Skull whitening

[.308SLAYER]

I got some 35% food grade hydrogen peroxide for whitening I used it at full strength on a white tail buck I got last year with great results. One of the skulls looked to have dark areas on the bone which I assume is blood or oils that got into the bone. This particular skull was left in a 5 gal pail with a 17.5 percent concentrate for 24 hours(10 litres of water 10 litres of hydrogen peroxide 35 percent). I took the skull out I'm worrying about weakening the bone if left too long I noticed there is some yellowish tinges on certain areas after rinsing and drying you can still see it. So as far as I know I did everything right stuff was caped cleaned boiled cleaned some more then pressure washed for the finale I'm using the peroxide how do I get rid of these yellow tinges on the bone? It looks good but could look better.

[smoothbor]

Needs more degreasing the yellow your seeing is grease I had my grizzly skull in 70% peroxide a fellow got me from a plant. I had my skull in that off on in for a month with a 50/50 mix and I did this till all the yellow was gone. I'd post a pick but it's a pain in the ass to post pics these days. Good luck

[.308SLAYER]

A month hey it didn't weaken the bone I've read that strong peroxide can make the skull come apart where the creases in the bone meet I take it this wasn't an issue?

[wideopenthrottle]

I think I read somewhere where a museum recommended a mixture of white glue and water painted on as the best way to get nice white bone....it actually strengthens it and does not eat away at it over time.... degrease first

[smoothbor]

It never softened the bone or anything and it's white very white. Even still have all the nasal bones looks great. I'll try and post a pic just give me a little time to figure that out. I did another skull of a black bear, this before I had the good peroxide. It took longer in the soapy water but once it was degreased I used a peroxide product from a hair salon. Mix it with store bought low grade peroxide and paint it all over in every crack seal in tinfoil and leave for 4-5 hrs then open up and wash it off. It worked great as well but needed a few coats but had a great outcome

[.308SLAYER]

Right on thanks for the replies...after my next few come out of the works I will throw the one with yellowing back in and give it some time. I was told by my taxidermist he only uses 3% seemed odd to me I was using a stronger blend and wasn't getting satisfactory results. After hearing about the grizzly in 70 proof for a month I'm not as worried

[Kopper]

As others have said I think degreasing is the issue. I did a Sitka skull recently with no degreasing. The black on the orbits and other discolouration are still present. I decided to look into it and have since built a degreasing tank. It's just a cooler with a water heating element plumbed into it and wired to a thermostat to keep the temp up and constant. I've had a goat skull in it for close to a month now and change the water and add dawn soap every week. I was amazed at the junk that pulled out of the skull the first week. The water is cleaner with each change. The various discolouration in the skull have disappeared. I'll see what happens after I whiten but I'm a pretty big believer in the degreasing step now.

[Pemby_mess]

I have a Muley skull that I'm doing for the first time. I just buried it up to the base of the antlers. I thought I'd leave it like so for a couple months and then do the peroxide. Is this recommended?

[IronNoggin]

Needs more degreasing the yellow your seeing is grease

BINGO. You should de-grease with a long soak in Dawn (and water of course) or a decent grade of ammonia.
I would not suggest going to the whitening stage (peroxide) without de-greasing thoroughly first.

Here's a link for you to consider: http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/showthread.php?93889-Skull-Work

And the results if you follow the instructions or similar:

Polar Bear:

http://gallery.fishbc.com/albums/Ironnoggin/Polar_Bear_9.jpg

http://gallery.fishbc.com/albums/Ironnoggin/Polar_Bear_10.jpg



I have a Muley skull that I'm doing for the first time. I just buried it up to the base of the antlers. I thought I'd leave it like so for a couple months and then do the peroxide. Is this recommended?

Works. We did one or two bears like that in the thread mentioned above. You will still have to de-grease & whiten.

Cheers,
Nog

[IslandBC]

I have a Muley skull that I'm doing for the first time. I just buried it up to the base of the antlers. I thought I'd leave it like so for a couple months and then do the peroxide. Is this recommended?
I did that with a little spike to see what would happen and it destroyed the skull. Weakened the nasal cavity and eye socket to the point I can't use it. I put mine in the compost so may differ a bit. Watch for critters putting it in the ground or compost. Also I should add. I threw the whole head in. Eyes, hide still on and it was completely decimated in 2.5 months...

i should add add that it may have been gasses from the compost that did the damage.

