The "standard" DIY method of cleaning a deer skull over here is to simmer/boil untill the meat is soft and then pick it clean. Household Washing Soda is added to the water as a degreaser/cleaner. This method works ok in most cases but i now have a skull which has been left for some time and after cleaning and bleaching it is still slightly yellow which I suspect is due to grease. Any ideas for dealing with this? I was going to reboil adding hydrogen peroxide to the water but on second thoughts I suspect that might not be a good idea.<br />Also you mention Elmers wood glue...we don't get this particular brand in the UK so i am looking for an alternative. Is Elmers a standard white PVA type wood glue like "Liquid Nails"?<br /><br />Regards,<br /><br />Pete

Carbon tetrachloride is what the biological supply houses use to degrease bones.

Crowrifle,

Any idea of how they do that? I have some carbon tet. brake cleaner spray but i suspect I would need to immerse and soak the skull to get good results???

Regards,

Pete

[ 03-06-2003, 16:43: Message edited by: Pete E ]

Yes, they immersed the bones in vats of carbon tetrachloride for several days. Came out white as snow.
Be careful using it, as it is a suspected carcinogen.

Hi Pete,
From my experience, most deer skulls do not need to be degreased. Pig skulls, bear skulls, etc. always need degreasing!

Carbon tet is a great degreaser, however it is a little pricey. I used white gas - sold here as Coleman brand lantern fuel. Soak the skull in it for about 24 hours and the grease will collect at the bottom of the container. It's amazing how much grease will come out of a skull.

If your skull is yellow but not greasy feeling, it probably just needs to be whitened. I go to the ladies beauty supply store and purchase hydrogen peroxide by the gallon (about $4.00 US). Put it only in a plastic container as it will react with metal. Submerge the skull with the antlers out of the solution (they will bleach white too!!). I used toilet paper to lie on top of the skull where it is not submerged and wrap it around the bone under the antler (pedicle). The tissue will wick the solution up onto the bone and keep it wet.

With 30% strength I would let it soak no longer than about 6-8 hours. Rinse it off with water and let it dry in the sun. In a few hours the bone will be snow white.

White Elmers glue (not the wood glue - it's yellow) is a water based glue that is pretty popular for arts and crafts. As a sealer for the bone, I would recommend an acrylic based spray-on sealer. Our brand that I like best is Krylon. It works great.

Hope this helps.

JDS

[ 03-07-2003, 09:18: Message edited by: jds ]

Hey Pete E, Elmer's Glue is a school kid type glue. Its used for paper and light craft projects, its white and water based. I don't know what foreign glue like it is called.