# skull boiling



## Kinger1488 (Jan 6, 2005)

when you boiling a skull do you put anything else in with the water to help with the process? and how do you get the brain out?


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## mathews goat (Aug 20, 2006)

when you boil it do it outside! It will smell.

I never put anything in the water. Maybe some salt but I dont think its needed. Make sure you dont boil it too long or the teeth will start to fall out and the bones will start to separate. Just keep checking it and you will be able to tell.
As far as the brain (this is gross) I took a coat hanger and made a hook on the end and kind of broke it up and it comes out like scrambled eggs.


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## M.Magis (Oct 2, 2003)

Do NOT add anything. Anything you add increases the likelyhood of problems, especially since boiling is a poor method in the first place. Some things people suggest adding can ruin the skull.


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## myarrow (Aug 7, 2008)

put about a cup of arm&hammer super washing soda in water, truns meat to jelly and will fall off. Simmer do not hard boil. Place rear of skull in first to base of horns, leave mussel out. Simmer for a couple hours til meat starts falling off. Scramble brains with screw driver and shake it out. Then submerge the whole skull to base of horns and simmer for about half hour til mussel is clean and then shake bloody snot out of sinus


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## Huntermncb (Mar 30, 2003)

*boiling*

you need to get the brains out of the skull first before you boil the skull if you donlt it will leave alot of oil on the skill. just use and air hose to blow the brain out. I also usually drill a hole above the whole were the brain is to let the pressure and oil to release from the skull while boiling. you need to add dawn dish soap and some baking soda powder this will help degrease the skull and keep most of the smell of the skull. this should help get that skull clean donj't be afraid to boil the skull a couple times and remember to clean the water after so long.


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## team_realtree (Mar 17, 2009)

how do you guys reccomend boiling it outside??? No stove ??? What to do?


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## mathews goat (Aug 20, 2006)

hot plate! or on the gas grill


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## Guidry (Apr 13, 2007)

Dont add any thing just slow boil for about 3 hrs then I use my pressure washer to get the meat off the skull. Dont need to say be carefull use your judgement on how far to hold the nozzle away. It works great I have done over 25 easily this way.


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## Louisianaboy (Aug 24, 2008)

Dont boil.......macerate it (rot)! Much easier and less damage to the skull.


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## KenL (Dec 1, 2005)

Because of a bunch of reasons, I didn't get a chance to do my whitetail skull from last November.

I stuffed it in a 5 gal bucket and filled it with water so it wouldn't dry out (intending to boil it at some point)

It stayed frozen all winter and now stinks to high heaven..accually thats why I checked on it...the wife started complaining that garbage really stunk...(it's the skull)

Anyway...I got ba11s to lift it out of the slop and sure enough looks like all the meat fell off.

Looks like a good way if you can wait that long.....I'll post later after I clean it.


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## Junebug13 (Mar 5, 2009)

*Skull*

I have done a couple of these and I usually dig a hole and bury the head with just a little of the hair showing between the brow tines. After that try to cover each side of the rack with a bucket or box to keep the squirrels out. I let it sit for around 4 wks then boil the skull. Doing it this way nature takes care of most of the gross part (brain, eyes etc...) The teeth will come loose if you boil it too long. Once this is done I will take a heavy duty peroxide (baquacil if thats spelled right, you can get it from the local pool supply) be sure not to get it on the horns as it will bleach them as well. If the skull is not white enough I will use a little bleach. Hope this helps.


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## BigDoggDarren (Oct 10, 2008)

why not just pay a few bucks and have someone clean it with beetles ? the cleaning part is the easy part on european mounts. I am starting a small skull cleaning servie out of my garage this fall - only be charging 30 or 40 to simply clean the skull - you can do the degreasing and whitening. Its a long process to make them turn out perfect. but for you guys just leaving them outside or burrying them in the ground or rotting them in a bucket - why deal with the smell and pain in the ***** ?


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## MULIES4EVER (Feb 18, 2009)

I second the arm & hammer. I have done hundreds. It works. Also simmer rather than boil.


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## KenL (Dec 1, 2005)

Hey BigDoggDarren, about letting it rot in a bucket. It was just the way it worked out for me...got the deer later in year....got cold....no time...lots of excuses.

Anyway, I hosed it off and 99% of all the stuff came off....just some stubborn fat pads.

It's really not a bad way to go....it was zero work.


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## GRM (Mar 12, 2009)

I just got through boiling a bear skull and it wasn't too bad. Brains came out easy after I stirred it up with a coat hanger. I do have a question for any of you that may know, I scraped out the nasal cavity but left the back part that looks like it connects with the upper portion of the roof of the mouth. Should I break that out also?


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## MULIES4EVER (Feb 18, 2009)

No do not break it out. Let it deteriorate on its own. Spray it out real good with a hose and let the natural process do the rest. Soaking in acetone will help with the degreasing and speed up the process of cleaning that out. It pulls all the moisture out of the bone.


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## GRM (Mar 12, 2009)

Thanks Mulie for the info. You say to use acetone, is it the kind you get at the paint store? and how long of a soak?


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## BigDoggDarren (Oct 10, 2008)

KenL said:


> Hey BigDoggDarren, about letting it rot in a bucket. It was just the way it worked out for me...got the deer later in year....got cold....no time...lots of excuses.
> 
> Anyway, I hosed it off and 99% of all the stuff came off....just some stubborn fat pads.
> 
> It's really not a bad way to go....it was zero work.


Not saying thats a bad way to do it - but the smell can get pretty bad.. cleaning the skull is only 1/4 of the job. I am in the process of trying to find the best method of degreasing and whitening for me right now. 
There is no real reason to SIMMER a skull with other methods of cleaning that yield better results... still cracks me up the people that boil and bleach them ? ? oh well


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## MULIES4EVER (Feb 18, 2009)

Yeah, I buy mine at Home depot. I usually just let it soak about a day.


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## MULIES4EVER (Feb 18, 2009)

I have excellent results simmering. I can have a perfectly clean skull in an afternoon. I have no bone damage and do not have to deal with lingering stink. The only method that may be better is bugs but I will not keep them. Too much mess and if they get out your mounts are doomed.

I do around 45+ skulls a year around here and have excellent results. It is a great way to make a little side money.


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