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.

[kschab123]

Right. I did my bull last year with volume 40 and basic white from sally's beauty supply. Am gonna try just volume 40 this year. I ordered the gel from amazon.

[Pathfinder101]

Right. I did my bull last year with volume 40 and basic white from sally's beauty supply. Am gonna try just volume 40 this year. I ordered the gel from amazon.

  Yup, that's the stuff.  I get it from Sally's too.  I couldn't remember the name, but yes, it is Volume 40.  Pour it over the skull, then use a paint brush to get it in all the little crevices. 

[Crunchy]

I just finished a bear skull a couple of weeks ago.  I bought the paste/gel by accident.  I did one gallon of the gel and a gallon of hot water.  Let it soak with the fish tank thermometers going for 24 hrs.  Turned out perfect.

[LDennis24]

If you guys have high volume peroxide make the kids some elephant toothpaste in this cold air and it will look awesome! You know, after you do your mounts and have some left over. Lol

[Magnum_Willys]

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.

Oxiclean and Dawn.   I didn't even need to put hydrogen peroxide bleach paste on it but you might need to. 

[Magnum_Willys]

If you guys have high volume peroxide make the kids some elephant toothpaste in this cold air and it will look awesome! You know, after you do your mounts and have some left over. Lol

  Say What ??

[LDennis24]

Watch this stuff!

https://sciencebob.com/fantastic-foamy-fountain/

[LDennis24]

[blindluck]

I’ve used the Sally’s stuff Works good but, in my opinion there is a better way to whiten and you get it white inside and out by submersion. 

[kschab123]

Haha, was wondering what elephant toothpaste was. Still soaking the skull in dawn and water, changing and refreshing with hot tap water wvery couple days. Will probably put peroxide on it this weekend.

[Pathfinder101]

Doing 3 deer skulls right now.  I have never boiled in borax before (always just used water).  It did seem to take the flesh off faster (I did two antelope last week, and even though they are smaller it took longer than the deer I did last night).
I talked to a few people that said to take it right out of the borax and bleach it.  I don't see how that would work without some degreasing. Both skulls came out of the borax with a lot of dark in them.  I know that is oil, so I am degreasing as I always do; got two skulls soaking in blue Dawn and warm water now (they'll degrease for at least a week).  Finishing the boiling/picking job on the 3rd skull tonight.   

[kschab123]

How long are you boiling? I felt like i probably boiled too long, but it seemed the minimum for the meat to come off.

[Magnum_Willys]

Remember to use Oxiclean NOT Oxyclean.  Available at Walmart.

[Pathfinder101]

How long are you boiling? I felt like i probably boiled too long, but it seemed the minimum for the meat to come off.

I think I got the meat off by boiling with borax for about 1 1/2 hours (I didn't time it).  I kept pulling it out, pressure washing it off and putting it back in until it came clean.

[Pathfinder101]

Remember to use Oxiclean NOT Oxyclean.  Available at Walmart.

Didn't realize there was a difference.  If I do another skull this year, I'll try Oxiclean...

[Pathfinder101]

So, after the 2 antelope skulls I did, I had to run to Sally's to get some more Volume 40 hair goo.  There was another fella in there buying the same stuff.  He was also getting a small bag of "Quick White" powder (on the same shelf as the Volume 40).  He swore by the stuff, saying that he mixed the powder in with the Volume 40 until it was "peanut butter" consistency.  I tried it on our deer.  Painted it on and left it for about 12 hours then washed it off and let it sit in the sun for a day.  Brilliant white. 
Don't know if I will always use the stuff though.  Volume 40 peroxide is about $5 a bottle.  The Quick White was like $25.   

[Sutherland]

Oh awesome those turned out great!

[Pathfinder101]

.

[kschab123]

Thats what i used last year but i feel like it made the skull kinda chalky. Wanted a more smooth skull look i guess. Anyways... soaked my bull in hot tap water and dawn dish soap for about a week (wife got pretty tiree of it in the basement) so let it dry and painted on the volume 40 cream and covered with a garbage bag. Checked every day and applied.more for 3 days. I washed it off today. Not as white as i would like. Probably needed to degrease more. Might just go with the volume 40 mixed with basic white to finish it off as it seems like its taking a long time. What do you guys think?

[kschab123]

Not sure why the photos are upside down.

[snake]

Bull looks great, call it a victory.

[Pathfinder101]

Thats what i used last year but i feel like it made the skull kinda chalky. Wanted a more smooth skull look i guess. Anyways... soaked my bull in hot tap water and dawn dish soap for about a week (wife got pretty tiree of it in the basement) so let it dry and painted on the volume 40 cream and covered with a garbage bag. Checked every day and applied.more for 3 days. I washed it off today. Not as white as i would like. Probably needed to degrease more. Might just go with the volume 40 mixed with basic white to finish it off as it seems like its taking a long time. What do you guys think?

looks good to me   

[kschab123]

Seemed to whiten up a bit after it dried. Looks better. Might hit the top with a bit more volume 40. I really have nowhere to put it though. Need taller ceilings!

[Pathfinder101]

They usually do whiten up when they dry.  I always try to put them out in the sun for a day or two after the peroxide.  Maybe that does something... maybe it doesn't .  'Course... not much you can do about that when it's raining...

[kschab123]

Haha yeah, we don't get much sunlight at pur house either.