Cold water skull bleaching.

[Tim.243]

I tried the boiling method which resembled something like reading a mummification hand book!! Layers of material coated in Peroxide, after extensive poking lengths of shaped wire to remove material which was not removed from the boiling.

Skulls left in the hands of Mother Nature, rinsed off in fresh water then left in containers with a cheap bleach/water solution.
Final rinse in fresh water then left in the sun shine. Cost 80p for the bleach, no pressure washer/belco boiler spinning the meter like a top, peroxide cost and general **** arse fiddling with lengths of wire.

 

[T.eddie]

They have turned out really nice mate

 

[Tim.243]

They have turned out really nice mate

Thank you and cheap...

 

[muddy42]

Sorry to burst the bubble but processing heads is always hard work whatever route you take.

If boiling quickly, you need to skin and remove as much meat as possible then boil. During the boil, remove the head a few times and remove any more muck with pliers.

If you leave heads lying around anything can happen. A dog or fox can get hold of them or ‘people’ object to the smell. Then blood can set the skull brown making it hard to bleach.

Its up to you.

 

[Tim.243]

Sorry to burst the bubble but processing heads is always hard work whatever route you take.

If boiling quickly, you need to skin and remove as much meat as possible then boil. During the boil, remove the head a few times and remove any more muck with pliers.

If you leave heads lying around anything can happen. A dog or fox can get hold of them or ‘people’ object to the smell. Then blood can set the skull brown making it hard to bleach.

Its up to you. #

How do they look after you tried to burst my bubble? Out of 10 please.
Where did I say I left them around?

Yes it is. #

 

[wildfowler.250]

Munty looks grand but the stag has splits up the bridge of the nose which you do seem to get if ‘left to nature’. They did whiten up nicely though.

The main thing is you’re happy with them and that’s all that matters. I boil mine and use 12% hydrogen peroxide but it is a faff.

Couple of good memories there for you to look back on.

 

[Tim.243]

Munty looks grand but the stag has splits up the bridge of the nose which you do seem to get if ‘left to nature’. They did whiten up nicely though.

The main thing is you’re happy with them and that’s all that matters. I boil mine and use 12% hydrogen peroxide but it is a faff.

Couple of good memories there for you to look back on.

Thank you.
I put MJ heads like that in the hedge most of the time otherwise I would run out of room, that one the farmer asked for as his friends son wanted one...
The thread was about a cheap way I use, as to quote yourself it is "a faff" cleaning a head.
I have had some cracking stalks into Red hinds and Fallow does as others but you don't see people taking the time to prep the head...!
There is one more MJ head in the old pheasant feeder bin ticking away as I put it in there 6th of May for a time test..


Being lectured to by someone who hides their profile @muddy42 holds little but no weight in their reply lol

 

[Phil fox man]

hi tim.243
I do the same as you,hang in a tree and wait! .then clean and bleach in a tub with household bleach ( don't use the blue kind ).
regarding the crack fill it with Mr no nails white PVA.
mine all look good enough for me and like you said no faff and cheap.

 

[deerstalker.308]

You can’t beat boil a pressure wash on bigger skulls, not a lot of need to be poking around with wires etc, pressure washer gets just about everything off in super quick time, people bemoan the use of bleach for good reason, it does ultimately cause a lot of damage to bone and will make them flakey and powdery with time, but if all you’re after is something to hang on the shed wall or similar then that’s hardly going to matter.
something to degrease during the process will also save problems down the line, amazing how much is stored in bone which leaches out over time causing staining, I use borax powder and totally cover the bone in it, great desiccant
and really draws out the last of the grease.

 

[Dunwaters]

Any time I left a head in a tree it mummified, skin on, skin off, the result was always more hard work and a not so great result.
Burying it works a bit better, depending on the time of year, early season heads allowed to get fly blown and buried turn out fine within a few weeks, late season heads can take months, often absorb stains from the soil and always reek.
Then theres losses, a few heads have gone walkabout, including one gold medal class goat, and others have been damaged when various critters ranging from mice to other deer and dogs have nibbled them.
A big pot of boiling water, some detergent, a short session with the power washer and all is good.
I’ve had heads shot in the morning sorted and packed for flights that afternoon.

 

[bogtrotter]

I don't find boiling and using peroxide a problem gives a better finish in the long run
Don't like.leaving heads to let nature take its course it often leaves stains that just can't be removed and while bleach will get them.nice and white but the skull will eventually crumble.

