Skull Brightening

[littletoes]

Got this at Sally's Beauty Supply.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Yeah thats what they were talking about.  I was told to ask for peroxide.  So I thought I was looking for a clear liquid!  OK now I got to find a Beauty Supply shop that sells it!  Thanks Guys 

[PolarBear]

Littletoes, that will work juuuust right!  Now get some BW 2 and you've got 'er whipped.
Bone, thanks!  That buck is from my usual stomping grounds.  I shoved an arrow in him a half dozen years ago or so. He just hangs around my shop now.   I am almost done with this years Tacoma Creek dink.  I'll post a pic when it is dry.  Yep, I usually spray a clear coat on all my heads in order to seal and keep dust & junk from getting into the pores and discoloring them.  It also makes it easier to blow the dust off of them.  If you dont like the shine, rough it up with a scotch-brite pad to dull it up a bit.  

[billythekidrock]

If you dont like the shine, rough it up with a scotch-brite pad to dull it up a bit. 

I used to hate the shine when the taxi would coat them, but over time I got to thinkin that it looks like the buck has been rained on...which was my fav time to hunt them.

[M_ray]

Michelle, My wife is a National Sales Manager for a Italian hair care Company, She tells me you can go into Sally's or Karen's in Olympia and ask for 40 volume cream peroxide. It is also known as developer also a dry powdered bleach, mix the two together into a paste (this is easy to control) and paint it on leave it until the desired whiteness and rinse it off! I only leave mine on over night and I don't get Fancy with bags or anything I just leave it out 1 night.


I am with Boneaddict on this one too I don't spry my skulls I like the natural look.


You do have to be careful where you put the mix as it will turn the brown white if you get it above the crowns, I use 2 1/2 " shrink wrap and wrap them up as high as I can to protect them ... leave it on until you are through rinsing.

I also do not like to brush anything on them I personally like to see all the natural imperfections and squiggly lines ... just personal preference.

[Michelle_Nelson]

   Alright I went to Sally's and the lady their actually knew what I was talking about when I asked for the 40 Vloume Developer.     I am still 3 for 3 on the funny looks when I told her what it was for.

Alright here is the deal.  The bear skull I am going to use this on have already been in the 3% peroxide for 3 days and it has done nothing to the orange/yellow blotches on either side of the bears face where the Bullet went though and embeded inside the roof of the mouth.

I Know what the blotches are and I am pretty sure it was cause from trauma due to the bullet.  Ya think this Developer will get this to turn white?


If I put the developer on the skull can I wash it off after 24 hours and re-apply it if it's not white enough? 

I've done tons of deer skulls in the past.  Never had any of my customers want a bear skull cleaned.
 

[M_ray]

Michelle , Yes if you do not get the desired whiteness you can re-apply as many times as it takes. Did you also get the dry powdered bleach? you need to mix them together into a paste and brush it on Sally's also has the mixing bowls and the brushes allthough I use the plain wooden handled throw aways you get at the hardware store.

[Washington M]

Cabela's has a skull bleaching kit, just ordered it for a bear skull, I'll let you know how it works, really cheap and seems like it has it all, even has an epoxy to keep the teeth set.

[archery288]

ordered the cabelas kit myself a few years back... they own van dikes taxidermy if I am not mistaken??!! (michelle you can probably answer that) anyways, I went to a salon and got bleach and stuff a while back before even reading this post and it worked great! not sure what stuff I purchased, but it worked and my bear skulls look awesome! I will have to post some pics after I get down to my dads next to take some!

[Michelle_Nelson]

Yes Cabelas owens VanDykes Taxidermy Supply.  I beleive they also own Van Dykes Studios as well.  That is why I couldn't get a job at a Cabelas store if I wanted to.  I've heard that they do taxidermy work for the public but I don't have any details on that.  The last I heard was their turn around was 5 years or something rediculous like that.  I don't know if that is true or not.   

[Michelle_Nelson]

Yes I got the powdered bleach also.  Going to mix it up and put it on tonight.

Do I put the paste on a dry or wet skull?

[archery288]

well that sucks! and 5 years turn around??!! there is no way I'd ever wait that long to have a mount done! thats just ridiculous! and I bet they are through the roof??!

[Michelle_Nelson]

This is all hearsay.  I don't know if they do public taxidermy or not.  I have heard it from about a dozen people that they do!  I have heard from atleast 2 or 3 people that their turn around is between 2.5 and 5 years. 

I have looked on the internet several times to see if cabelas has a taxidermy studio and offers to do work for the public but I can't find anything on the subject.  I did see that they do sell mounted animals.  I think the Bison Head I saw was going for something like 1,699.00 = shipping.   

[Michelle_Nelson]

OK, I got the bear skull all painted up.  I guess I should have asked.  How much of this stuff do I need to put on a 9 1/2 inch bear skull.  Just paint it on or do I need to glop it on their pretty thick.  I think I used between 3/4 and 1 cup of the stuff.  Put all of it on their and put it inside a 2 gallon ziplock bag.  So far so good?

[M_ray]

Do I put the paste on a dry or wet skull?

Michelle,
preferably dry I put mine on dry not sure what happens if anything when put on wet? the only thing I can think of since the mix is a bit wet anyway would Be that it may dilute it some.