Boiling Skulls, how do you do yours?

[Robin Hood]

Hi Guys,

I've boiled off a fair few skulls in my time but I've been having a bit of trouble of late.

I always skin the head, remove the lower jaw and excess meat then boil it in water (no soda) for about 45 minutes. Then power wash the tissue off the skull while holding it in a workbench.

My old power washer packed in lately and the new one I bought doesn't have as good a jet spray setting and is struggeling to blow the sinue off around the eye socket and back of the skull. I've tried boiling for slightly longer but It's not really working any better.

My quiery is regarding the use of soda, as I have never tried it before. Do you still use the power washer after boiling or will it remove the flesh/sinue during the boil? Also how much should I use and how long should I boil for?

Your experiences will be gladly recieved.

Cheers,
R.H.

 

[Bradley]

[quote="Robin Hood"
My quiery is regarding the use of soda, as I have never tried it before. Do you still use the power washer after boiling or will it remove the flesh/sinue during the boil? Also how much should I use and how long should I boil for?[/quote]

Washing soda does seem to make the boiling out process a little easier, and shorter. But then that also depends on what temp you are boiling at. Some guys like a soft rolling boil whilst others prefer a more vigorous aggressive boiling method.

Care should be taken what ever method used in order not to over cook the skull.

I have always just scraped my heads clean never having had to use a power washer.

Quantity of soda would depend upon size of boiling vessel.A large army cauldron large enough to take a red deer head would want about half a handful of soda. But then that depends on the size of your hands.

Hope that helps

 

[swampy]

skulls

i left one in the tree at the bottom of my garden last year thinking "nature can take it's course" 3 months later all that had happenned is the flesh had dried up, the birds had let me down big time.

So i waited for mrs swampy to go shopping and i brought it down and boiled it up in the kitchen-- man alive! it fuc*ing stunk!

but it came up pretty well i used a wire brush to finnish it off!

Next time i might leave it on an ants nest with a sack over it


swampy

 

[malcolm]

The best results for cleaning heads is to not leave them for years hanging around. You will never get them nice and white, once stained it is very difficult to reverse the process. Boiling is a method that is commonly used but you must keep and eye on your trophy otherwise you will cause irrepairable damage.
Once you have boiled off the initial meat, change the water. Then simmer the head and add a handful of washing soda for something the size of a Fallow. Scrape off most of the meat or use a pressure washer which on larger skulls is excellant.

Wash off in plenty of cold water, and then bleach it off with a strong bleach cut with water, but do not leave in there for very long, possibly 30 minutes or so, if you leave it in too long it will damage the trophy, also keep the antlers out of the solution. Wash in plenty of cold running water and dry. The Soda releases the grease from the bone, and also helps to stop the staining after you have bleached the head, as grease can reappear and cause a yellow stain later.

To restain the antlers there are a number of products you can buy, but permanganate of Potash which is purple crystals will restain any antlers that are not coloured. Cut with water and brush on and it will stain the antler back to a very near original colour.