 

[bogtrotter]

Any time I left a head in a tree it mummified, skin on, skin off, the result was more hard work and a not so great result.
Burying it works a bit better, depending on the time of year, early season heads allowed to get fly blown and buried turn out fine within a few weeks, late season heads can take months and often absorb stains from the soil and always reek.
Then theres losses, a few heads have gone walkabout, including one gold medal class goat, and others have been damaged when various critters ranging from mice to other deer and dogs have nibbled them.
A big pot of boiling water, some detergent, a short session with the power washer and all is good.
I’ve had heads shot in the morning sorted and packed for flights that afternoon.

This

 

[lochty]

As an experiment, I once left a stags head near an ant mound. After 3 months, it was beautiful and clean, but.......oh the smell! One for outside. @Tim.243 those look fine and I've also had hassle from a profile hider....

 

[wildfowler.250]

You can’t beat boil a pressure wash on bigger skulls, not a lot of need to be poking around with wires etc, pressure washer gets just about everything off in super quick time, people bemoan the use of bleach for good reason, it does ultimately cause a lot of damage to bone and will make them flakey and powdery with time, but if all you’re after is something to hang on the shed wall or similar then that’s hardly going to matter.
something to degrease during the process will also save problems down the line, amazing how much is stored in bone which leaches out over time causing staining, I use borax powder and totally cover the bone in it, great desiccant
and really draws out the last of the grease.

I’ve never added anything in for the grease. I always worry that if I’m power hosing stuff off, the dog will eat it. I do pick up what I can and it may well be over cautious. A lot of people do seem to recommend adding fairy liquid or something..

 

[Phil fox man]

I’ve never added anything in for the grease. I always worry that if I’m power hosing stuff off, the dog will eat it. I do pick up what I can and it may well be over cautious. A lot of people do seem to recommend adding fairy liquid or something.

I have used washing soap powder as it doesn't Bubble up.

.

 

[Tim.243]

As an experiment, I once left a stags head near an ant mound. After 3 months, it was beautiful and clean, but.......oh the smell! One for outside. @Tim.243 those look fine and I've also had hassle from a profile hider....

Good stuff, the thing is from what I read members wives could well object to "the boiling" part of the husbands deer skull so then what are they going to do take it back lol.
Yes leaving it outside is not for everyone but I give the MJ skulls away when they are finished to friends kids who show an interest also having to boil outside boiling, having a pressure washer and the faff.
Yes this "hide you profile" bolicks does make you wonder "what they have to hide" half of it is so you can't see the U TURN
of opinion they make from previous drivel lol

 

[Tim.243]

hi tim.243
I do the same as you,hang in a tree and wait! .then clean and bleach in a tub with household bleach ( don't use the blue kind ).
regarding the crack fill it with Mr no nails white PVA.
mine all look good enough for me and like you said no faff and cheap.

I leave them in an old pheasant feeder bin and when the maggots fall out the hole the birds soon work out a feeding spot..

 

[Sol]

Peroxide paste Is horrible It works okay on roe deer since the surface area Is small but on a red deer bone is incredibly porous and will wick away all the peroxide's water within an hour and render it useless and the reaction stops.
.
You need liquid peroxide ideally I can see on eBay you can buy 20 Litres for £40 assuming you keep your skulls incredibly clean, do all your prep in a dark room, and put a pin prick in the peroxide container (It breaks down into a gas) it can be used for well over a year and do hundreds of skulls.

 

[deerstalker.308]

Peroxide paste Is horrible It works okay on roe deer since the surface area Is small but on a red deer bone is incredibly porous and will wick away all the peroxide's water within an hour and render it useless and the reaction stops.
.
You need liquid peroxide ideally I can see on eBay you can buy 20 Litres for £40 assuming you keep your skulls incredibly clean, do all your prep in a dark room, and put a pin prick in the peroxide container (It breaks down into a gas) it can be used for well over a year and do hundreds of skulls.

The hairdressers gloopy stuff works well on reds and coats well with a paint brush, much more controllable I’ve found than liquid and using tissue etc to make contact with the bone, especially round the coronets, but liquid peroxide works well too, used it for years, but have to say I prefer the convenience of the gloopy stuff. Horses for courses though.. 20lt of peroxide would be vastly more than most would ever need and would likely go off or deactivate before it was used I would think.

 

[Tim.243]

Peroxide paste Is horrible It works okay on roe deer since the surface area Is small but on a red deer bone is incredibly porous and will wick away all the peroxide's water within an hour and render it useless and the reaction stops.
.
You need liquid peroxide ideally I can see on eBay you can buy 20 Litres for £40 assuming you keep your skulls incredibly clean, do all your prep in a dark room, and put a pin prick in the peroxide container (It breaks down into a gas) it can be used for well over a year and do hundreds of skulls.

Have you a picture of skulls you have done like this?