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Bleached Skull

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smdave:
Okay my freezer still has a deer head in it from last year, how do I go from this whole head to a nice white bleached skull?

Dave

boneaddict:
I boil the heck out of it, being as careful as possible not to boil the antler portion of it as it discolors your antlers.  I then use a chemical that I promised I would look up for Jackelope and haven't yet, mixed to a paste with hydrogen peroxide.  It leaves a very even nice white bleached look without using the bleach and without getting bleach on your antlers.  One thing you have to watch is overbleaching your skull which breaks down the porous bone.  Its also hard to get an overall even appearance.   You can bleach them then use this chemical, but the peroxide does a wonderful job.  I'll look that up and give you a source to get it if interested.  I'm sure Michelle has some better insight, and I know polarbear has turned out a nice skull or two.

PolarBear:
I do all mine and my friends (a couple hundred by now)
Remove as much meat (eyes tongue pallate etc) as you can.  Do not boil!!!  Simmer!  Boiling for a long time will set the grease into the skull and make it tough to get out and stink.  Get the water to a rolling boil and then turn it down to a simmer.  Add a couple cups of sal soda (taxidermy suppy) and a little Dawn dish soap.  The sal soda will loosen the meat and the soap will cut grease.  Place the skull in and soak for 1/2 hour and remove.  Use dental pics, exacto knives, scalpels etc to cut, peel and scrape the meat off.  If you have to put it back into the water change it out with fresh so the skull does not soak up grease.  When you have it all picked clean rince it off and let it dry.  You have to get this stuff from a hairdresser or taxidermy suppy.  Mix Clairol Basic White 2 powdered hair bleach with 40 volume peroxide.  Mix it until it is like whipped cream and paint it on the skull.  Be sure to set it on a white towel or paper towels, the mix can draw color out of stuff and discolor your skull.  Leave it on until it dries.  Once the mix dries it is no longer active so keep it in a warm damp place.  (no, not there) Rince with cold water (hose it off) and let dry in the sun for a day or two.  Seal with a clear spray sealer and you are done.  It will get a little whiter once it dries completley and if it sits in the sun for a little while.

ICEMAN:
I just bury the whole skull in the flower garden with the antlers sticking up thru the soil. By spring, pretty clean, a simple hosing out, then dry it out, then peroxide it...worked for me...  wife wasn't too happy though...

Michelle_Nelson:
 :) Sounds like all good information!

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