[.308SLAYER]

Well hopefully I didn't already make my bed being that I clearly did not degrease enough and went to the whitening stage. Time will tell I'll try get some pics up of what I'm dealing with and the before and after. I didnt do anything different then on a few others that I have done this one just seems to b giving me extra trouble

[IronNoggin]

Well hopefully I didn't already make my bed being that I clearly did not degrease enough and went to the whitening stage.

Likely no problem. I would de-grease now (if yellowing is present) with Dawn rather than an ammonia base at this point.
And I'd bet it turns out great after whitening again.

Each one is different. Some simply hold more grease than others is all.

Cheers,
Nog

[.308SLAYER]

Likely no problem. I would de-grease now (if yellowing is present) with Dawn rather than an ammonia base at this point.
And I'd bet it turns out great after whitening again.

Each one is different. Some simply hold more grease than others is all.

Cheers,
Nog

Thanks for the replies nog and the link....couldn't believe how nice some of your bear skulls turned out after they weren't lookin too good good job...

[Sharpish]

Don't bury them, you will wreck it. I just did a cougar skull and what I did was put it in a 5 gallon pail on a bed of crushed rock about the size of golf balls. Seal the pail and drill a couple 1/4 holes at the bottom edge of the pail and a couple in the top edge. This allows gas exchange and the heavy Co2 to flow out which would smother the maggots. And maggots you will have. It took 3-4 months but they picked it mostly clean to where I just needed to gently boil in dawn and water to get the grease out and then 24 hours in 12% peroxide and it looks outstanding.

[Pemby_mess]

Don't bury them, you will wreck it. I just did a cougar skull and what I did was put it in a 5 gallon pail on a bed of crushed rock about the size of golf balls. Seal the pail and drill a couple 1/4 holes at the bottom edge of the pail and a couple in the top edge. This allows gas exchange and the heavy Co2 to flow out which would smother the maggots. And maggots you will have. It took 3-4 months but they picked it mostly clean to where I just needed to gently boil in dawn and water to get the grease out and then 24 hours in 12% peroxide and it looks outstanding.

Nice, ok I'll try that then - thanks

[Pemby_mess]

I did that with a little spike to see what would happen and it destroyed the skull. Weakened the nasal cavity and eye socket to the point I can't use it. I put mine in the compost so may differ a bit. Watch for critters putting it in the ground or compost. Also I should add. I threw the whole head in. Eyes, hide still on and it was completely decimated in 2.5 months...

i should add add that it may have been gasses from the compost that did the damage.

Yeah, mine is a little 2x3 mulie, so by no means precious. My wife wanted me to do one up for her craft room so I thought I'd try it. Honestly, I figured I'd but it in the compost at first too. Something about that seemed harsh though. It's already starting to steam again.

[Spy]

All good ideas thanks for sharing. I slow boil all meat off the skull & get the brain out,then I add degreaser and slow boil again.Wash the skull with dawn or sunlight dish soap, dry and salt for a couple weeks. Wash salt off and Im done. I like the off white look, not a fan of ghosting my skulls ;-). I have used Borax in the boiling process and had great results on my moose skull, but a buddy tried it on his deer skull and said "Its destroyed the skull??" But then he is a Drama Queen ;-) I did use a table spoon of TSP on the final boil on my 2015 buck and had great results. Thanks for all the tips :-)

[Wild Images]

Degrease in a pail with dawn and a cheap aquarium heater
Change the water a few times until no grease on top of the water

[WesHarm]

Awesome tips guys, hopefully gunna try this on a bear skull in the next few months!

[Thunderstix]

Just a word of caution for peroxide in concentrations like 35 and 70%.....keep it off your skin. It is extremely caustic and can leave a nasty burn. It is hard to wash off skin in those concentrations.

[.308SLAYER]

X2 don't take the risk rubber gloves and eye protection is a must you get these concentrations in your eyes you will likely go blind don't get comfortable with it

[smoothbor]

Yes with the 70% stuff long gloves, eye protection and a mask was used. I did not soak in straight peroxide either. The degreasing stage takes time when done properly and then when I had skulls completely degreased into the peroxide it went which pulled more grease and in the end I have a product just like Nogs. It's just a timely process to get to the finished state.