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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting African Big Game Hunting horn colorsGo | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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| One of Us |
I just got my stuff back from Africa a couple weeks ago. I am a little disapointed because some of the stuff has been biled to death and the color is gone from some of the horns. Is this normal? Is there anything you guys use to blacken them up again? Thanks | ||
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| One of Us |
Does the color come back if you wet them? If so maybe some wax/furniture polish will do it. If not, try some shoe polish on a small portion of the horn (not visable/back of horn)and see what happens. | |||
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one of us |
Not sure without seeing them, but you might try a 50/50 mix of linseed oil and turpentine. If they are really light, go 60% linseed. Take a old rag and dip and dob until they will not soak up any more. Let them set a day or two and do it again. A few days later, rub off any that did not soak in. If they are white, you need to stain them. Not sure what animals you have but use reference photos of live one and match the colors. They are not all the same colors. Best bet is to trake them to your local taxidermist, and have the next ones mounted here in the states. | |||
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| One of Us |
The skulls are just bleached and the horns come off. My kudu and springbok are fine because I think the horns came off before they boiled them to death. My Wilderbeests both black and blue are lighter on the bases of the horns. My impala and white blesbok are almost white at the bases and then a dull brown. even my red hartebeeste is a dull brown on the base of it. I am thinking of trying some dark black stain and tryingit out but just wanted to know if this was normal and if not what is being used. I might give the lindseed oil a go as well before I try stain. | |||
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one of us |
Use WD-40. It will darken them. It will not hurt them. | |||
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One of Us |
nube, good intentions by all, but I recommend you have them permanently repaired by a local Taxidermist. Oiling horns isn't a good idea. It does darken them, but will attract not only dust, but seep into your skull and create spotting. This can also attract Moth's. They are attracted to the scent of the Keratin protein in the horns and if they infest your mounts, they will eat your horns up. Oil seems to amplify this scent. WD-40 is an extreme penetrant. It will darken "black" horn, but like oil, will attract dust (not Moth's), and can stain your skulls. This won't darken the bleached out lower portion of your over boiled horns. This happens often. It is as you suspect, due to over boiling. To remedy this (permanently), I suggest you let a Taxidermist (experienced only) apply tinting, blending or where necessary, a base coat of paint. While he/she is at it, ask them to Moth proof your horns. A product called Pro-Tex will do this although it will need to be re-applied once every 6-12 months. Otherwise, they will, at some point get attacked by Dermestid's or Moth's. Many African plains game horns are not black, especially Kudu. They have black highlights where they were polished, but the overall color is more gray than black. However, many times you see them mounted with black horns. Good luck, David Gray Ghost Hunting Safaris http://grayghostsafaris.com Phone: 615-860-4333 Email: hunts@grayghostsafaris.com NRA Benefactor DSC Professional Member SCI Member RMEF Life Member NWTF Guardian Life Sponsor NAHC Life Member Rowland Ward - SCI Scorer Took the wife the Eastern Cape for her first hunt: http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6881000262 Hunting in the Stormberg, Winterberg and Hankey Mountains of the Eastern Cape 2018 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/4801073142 Hunting the Eastern Cape, RSA May 22nd - June 15th 2007 http://forums.accuratereloadin...=810104007#810104007 16 Days in Zimbabwe: Leopard, plains game, fowl and more: http://forums.accuratereloadin...=212108409#212108409 Natal: Rhino, Croc, Nyala, Bushbuck and more http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6341092311 Recent hunt in the Eastern Cape, August 2010: Pics added http://forums.accuratereloadin...261039941#9261039941 10 days in the Stormberg Mountains http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/7781081322 Back in the Stormberg Mountains with friends: May-June 2017 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6001078232 "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading" - Thomas Jefferson Every morning the Zebra wakes up knowing it must outrun the fastest Lion if it wants to stay alive. Every morning the Lion wakes up knowing it must outrun the slowest Zebra or it will starve. It makes no difference if you are a Zebra or a Lion; when the Sun comes up in Africa, you must wake up running...... "If you're being chased by a Lion, you don't have to be faster than the Lion, you just have to be faster than the person next to you." | |||
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| One of Us |
good advice. Thanks | |||
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| one of us |
Another vote for WD-40. DC300 | |||
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one of us |
DITTO  Jerry Huffaker State, National and World Champion Taxidermist | |||
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| One of Us |
I am pretty sure that wd-40 about a decade ago followed the trend of all spray lubricants, and changed its formula to a tephlon (sp?) based lubricant instead of a petrolium base. If this is true it no longer has dust or dirt attraction qualities. As for overboiling, the horns I have delt with that were light in color typically got left out in whethered conditions. Rain and most importantly over exposure to UV rays. Typically over boiled horns will be very dark in color and small stress fractures appear all over the horn that add to a dull appearance. | |||
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| One of Us |
You should see the horns I've seen. Wildebeest, Waterbuck, Kudu, Blesbok, Nyala...ruined by over boiling. None turned darker, other than a few that boiled in their own fat and grease too long. Rather as nube described: bleached out above the bases; split open, some as much as one inch gaps. Wildebeest bosses curled away from the skull. Just a mess, and all due to not having any skill or instruction on how to properly boil horns. This usually happens in remote camps or lodges. Most of the African Taxidermy shops don't do this (can't speak for all) but it remains a real problem. I advise anyone hunting in Africa to take plenty of close up pics of your game (after the usual "pose" shots). Take good pics of the animals eyes, nose, ear interior and horns. Several African species don't have black noses and eye lids. This is the best way to educate yourself. Even game animals with dark horns are rarely midnight black, and for the love of life, Kudu do not have "shoe polish" black horns! If you want accurate mounts, take a little time and pay attention. It will give you a new pride in your trophies...just my take on the matter... take it or leave it. David Gray Ghost Hunting Safaris http://grayghostsafaris.com Phone: 615-860-4333 Email: hunts@grayghostsafaris.com NRA Benefactor DSC Professional Member SCI Member RMEF Life Member NWTF Guardian Life Sponsor NAHC Life Member Rowland Ward - SCI Scorer Took the wife the Eastern Cape for her first hunt: http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6881000262 Hunting in the Stormberg, Winterberg and Hankey Mountains of the Eastern Cape 2018 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/4801073142 Hunting the Eastern Cape, RSA May 22nd - June 15th 2007 http://forums.accuratereloadin...=810104007#810104007 16 Days in Zimbabwe: Leopard, plains game, fowl and more: http://forums.accuratereloadin...=212108409#212108409 Natal: Rhino, Croc, Nyala, Bushbuck and more http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6341092311 Recent hunt in the Eastern Cape, August 2010: Pics added http://forums.accuratereloadin...261039941#9261039941 10 days in the Stormberg Mountains http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/7781081322 Back in the Stormberg Mountains with friends: May-June 2017 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6001078232 "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading" - Thomas Jefferson Every morning the Zebra wakes up knowing it must outrun the fastest Lion if it wants to stay alive. Every morning the Lion wakes up knowing it must outrun the slowest Zebra or it will starve. It makes no difference if you are a Zebra or a Lion; when the Sun comes up in Africa, you must wake up running...... "If you're being chased by a Lion, you don't have to be faster than the Lion, you just have to be faster than the person next to you." | |||
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