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How to make a European skull mount
JW_Halverson:
Someone earlier in this thread mentioned using "Basic White" and 30 weight Hydrogen Peroxide. This is where you can avoid bleaching out the antlers. Just like you are mixing the baby powder with the peroxide to get at the top of the scull where it is not down in the peroxide solution...except you paint the whole skull with the Basic White and the commercial strength Peroxide.
PatB, you are definitely right about keeping the antler bases out of the water if you are boiling. BUT if you keep it below boiling, like OsageOutlaw does there will be no problem with bleaching out the bases. A pro taxidermist taught me that trick. He also advised I use distilled water and NO detergents, soaps, lye, or other shortcuts. Just keep the water around 200 degrees, that's all you need.
I've done a couple dozen like this and the below boiling in pure water seems to work the best of all. I use a hotplate out in the garage and try to keep the pot as covered as possible with tinfoil and let 'er simmer all nite....gooshy, gooshy head soup!
osage outlaw:
I like to soak them so it destroys any tissue up inside the nasal area that I couldn't get cleaned out. I am sure my wife would have a problem with a smelly deer skull on the bedroom wall. But if it was going in the garage, using the paste would probably be easier.
JW_Halverson:
It's tough to balance boiling long enough to clean out the sinus cavities and leaving the skull together. I have overboiled a few and had to glue the nasal bones and teeth back in place. Try sticking a garden hose in the back of the roof of the mouth and using water pressure to blow out the remaining sinovial tissues.
By the way, that is a really nice looking buck.
osage outlaw:
Thanks! I cook it just long enough to really loosen all of the meat up. So far, I have never had a tooth or nasal bone fall out on me. I blast all of the openings with a hose after I cook it, but there is always some junk left in the nose area.
I sprayed it with the sealer today. I have been told this helps to prevent them from yellowing over time. I use Deft wood sealer in satin finish. I would rather use flat, but I haven't found it yet. I am going to epoxy the bottom jaw together tonight. I have the next two days off, so I will try to get it mounted on a plaque.
Here is the sealer that I use.
osage outlaw:
I made a great time saving discovery while skinning out a couple more deer heads. My knife was dull so I started looking around for something else to use and I found this hooked blade utility knife in my toolbox. It worked great. I skinned the second head out with it and it took half the time that it usually takes me. It also works great for slicing open deer legs for sinew removal.
I still need to mount it to a plaque. I have been very busy lately. I will try to post pics soon.
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