fly Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 I finally got around to finishing this Texas mount from several years ago. The right G-3 was broke as was the tip of the left main beam. It was a learning process and I can see that the more you do the better one will get. I boiled this one (twice) and coated it with 40 volume peroxide and let it sit out in the sun a couple days. What do you all think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbHunterNY Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 i think the antler repair came out pretty dang good. i've seen much worse hanging on people's walls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layin on the smackdown Posted February 9, 2012 Report Share Posted February 9, 2012 Ya Frank, the whole matching colors part of repairing antlers can be extremely tricky...I think you did a very good job on yours. As far as the 40 volume peroxide, where did you find it at? I couldnt find it anywhere, so when i did one about a year ago, i used a 50/50 bleach/water combo for three short soaking sessions, then let the sun do the rest - it turned out pretty good, but i was constantly worrying about the integrity of the skull after drying. So far so good, but for future reference, i'd like to get some of that 40 volume peroxide. thanks, and again, well done! dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbHunterNY Posted February 9, 2012 Report Share Posted February 9, 2012 Dan, hair dressers and stylists in this area get it at beauty supply stores. for example my future sister in-law can get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly Posted February 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2012 local beauty salon is where i got my bottle as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTF Posted February 10, 2012 Report Share Posted February 10, 2012 As far as letting these things sit in the sun, there is no need for it and a complete waste of time. You also need to mix your 40 vol creme with Basic White. All this stuff can be bought off of ebay. After applying a liberal coat of your bleaching agent, you want to wrap your skull in saran wrap and then place the skull in front of a heat source. A very hot heat source, but be very, very careful to not catch your wrap on fire. Rotate skull several times for about 30 minutes. Remove wrap and then dunk skull in super hot water. Rinse very well and if you have an air hose "boil" the skull under water with the air. Be sure to get all the crevices, with the air while the skull is under water. And further more never ever boil a skull in the pot while removing the meat. Simmer is the key word. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huntinsonovagun Posted February 11, 2012 Report Share Posted February 11, 2012 As far as letting these things sit in the sun, there is no need for it and a complete waste of time. You also need to mix your 40 vol creme with Basic White. All this stuff can be bought off of ebay. After applying a liberal coat of your bleaching agent, you want to wrap your skull in saran wrap and then place the skull in front of a heat source. A very hot heat source, but be very, very careful to not catch your wrap on fire. Rotate skull several times for about 30 minutes. Remove wrap and then dunk skull in super hot water. Rinse very well and if you have an air hose "boil" the skull under water with the air. Be sure to get all the crevices, with the air while the skull is under water. And further more never ever boil a skull in the pot while removing the meat. Simmer is the key word. I was going to say the same. I used my oven on the last one...propped the head between the door and top of the stove and let it bake for 20-30 minutes. I'm buying a heat gun for the next one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly Posted February 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2012 Yea I never really let the water boil, boiling was just the term I used as it's the one I usually hear in contrast to beetles. The antler repair kit cost me 25 dollars, and another 10 for the bleaching supplies - originally I think I did add the basic white but didn't know about using heat. There's a guy down the street that charges 75.00 to use the beetles and bleach the skull. Another 20 for antler repair. For as much work and time it took to do the boil/simmer method I'll be taking my future mounts to him. However, it was a fun project to try out. When doing antler repair I learned that it is very important to look at the rack from many different angles. I concentrated on just a couple and now when viewing from certain angles I would have sculpted a little differently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layin on the smackdown Posted February 14, 2012 Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 All i have to say is that, from a taxidermist point of view, there is really never "one correct way" to do anything, as alot of it is hands on and learn as you go, and with experience you will develope the "whatever works for you, works" which is a part of the art. I would not go the route mentioned above, not when i can do it the way i can with what i have and yield the same result... Frank, you done good - but im wondering why the snout or muzzle seperated so much - mine in the past with what i have done and used didn't seperate like that, and the more i read this thread, the more i wonder.... I think im gonna stick with my blend and go from there... Again, Frank, your Euro is sweeeeeeet, and the work you did with the antlers is tremendous - i commend you on that for sure!!! I was just commenting about the other pointers given on this thread. dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huntinsonovagun Posted February 14, 2012 Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 All i have to say is that, from a taxidermist point of view, there is really never "one correct way" to do anything, as alot of it is hands on and learn as you go, and with experience you will develope the "whatever works for you, works" which is a part of the art. I would not go the route mentioned above, not when i can do it the way i can with what i have and yield the same result... Frank, you done good - but im wondering why the snout or muzzle seperated so much - mine in the past with what i have done and used didn't seperate like that, and the more i read this thread, the more i wonder.... I think im gonna stick with my blend and go from there... Again, Frank, your Euro is sweeeeeeet, and the work you did with the antlers is tremendous - i commend you on that for sure!!! I was just commenting about the other pointers given on this thread. dan RTF and I were just saying that peroxide is activated by heat, NOT by light. There are definitely different ways to get the same result, but if you apply heat to your peroxide, you'll get a better and quicker result than just putting it in the sun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layin on the smackdown Posted February 14, 2012 Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 RTF and I were just saying that peroxide is activated by heat, NOT by light. There are definitely different ways to get the same result, but if you apply heat to your peroxide, you'll get a better and quicker result than just putting it in the sun. Sorry about that - after i read my post a few times ,i noticed it may have come across a little rude...not what i was shooting for. Interesting however - I was unaware of those reactions when using peroxide...thats good information for sure. dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly Posted February 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2012 Not sure why it came apart? Never even realized it to you pointed it out Dan. Perhaps because I had to simmer it in a pot twice??? I could glue it together pretty easily. I have a 130 incher at the taxi now for a full shoulder mount. He's repairing the right main beam. I'm curious to see how it turns out. Should get it back any time now - I'll post pictures when I do. Dan, don't ever worry about saying anything to hurt my feelings. If I post pictures I appreciate honest opinions. That goes for everyone (except 92xj). I'd prefer that he continues to sweet talk me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardwood_HD Posted February 16, 2012 Report Share Posted February 16, 2012 I think it turned out sweet! I would say that gap is from it soaking to long, I had a couple skulls do that in the past.. a little super glue and your good to go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layin on the smackdown Posted February 16, 2012 Report Share Posted February 16, 2012 (edited) Sorry i couldnt post a pic of my last Euro...i swung by my brother in laws tonight and took this photo of the last one i did - too bad its 10 ft up on a beam. it looked alot nicer before it was stuck in to the shop...and im not too happy to see that the fan, beard spur mount i did is also in the barn...either way.. Edited February 16, 2012 by layin on the smackdown Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTF Posted February 16, 2012 Report Share Posted February 16, 2012 I was unaware of those reactions when using peroxide...thats good information for sure. If you go down to the local beauty parlor what do you see ? Little old ladies who get their hair colored and sometimes bleached sitting under heat dryers with their heads wrapped in plastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bowhunter97 Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 looks good man. What i normally do is if its just one that someone gives me to practice on i throw it in an ant pile with a 5 gallon bucket ontop and a few bricks on the bucket to keep critters out. Then i hang it from a tree in a bucket of bleach and water keeping the antlers out. Let it dry. Tape up the antlers. Then use some sea-shell colored paint (its like a really light tan) just to hide the little bit of stains and stuff the bleach couldnt take off on the rest of the skull. They come out really nice the last one i did i painted it like a hunters green just for something different. But really nice looks great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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