Tips on Skull Cleaning!

This is the before and after of my Bear. I have done Deer, an Elk now this Bear. I learn a little something new and better every time. Just thought in case anyone was interested in doing there own, this is what works best for me. I’m sure others have better ideas on what works for them. Please share what works for you
This skull was simmered(not boiled)in water and Baking Soda for a good 8 hours after cleaning off the big stuff with a knife. You can’t over do the Baking Soda. Every 2 hours, I remove the skull and go at it with my air compressor. Wear cloths you don’t mind being splattered a bit! The air will get into every crevasse and hole, and is much easier and quicker than a brush and knives! I also change out the water 2 – 3 times depending on how much stuff is floating around.
The Baking Soda seemed to whiten the skull just fine without using any peroxide. A person can get the teeth white if they would like also. I prefer the used look! The teeth will fall out during the cleaning/simmering process but don’t worry; they only go back in one-way! I use super glue for the task.
If this is not white enough for your liking you can use a tooth brush and peroxide diluted with water to scrub the skull and let dry. Letting it sit in the sun also helps!
The biggest thing is to make sure you have a very clean skull. You do not want to attract any little critters (bugs)
Time consuming but easy to do.
Good luck in the woods people

Bret

Before

Before

After

After

That looks really good. I have always wanted to do a nice Buck this way because I think it looks really cool.

Thanks for the tips

That looks really good. I have always wanted to do a nice Buck this way because I think it looks really cool.

Thanks for the tips

When doing a buck, and if you do not want to change the color of the rack, wrap it in tinfoil, tape the base and do not submerge the rack in the water
I even still have the bark on my Elk rack

When doing a buck, and if you do not want to change the color of the rack, wrap it in tinfoil, tape the base and do not submerge the rack in the water
I even still have the bark on my Elk rack

Those teeth look very similar to my mother in law’s teeth Bret. I will have to give her a call sometime and see if she is ok – sometime.

Those teeth look very similar to my mother in law’s teeth Bret. I will have to give her a call sometime and see if she is ok – sometime.

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Those teeth look very similar to my mother in law’s teeth Bret. I will have to give her a call sometime and see if she is ok – sometime.

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Then you will want to use some peroxide

Quote:

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Those teeth look very similar to my mother in law’s teeth Bret. I will have to give her a call sometime and see if she is ok – sometime.

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Then you will want to use some peroxide

Great report and pic’s I remember a story about some guy that sent his wife for super glue for a project like this

Great report and pic’s I remember a story about some guy that sent his wife for super glue for a project like this

Find a taxidermist that has the beetles for skull cleaning(cant recall the type of beetle). They usually wont charge you much of anything just to let their bugs clean the skull. Depending on the number they have, it usually only takes a day or 3 and there wont be any nasty stuff left in the skull.

Find a taxidermist that has the beetles for skull cleaning(cant recall the type of beetle). They usually wont charge you much of anything just to let their bugs clean the skull. Depending on the number they have, it usually only takes a day or 3 and there wont be any nasty stuff left in the skull.

You can also use a little bleach to make the skull turn even more white if your looking for the Western sundried and cleaned look!

One thing to remember when boiling skulls is to watch your temp close. If you get to hot for to long the skull will crack and you could lose the cartilage on the nose (deer and bear) then your back to the superglue and puzzle

You can also use a little bleach to make the skull turn even more white if your looking for the Western sundried and cleaned look!

One thing to remember when boiling skulls is to watch your temp close. If you get to hot for to long the skull will crack and you could lose the cartilage on the nose (deer and bear) then your back to the superglue and puzzle