Found European Skull Mount.

[SSSTaxidermy]

While deer hunting this last weekend, my brother found a full skull shed of a nice 8 pointer. It was most likely wounded last year, or for some reason didn't make it through the winter and wondered onto the property and ended up dying. No other bones near it, just the skull. But anyway, being the cleaning of the tissue work was already done this summer by bugs and other critters, what is the best way to whiten it up? On the outer edges of the eye sockets and head plate sutures, its very green due to mold. One antler could also be polished up too. I know they sell those kits, but didn't know if someone has a home remedy that they've used in situations like this. My neighbor and I experimented last night with letting it soak in peroxide for an hour then boiled it in water with a dash of bleach. Any suggestions?

Thanks

[Shack]

Borax!

[EatSleepFish]

Shackbash- does borax work?

[Shack]

I do not see why it would not. It works on every thing else.

Cheap enough I would give it a try.

Let us know?

[colonel42]

24-7

Just before rifle season I found both sides of sheds from last winter. I asked the question how to clean them up on here and one suggestion I got was to call a taxidermist. So I did. He told me to soak in laqure thinner. I did for three days. I was bummed when I pulled them out because it looked like it darkend them. I hung them in the garage and after they have dried they have turn back to the normal color. So it worked. They had the greenish color you mentioned. I found the rack laying in water. Who know how long but my guess is Feb. or Mar. of this year. I have since mounted them on a piece of wood and they look awesome. By the way I did a quick scoring on them and came up with 170" 13 points and 10" brow tines. My first shed found.

[Shack]

Good post!

I would soak in laqure thinner!

I have a couple of coyote sculls I would like to try this with. Thanks for sharing.

[Hibbing]

The peroxide that you can buy at the local drug store is not strong enough to whiten the skull. If you go to a beauty salon supplier you can buy the potent stuff. I believe it is either 26% or 36% hydrogen peroxide. Brush it on and let it dry. After drying, simply brush off the powder and you are done. I did one several years ago and it came out like ivory! Good luck.

[SDbowhunter]

One time as a kid i put a cow skull in a weak bleach with water mixture and it came out as white as could be.

[Nate McVey]

Be careful with the bleach mixture.......too much and it will eat the bone away and make it VERY brittle. laquer thinner is an interesting idea, thanks!

[MNOutdoorsman]

This summer my son found an 8 point rack and skull. With some research on the web we found out how to clean it up and whiten it.

First we boiled it slowly for 2 hours in water to release the last bits of tissue and hide. A little scraping was required to get the last bits off.

Then, we soaked it for a day in a strong solution of dawn dish soap to remove the oils.

Finally, We soaked it in regular over the counter hydogen peroxide. First for a day then for 3 days to get it really white. I wrapped the bases of the antlers with stretch plastic wrap to keep them from turning white.

I made a wall plaque like the ones in the catalogs and it looks great. If I think of it I will take a picture and post it.

(Contact Us Please)

[SSSTaxidermy]

I was told that the bleach and hydrogen peroxide methods were good short term fixes. Because you might have to re-do this application procedure again in 3-5 yrs because it will loose its 'whiteness'. You experience this at all? I was advised to spend the money for the kit, and apply the bleaching agent it supplies you with. I guess it comes in a tube something similar to a toothpaste tube. You leave it on there for a while, and it will flake off in a couple days...Then apply a clear coat sealant and it will be good forever. I'm very new to this, so I apologize. But I've always had more fun experimenting...so buying the kit would be my last resort.

Also, Colnel42 did you have that greenish color on the rack too? What did you use to remove that?

Thanks for all your help guys. I will try to get a picture posted of what was found

[sticknstring]

Not bad for your first set of sheds! Lets get some pics up - I'd like to see some of euro mounts from the DIY'ers out there.

[skunk-ape]

One more option for whitening is the good 'ol acne med benzoyl peroxide. I have also found in my experience that placing the skulls in the sunshine after applying the whitening agent will help the bleaching process.

You can get very good results if you do-it-yourself. I think the only way I would spend money to go the beetle route is if I had a trophy that I wanted to do a Euro mount on.

[Nightcrawler]

if you get bleach on the antlers, I use kiwi shoe polish, black, brown combo ,brush on than, buff off add more to match. will last for years.