Thread: Deer skull over boiled

Hi

I shot my first trophy fallow buck and in preparing the head I think I have boiled it too long. All the meat and flesh is gone/removed. I want to now make the skull white.

I have used straight bleach before on a Tahr (just the top of the skull) and a small fallow (again the skull top). I note that some suggest bleach as an aid to improve it. What solution would I use and for how long? I know that the antlers need to be protected.

I am not expecting a taxidermist type of result but would like something that I would be proud of.

Thanks in advance

just go into google or you tube and type in bleach skull lots and lots of tutorials - the product most use is peroxide same stuff that hairdressers use to bleach hair - but the tutorials will show you how to use it - most important how long to leave it on -- enjoy

Bleach can make the skull brittle as can over boiling it. Hydrogen peroxide in the 20 volume rangeis the preferred choice, comes out very white and doesn't degrade the bone strength

Try here - Post #11
https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....ration-101108/

It has a link to some 40vol Peroxide product.
I've bought some and used it on 4 heads (2 x tahr, 1 big red, 1 good sambar) . Didn't even use half the bottle.

After applying the peroxide to the skull, wrap it in clean plastic to keep the peroxide from drying out and put it in the sun.

You should never make it boiling, steaming yes, not boiling. So it's never to long and won't affect the structure of the bones.
the right temp and the right time and you can have a skull cleanable with your garden hose and no pressure washer and keep all the thin nasal bones stay.

but since you're already at the next step, to whiten it, I wrap the antler with plastic and tape and put it back in your pot. peroxide water and soap and still just steaming.
You let it there until it reach the whiteness you want. When reach take out, fresh water rinse, dip it back and take it out and rest for the night.

have fun