I just received some trophies, and I told my taxidermist I would take care of scull mounts and warthog tusks myself. So now I`m on to the task.
Looking for ideas on shields for warthog tusks? I saw a different setup the other day, were the shield was cut like the African continent. The arrangments of tusk were a little special as well...
How do you normally mount the tusks? Glue?

A good, strong two part epoxy glue will work. You should also fill the tusks with epoxy, auto body filler or fiberglass resin to help prevent cracking in the future. You can also carefully drill a small hole in the back side of the tusk after they have been filled and attach with a small screw through the mounting board (the screw will hold into the filler material). I prefer the screw method so that you can remove them from the board if you ever want to.

I`ll buy some glue and try it out.. My taxidermist had already filled them, except for one of the small tusks.. From what I understood he had used "melted candles".. (mye english might not be the best, is there another name?)
So I used that to fill the last one, and it worked fine..
Thanks for your tip, btw!

I decided on Velcro in a shadow box for mine.

What`s Velcro?
Great idea with the box, btw!

I would try copper wire it could add some color.

Hadn't thought about dressage like the copper wire or any other ornaments; that would add a nice touch. I picked the finished black box up in craft shop for $14, and the stick on Velcro tape (hook and loop fabric, kinda nylon) was about $5. Wanted to see how it would look before I did anything drastic or permanent.

Both the Velcro and copper wire are great ideas. I think I`ll try it out, before glue or screws come into the scene..
I have also seen some mounts were the tusk bases are surrounded by copper. How is that done actually?
Thanks for your help and input!

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Anders:
I have also seen some mounts were the tusk bases are surrounded by copper. How is that done actually?

The biggest problem would be finding a thin malable copper to wrap around the bases.Old copper gutters or copper roof flashing could be a cheap source for it.Best of all it would already have patina.Once you have found it you need a like sized object to form it around.Depending on the thickness of the copper heating it could aid in the forming.The wire on the other hand is easy to find an easy to work with.Copper pipe could be used if you can find the size needed. You can find just about anything on the internet. The problem is where in the world is it and what quanity you have to buy. http://www.chadha-brass.com/products.html Good luck with your project and dont forget some pictures when you are done.

Hmmm, copper pipe, eh?... how about copper brakeline for cars? It is soft and easy to bend. Two loops or three loops around the bases, go through the box on the back of the tusks...
Maybe worth a try.

Frans

I have finished my warthog mount today. I used a kind of glue that is removable with aceton or a remover women use to remove the laquer on their nails.. Here`s how it turned out:

I didn`t find any suitable wire, and it didn`t look as nice with the one I had. Then I found this glue and thought I would give it a try. It supposed to be very solid. Well, that we will have to see for ourself. Hope I don`t come home and find the tusk broken on the floor..
Thanks for your input everyone!

Very nice, and I'm glad you left the color on them. Too many I see have been scrubbed to remove all the character, and made to be pure white. that's not how they are in real life, and look phony!

They do look nice!!!

Someone was asking about thin copper...it's available from craft stores. People use it to do "copper tooling" usually it comes 1 foot wide on a roll. You could also braid or plait copper or brass wire and that would look pretty cool. Or tie it on with leather thongs or use rawhide while it's wet and let it shrink nice and tight.

the chef

Thanks!
I was surely satisfied with the result. It`s very important for me to keep the natural look. I wouldn`t dream of scrubbing the dirt off. I might have been to careful though..

The rawhide was a good idea chef! Next time I might also try a different arrangement on the shield even though this is a standard and ok solution...

Very nice...

I wonder if a small brass name plaque with the date and location they were taken would be appropriate?

quote:

Originally posted by CaneCorso:
Very nice...

I wonder if a small brass name plaque with the date and location they were taken would be appropriate?

Is there some sorts of sets that will let me make such a plaque? That`s actually something I`ve thought of before on other trophies as well. It might make the trophy room more interesting to other people as well, especially with the name so novices don`t have to ask..

I saw the coolest tusk display that I have ever seen at Boss and Sons, the English gun company in London on my way to Zambia.

It was essentially a tray in black marble like substance with the large tusk laying around the outside and the two small tusks were mounted vertical on the tray with a picture of the hunter and the hog in the middle.

I don't know if you can get the visual picture but I was told it was done by a Taxi in South Africa. Truly unique.

Sprig

Sounds like a cool mount! Well, we just need to get back to Africa and get some more warthog`s..

hey now Anders, that mount looks pretty sweet!

Thanks, cold!
Haven`t been able to get it on the wall yet. Somethings just takes some time..
Did see that you`re following the scull-problem thread as well.. They`re soon ready. Can`t wait to get them on the wall and out of my worries..

A bit of a late post but never mind

This is what I've done to some pig tusks. The round bits of wood is African Mahogany. The rounds are 45/70 and a 6.5x55. Both are dummy rounds.