# Smell from completed European mount?



## The"X" (Mar 28, 2003)

You could try spraying it with a clear, satin finish poly to seal it up. Makes it easier to keep clean also.


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## Arrowhunters5 (May 24, 2005)

I may be able to help, can you explain the process you used to "bleach" the skull.


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## billert (Sep 27, 2004)

Yeah, I soaked it in water for a few days and worked the flesh off. When it was mostly clean I boiled it in water and soap. I got the rest off then added hydrogen peroxide. I added about a bottle of 3% to a fairly large soup pot and boiled it until it was white and ended up re-boiling it with more peroxide to lighten it up some more. I never had this problem with another skull I did and did it the exact same way.


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## Arrowhunters5 (May 24, 2005)

It sounds like you may have some type of "meat" still in the skull. Did you leave the teeth on or cut the bottom of the skull flat with a band saw? This is what I would do. Soak the skull in water and baking soda over night to rehydrate any thing that may be left. Then assuming you did not cut the skull tap it in your hand or on wood, gently, with the hole where the spine connects down. There is a thin membrane inside the brain cavity we usually have to use needle nose pliers to get out. Use a flash light to look. Also the nasal sinus is notorious for holding some small bits of flesh. Tap it with the nose down, gently in your hand. This tapping may loosen some hidden stuff up. Then use a hose and spray into the brain and sinus cavities this should remove the rest. Good luck


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## billert (Sep 27, 2004)

Here it is before it dryed and before I re-bleached which is why it is still off white. I'll try your suggestions, thanks. I'm not too thrilled with re-soaking it


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## ShadowAce (Dec 18, 2003)

Did you get the brains out?


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## Jerry/NJ (Jan 17, 2003)

I use 40% peroxide from hair salons and you brush it on as it is a paste. 

You definitely have some leftover organic matter left in there as it shouldnt stink one bit. Arrowhunters5's advice is good stuff.


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## billert (Sep 27, 2004)

Where's the brain at  Yeah as far as I can tell with flashlight, it's clean, but yeah there must be somen left in der!


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## ShadowAce (Dec 18, 2003)

billert said:


> Here it is before it dryed and before I re-bleached which is why it is still off white. I'll try your suggestions, thanks. I'm not too thrilled with re-soaking it


DEER SKULL...It's what's for dinner.


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## Arrowhunters5 (May 24, 2005)

*Wow, nice buck*

 What a looker. Check the sinuses, the really fine cartilage in the nasal cavity. These are often the culprit of hiding a little flesh. I just remove as much of this as I can with needle nose pliers. Some people really want this left in there though. It is personal preference. My experience is that they tend to fall apart over time anyway. BLEACHING TIP; When we "bleach" the skulls, we soak them in 100% hydrogen peroxide. It takes quit a few bottles but they are cheap enough at one of the dollar stores. This will bubble and leave a film on the top of the liquid but it makes the skulls pure white. This is only done after the skull is COMPLETELY clean of meat. Careful though as the base of the antlers will turn white if they are left touching the peroxide. Good luck, if you have any taxidermy related questions feel free to PM me anytime.


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## Meleagris1 (Jan 8, 2003)

Arrowhunters5 said:


> What a looker. Check the sinuses, the really fine cartilage in the nasal cavity. These are often the culprit of hiding a little flesh. I just remove as much of this as I can with needle nose pliers. Some people really want this left in there though. It is personal preference. My experience is that they tend to fall apart over time anyway. BLEACHING TIP; When we "bleach" the skulls, we soak them in 100% hydrogen peroxide. It takes quit a few bottles but they are cheap enough at one of the dollar stores. This will bubble and leave a film on the top of the liquid but it makes the skulls pure white. This is only done after the skull is COMPLETELY clean of meat. Careful though as the base of the antlers will turn white if they are left touching the peroxide. Good luck, if you have any taxidermy related questions feel free to PM me anytime.


Arrow, where are you getting 100% peroxide. This isn't available to the public that I am aware. When I worked for the NYS DEC we cleaned skulls for evidence in legal cases (poaching etc) and bought 55 gallon drums of 50% peroxide which was the strongest available. The stuff you buy in the store is only 1-3%. 

Bleach BTW can very destructive to the bone and generally not needed on deer size animals that have thinner skulls, but would be helpful on bear.
Just be careful if you use it. It will also crack teeth.

I would bet, as Arrow said, it is the sinuses also. Very thin matrix of bones there and they are tough to clean. What makes a quality mount is NOT breaking these bones yet getting all the meat out. That is most likely were the stink is coming from. Use very fine picks and more "fresh" peroxide to clean the sinus. Many people don't get the sinus bones clean because they don't have a bowl large enough to fill will peroxide up to a level to cover the entire skull. I have also seen some people just scrape out all the sinus bones, which looks like hell. 

Nice bucks BTW. :thumbs_up


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## Arrowhunters5 (May 24, 2005)

:thumbs_up Meleagris1, you are right. What I meant was that we do not dilute the peroxide that we buy at the store with water. Thanks for the clarification. We also never use bleach for the reason you stated, I just used the term "bleaching" as that is what most people understand. Also for those boiling the skulls, too much boiling can degrade the bone to a chalky consistancy. So check them often and don't over boil.


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