First i beetle clean teh skulls. Then i degrease in many forms.I cant seem to get my predator or beaver skulls degreased 100%. I simmer in borax and Ajax. I tried ammonia.Does anyone have any tips on how to degrease fatty skulls without loosing up the teeth or splitting the skulls.
Degreasing Skulls
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I soaked 4 boar skulls in dawn dish soap, ammonia, and water for over 4 months last year. I had a fish tank heater in the water and changed the water, with extremely hot water, every other day. If you look at them now, you can't tell I even tried degreasing them. The lesson I learned, was to send them to a professional! Deer on the other hand are much easier to clean.
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Boars and bears are the hardest to degrease. Anything but deer see chemicals in my shop to get the grease out.
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And just as a side note to those that want to try acetone, DO NOT mix acetone and peroxide.
google "mother of satan"
google "mother of satan"
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watch out, a lot of the chemicals in that kind of thing will eat the bone
Try a product called Terg-a -zyme. It is an enzyme that is used in hospitals for cleaning. About 1/4 cup or less in water. The enzyme works on heat, but don't boil it or you will destroy the product and it won't work. I have used radiant heat in the summer time (a clear plastic jug with a tight lid) and about 5 days with a beetle cleaned skull. This winter I put in next to my fireplace, changed the water twice, added another 1/4 cup and in 1 week things were white. I won't damage the skulls either I have done alot that way. You can heat it on a hot plate or burner, but again not on high. The stuff runs about 30-40 bucks for a 4lb box, but that box will last awhile. It will even clean fully fleshed skulls given enough time and waterchanges.
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Is it antler safe? And any local stores that carry it?
Thanks for the tip.
Thanks for the tip.
The terg-a-zyme is antler safe. I have done a few and it did not affect the color or texture. I haven't seen it in any stores, but if you check the net it is readily available, but check prices. I have seend it between 35 and 60 bucks. The price has gone up since last I bought it but it is still worth it if you do alot of skulls since not only does it degrease, but it will help with whitening and remove some of the stuborn carliage and tendons. The biggest problem is the soaking and teeth falling out.
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That happens using other methods too so it isn't a big deal. I've found the 4lb box online for about 45-50 shipped. How much are you using per gallon?
Degreasing something for the short-term isn't the problem, it's the long term. Yeah a skull looks degreased NOW, but how does it look a year or so from now?
We shot bears on a guided hunt a few years ago and had the skulls "professionally" cleaned. They came back looking great, now, ALL kinds of grease coming out of them.
We shot bears on a guided hunt a few years ago and had the skulls "professionally" cleaned. They came back looking great, now, ALL kinds of grease coming out of them.
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I'm willing to try the stuff on some skulls to see how it goes. I have researched it before and found it is used for museums, etc.
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