really wish i would have caped him.

[kschab123]

It did come to a boil here and there while simmering but i really was trying to stay on top of it.

[JBar]

I use Oxyclean and dawn soap as mentioned above. Simmer only never boil as too much heat will make it brittle. You only need to simmer 45 minutes to an hour. Pressure wash the majority off and use picks and clean out everything else. Sounds like you may have already cooked it too long.

[kschab123]

Yeah, im kind of thinking I did cook it too long. Wondering what the best approach might be at this point.

[fowl smacker]

Just soak it now in hot (like tap water hot) water and dawn dish soap.

[kschab123]

Probably will give that a go. Then soak in peroxide. Will let you guys know how it turns out. Thanks for the replies.

[andersonjk4]

I have beetles and you are right... I won’t take anything that is rotting and has maggots.

To properly and fully degrease a large skull like that it will take time. I use dawn dish soap and a fish tank heater. Replace the water every few days until you stop seeing signs of grease in the water. Could take weeks depending on how much grease is still in the bone.

[Pathfinder101]

Skull looks fine so far.  It's gonna turn out great.  Degrease it (I do this by soaking it in a tub of water with a liberal squirt of blue Dawn dishsoap mixed in for a few weeks - at least 2-3 weeks for an elk-), then take it out and let it dry for a night.  The next morning coat everything white with peroxide hair goo (I get it at the beauty supply place-they're not really supposed to sell it to you unless you have a license to do hair- but if you just tell them you are bleaching bone, they let you buy it.) and let it sit in the sun for about 12 hours.  Wash off the hair goo, and let it sit in the sun for another day or two.  Should be done.

[kschab123]

Ok, thanks guys. Gonna give it a go this weekend. Will keep you posted!

[Angry Perch]

Ok, thanks guys. Gonna give it a go this weekend. Will keep you posted!

Just remember that the stuff Pathfinder is talking about is not the hydrogen peroxide you get from the drug store. This stuff is white and creamy.