I see you guys are using dawn, ammonia, and warm water to degrease the skulls, but how much are you using. What is the mixture ratio? Thanks

Here is an article about the way I do it.
http://wildedtx.blogspot.com/2009/02/european-skull-mounts-texas-way.html

For speed. And ease.. Boiling works just fine. Although you do have to be very careful of how you do it. I will cut as much meat as possible off before I start. Put A squeeze of dish soap in the water place skull in water and heat till boiling. Only let it boil for about ten minutes. Then go to your pressure washer, Or local car wash. And blast away. Be careful of the nasal cavity if you want to retain the honey comb. Blast from the back of the skull and in the brain cavity and the cartilage will mostly remove without loss. If it does not clean up with little picking after the first round you can do it again but boil for no more then five minutes heat the water with the skull in it!!! Once you have it cleaned up then peroxide it up the 40 volume hair stuff is 40% but you can find the 10-12% stuff alot easier it just takes considerably longer to whiten the skull to the desired effect. The dish soap and boiling breaks the grease out quick. Have done quite A few this way and have rarely had A tooth come loose. But I will admit it is fast but has to be done right. Cleaned and whitened in less then twenty four hours. End with A more natural white as I don't believe painting them looks good. A clear coat to seal them is A good idea but I have not had to do this. Have A lion skull from 2003 sitting on my desk that looks just the same as the day I put it up there. Am not exactly sure how to do pics on these forums but if I knew how I would put some up to show the results. Only thing I am great at with computers is making them freeze up...lol.... Good luck with any way you try it. But find something you don't really care about to practice on if you are not confident in your method. Any more involved questions I would be glad to answer.

Rhino.

Rhino, You are off just a little. 40 volume is not 40%. Not even close. Another suggestion...never boil, simmer. ONE of the biggest problems with simmering or especially boilng is cooking the grease into the bone. It will NEVER whiten at this point unless you use paint. On small skulls ie., coyote, bobcat, fox, etc.....who is going to hold them while you blast away at the car wash? A few cookers do this with deer size and up with sucess. Still, while simmering never expect the same results as a beetle cleaned or macerated skull as wolfwoman suggested above.

10 vol = 3% H2O2
20 vol = 6% H2O2
30 vol = 9% H2O2
40 vol = 12% H2O2

Archer, Your right on the 40 volume my bad. Simmering is A no go as it takes to long and breaks down the cartilage holding the teeth. Fast hot boil is preferable to me. Least amount of time for the desired effect. N you are wrong about the results of boiling. But as I said it has to be done right and do not recommend it for everyone. I have done many skulls and have no problems. Who holds them... I do.... And often just take out your rubber car mat, Lay it on the floor and put your boot on top of the skull. I never said you would come out of it in pristine condition. lol. I do take some to the beetles to avoid the car wash incidents. But still boil them after. The only ones I do anymore are ones that are going into the record books so retention of the teeth is paramount. N avoidance of shrinking of the skull. As in all things many ways of getting the job done. Also A good source for 10% H2O2 is A farm store often they have gallon jugs of the stuff. But it is liquid like water not the cream like the hair stuff.

Rhino.

Boiling IS bad, you've been lucky.

Simmering isn't great, but it's ok.

And you WANT to get the cartilage out and clean in below the teeth or over time it's gonna stink. The more teeth you can remove, the better.

If you don't want the skull to shrink you don't simmer or boil as that ALWAYS shrinks it. Beetler are best for record skulls. Even maceration is better than boiling or simmering.

As I said, I've done a few hundred in various ways over the past 10 years.

C'mon Wolfie...I know you done more than that! I've done a couple of hundred this year.

LOL I haven't done any volume in skulls in about 2 years, just for friends and my stuff lately. I just haven't had the time to mess with them... I think last year I only did about 60.

Odd. Have seen more shrinkage in skulls taking them to supposed professionals with beetles. And for official scoring if it comes off the skull then it doesn't count anymore. I must have A horse shoe permanently stuck LMAO. And I suppose my uncle that taught me must be just as blessed.. Wolfwoman your way is A good way. But it is not the only path one can walk.

Rhino.

Wolf Medicine....your advice on many paths is one that goes without saying but when it comes to skulls ASK any OFFICIAL Scorer the preferred method for cleaning your trophy. Call ANY Musuem or ask any Osteologist the preferred methods of cleaning bones with minimal damage. Yes, there are many methods...maggots, ants, bury carcasses, use various forms of chemical maceration, use crustacea, bury in marine tidal zone, place in screen enclosures and drop off a pier, enzymatic methods, bury in sand boxes, use large quantities of manure, use alternative dermestid species, use sow bugs, use meal worms,etc,etc..

Boiling is probably the most common but definately the most damaging....especially by the novice.

Archer. You are right. And my father is A OFFICIAL scorer. And anything done without care and skill ends poorly. As I said in my original post boiling is doable. But is something to be done carefully. Have A local outfit with beetles, I send many of my clients to them. $150 bucks and four months later they have A museum quality skull sitting on their trophy shelf. Not sure I would spend that money on A yote though...lol.. My non-resident clients that have skulls that are heading for the record books I handle myself. Not hunting A argument, Just stating facts. Have handled skulls personally for twelve years. And lord knows how many my father and uncle have done in their 60 years or so. So no I am not just lucky at it. And yes it has the potential to go wrong quickly. As all things do. Good informative thread for those looking at their options.

Rhino.

i leave my skulls in a small chicken coop caged in outside from critters, them beatles clean the skull within 4 weeks and then i boil the skull and lightly spray white paint on it, then all i have to do is glue the teeth back in. i did this with a coon and possum from last year, my gray fox i kinda forgot about and left for about 4 months but it was bone clean..
i have a turkey skull still drying form this year as well!!

Them turkey teeth is going to be a beast to put back in. lol

haha yea its gonna be he11!!

lol


lonnie

Very true, but it's the only one I use