Cutting roe/red skulls - any luck with specialist jigs? Tips in general?

[Almur71]

Hi folks, anyone had luck with the jigs sold by Bushwear and others for cutting roe and red skulls? I'm a newish trophy preparator (made-up word?!?) and have made a horse's backside of a few heads. Tried using a bone saw, wood saw and hacksaw, cutting before the head is boiled (as I heard the heads can disintegrate when cut after boiling - is this true?).

Likewise any tips on achieving an even cut would be gratefully received!

 

[Smelly Yeti]

I’ve got the roe jig and took a bit of trial and error to get used to it. Definitely cut mine before boiling and now use a normal DIY saw rather than the one supplied with the jig (which I found was too flexible and ‘wandered’ despite the jig). Don’t rush the cut as you’ll just end up splintering the bone and unclog the saw regularly if needed. Stick with it and it’ll get easier with each one.

 

[bogtrotter]

Its difficult to cut straight with a bone saw a wood saw makes a straighter cut cheap ones from Wicks or B&Q are fine
Skin the head before trying to cut it but don't boil it.
The jigs work fine but I gave up using one years ago and now do them free hand cut from either side that way if you
do go off a bit its not so obvious.
If you have gone off slightly once the head has been cleaned you can true it up with a belt sander or as I do with an angle grinder and grinding disc sounds drastic but trust me it works.

 

[Almur71]

Thanks folks!

 

[takbok]

I use a run of the mill medium or coarse toothed wood saw - cut at a reasonable speed and don't apply too much force. I do quite short cuts and have improved so that I don't make too many mistakes now, but as bogtrotter mentions they can be remedied with some type of sander if required.

Maybe not to everyone's taste but this is how they turned out this year.

 

[EMcC]

I cut all mine using the Jig after boiling.

 

[pop1]

As bogtrotter says, and defo cut before boiling

 

[deerstalker.308]

I have a red jig not being used pm me if interested

 

[Freeforester]

Get yersel doon tae Mary at Watsons and get a S&J Predator saw, 14tpi, helps a lot. Jig is not bad, but saw included is rubbish. Better still is an old shirt or cloot to wrap round the pedicles and a steady eye and hand, try to be a little above the saw bench or crump used to steady and cut on. If ye can get someone to hold the heid while you saw so much the better, twa hands holding the head better than ane!

Saw slowly at least at first, until you are 100% sure of your line.

 

[Freeforester]

Smelly Yeti, at #2 you've left a bit of cartilage where the nose bones join, not to be recommended - remove this and you may abbreviate your name!

 

[wildfowler1]

Best tip don't cut them.Wf1

 

[lochty]

Long nose cut, skin head, take s line from the ear hole to the front of the teeth and mark with a knife, marker pen, whatever. Turn head over, do the other side and then cut along the line. Simples. Short nose cut, start where the atlas joint is and aim for the middle of the eye socket. Tidy up with a sander. Works with any sort of saw. Ps the first hundred are the worst....