Re: Best way to whiten skulls
[Re: Wild_Idaho]
#6882372
05/25/20 11:47 PM
05/25/20 11:47 PM
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Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 6,591 MB
Jurassic Park
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Throw that whole mess into a bunch of peroxide. Beaver and muskrat teeth too!
The skulls probably won’t get pure white since you haven’t degreased them, but they’ll look decent anyways.
Cold as ice!
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Re: Best way to whiten skulls
[Re: Wild_Idaho]
#6882376
05/26/20 12:03 AM
05/26/20 12:03 AM
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 6,599 NC, Orange Co.
QuietButDeadly
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 6,599
NC, Orange Co.
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The teeth will be fine in peroxide. The darker areas of the bone is grease in the bone. Peroxide will disinfect the bone surface and whiten it to some extent but if you do not degrease, the grease will migrate to the surface.
I use white Elmers Glue where necessary on bone and teeth. It is water soluble and dries clear. Many epoxies and superglue will yellow.
Life Member: NCTA, VTA, NTA, TTFHA, MFTI Member: FTA NRA NWTF
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Re: Best way to whiten skulls
[Re: Wild_Idaho]
#6882458
05/26/20 07:47 AM
05/26/20 07:47 AM
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Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 5,518 South Carolina
Tom cat
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You can use dollar store peroxide too, it just takes longer to whiten.
Sugarcreektrapping@gmail.com
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Re: Best way to whiten skulls
[Re: mutt]
#6882498
05/26/20 09:09 AM
05/26/20 09:09 AM
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 6,599 NC, Orange Co.
QuietButDeadly
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NC, Orange Co.
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I prefer the natural bone white color. I have only done whitetail skulls so far, but I degreased them and they came out looking awsome. The clear unscented dish soap is what I used. Need to run the water at 120 degrees though. I built a tank using a water heater element. Takes time too, couple weeks depending how greasy the skulls are. Dawn diswashing soap in 120 degree water is how I do it also. I also built a special tank as there are not any reasonably priced units available to heat to the 110 to 120 degree range readily available on the market. This is not an inexpensive process or a fast process. It costs money to heat and keep water in the temperature range that works best. Some greasy skulls like bear and hogs take many months to get done to the point that they can be whitened and stay white over time. Simmered/boiled heads are harder to degrease also as the heat seems to set the grease in the bone and in my experience, it takes a lot longer for the grease to leach out. Too much heat will also cause the bone to break down and flake and cause the fine nasal bones to disintegrate. I macerate to remove the soft tissue without damaging the bone and those skulls degrease more easily. Dermestid beetles work well also for removing soft tissue without bone damage but does not speed up degreasing. If you are serious about cleaning skulls without damaging them, taxidermy.net is the best resource I am aware of. There is a Skulls and Skeletons forum with lots of good information about maceration, degreasing and whitening skulls.
Life Member: NCTA, VTA, NTA, TTFHA, MFTI Member: FTA NRA NWTF
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Re: Best way to whiten skulls
[Re: QuietButDeadly]
#6882521
05/26/20 09:38 AM
05/26/20 09:38 AM
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Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 6,591 MB
Jurassic Park
trapper
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trapper
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Posts: 6,591
MB
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I prefer the natural bone white color. I have only done whitetail skulls so far, but I degreased them and they came out looking awsome. The clear unscented dish soap is what I used. Need to run the water at 120 degrees though. I built a tank using a water heater element. Takes time too, couple weeks depending how greasy the skulls are. Dawn diswashing soap in 120 degree water is how I do it also. I also built a special tank as there are not any reasonably priced units available to heat to the 110 to 120 degree range readily available on the market. This is not an inexpensive process or a fast process. It costs money to heat and keep water in the temperature range that works best. Some greasy skulls like bear and hogs take many months to get done to the point that they can be whitened and stay white over time. Simmered/boiled heads are harder to degrease also as the heat seems to set the grease in the bone and in my experience, it takes a lot longer for the grease to leach out. Too much heat will also cause the bone to break down and flake and cause the fine nasal bones to disintegrate. I macerate to remove the soft tissue without damaging the bone and those skulls degrease more easily. Dermestid beetles work well also for removing soft tissue without bone damage but does not speed up degreasing. If you are serious about cleaning skulls without damaging them, taxidermy.net is the best resource I am aware of. There is a Skulls and Skeletons forum with lots of good information about maceration, degreasing and whitening skulls. Yup!
Cold as ice!
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Re: Best way to whiten skulls
[Re: Wild_Idaho]
#6883121
05/26/20 10:57 PM
05/26/20 10:57 PM
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Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 4,104 Bonner County, Idaho
Wild_Idaho
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Bonner County, Idaho
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Dirtydog, that looks like a great way to degrease, much cheaper and easier than a tank run at 120 degrees. I'll try that for a few months and report back, thank you!
Real name Eric The sharpest hammer in the box of crayons.
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Re: Best way to whiten skulls
[Re: Wild_Idaho]
#6883164
05/27/20 12:38 AM
05/27/20 12:38 AM
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Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 4,104 Bonner County, Idaho
Wild_Idaho
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That's what I did with the beaver, mink and muskrat skull. Saw the flies were swarming in the shed and since I've got all my lure buried I was wondering what they were after. Then I saw the skulls I had on nails on the wall. Figured good a time as any to throw them in the pot and pull the coyote out of the freezer. Wishing I hadn't sold my otter skulls now. I'll have to get more next year.
Real name Eric The sharpest hammer in the box of crayons.
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