DIY skull cleaning (Turkey fryer) tips?

[Geewhiz]

@Ucsdryder I want to see how it turns out. Congrats on the elk BTW. Is this an archery bull?

 

[Ucsdryder]

@Ucsdryder I want to see how it turns out. Congrats on the elk BTW. Is this an archery bull?

It’s getting there. I re-did the peroxide and wrapped in plastic wrap. Sitting in the sun for the afternoon.

Yeah archery bull that has more in common with a big deer than a bull elk.

 

[Tod osier]

It’s getting there. I re-did the peroxide and wrapped in plastic wrap. Sitting in the sun for the afternoon.

Yeah archery bull that has more in common with a big deer than a bull elk.

Always takes me way longer than people say, I simmer for 4-5-6 hours, removing and pressure washing at intervals.

 

[Pokerface]

Im more worried about my neighbors

Just because they are neighbors doesn’t mean you have to be neighborly

 

[TripleJ]

Always takes me way longer than people say, I simmer for 4-5-6 hours, removing and pressure washing at intervals.

This is my experience as well. Low simmer, not boil, using borax and Dawn, and taking it out periodically to pressure wash. The more skulls I do, it seems like each time I get a little better at it.

 

[Studd muffin]

Like others said, watch some white bone creations videos. You get the skull as clean as you can, then boil for about 30 minutes, pressure wash, and repeat. Put the peroxide gel on for a couple days, and it comes out perfect. Mop and glow after it drys, and you are set.

 

[Buffalo]

I put the head in a plastic bag with a few holes poked in it. Hang it in a tree away from the house and let flys take care of it. Takes a few weeks.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Turned out pretty good. Especially for a garage euro.

 

[william schmaltz]

I’ve done the boiling route a bunch and maceration on bears a few times. I did the steam technique on a moose this weekend and it was WAY easier and more efficient than dealing with boiling or soaking for days.

Bought a crappy propane tank for $5 online and a $3 nipple. Had an old water hose laying around. Total cost including propane for about 3 hours was probably $15. Total project time not including bleaching was about 4 hours. 3 hours of steaming and probably 20 minutes pressure washing.




Now just gotta bleach it. Beetles no doubt have the best product and saves the nasal bones, but this method is by far more efficient than boiling or maceration.

 

[NDM91920]

We add a little bit of dish soap in with the water to help get some of the fatty parts to boil off the skull and get some cheap painter suits to pressure wash in. Your clothes and your wife with thank you if your keep the smell off you.

 

[WCB]

Break out the "ear bones"...makes getting the brains out WAY easier and nobody will notice. Just like the bones inside the nose. I have some that I saved the nose bones and some I haven't. After about 2 weeks on the wall it makes no difference.

Clean absolutely as much off as you can before you "simmer" with some oxyclean. Pull out and scrape some tissue off after 30-40minutes You will know if it comes off easy or not. Power wash. If needed put it back in and re power wash. I would say for a Moose or Elk give it a good hour before trying to power wash.....

Once 99% clean...I put mine in fresh water at a simmer with oxyclean and a little dawn dish soap. for 30min or so. Pull out rinse off and done....I am not a fan off "bleach white" Skulls. So degreases is good enough for me. More of a natural look.

Yeah beetles work great but who wants that headache. I've hung them in trees, buried, put in plastic bags with a little water etc. Screw that noise. In 3-4 hours total or less you could be completely done and have it on your wall in 24hrs. I don't get the guys that shoot something bring it to the taxi and leave the antlers with them for 1-2 years...or wait 7month for their skull to rot clean.

 

[Catchfish]

Things I’ve learned
1. Not all skulls are the same some just seem to be tougher than others.

2. Make sure to scramble the brain and get that out before any cooking. If not I believe the cooking can drive grease into the skull.

3. I keep my skulls wet and don’t let them dry out before the cooking any more. A lot of times it is months before I get to them. Now I make sure the skulls are bagged and taped around antler bases so the blood can’t dry onto the bone.

4. The peroxide is nice but hard for me to get and it more expensive for me to use I have been using the volume 40 with a whitener added.

Here are some projects from this week, need to get these coated so I can finish another moose.

 

[william schmaltz]

Have had this cow musk ox skull sitting in my greenhouse since March 2022. Was covered in dry zombie flesh, zombie eyes, and mold. I thought it was trash so decided to try steaming it. 3 hours of steam and about 20 minutes with pressure washer and it was all bone and ready for bleach. I’m an official convert believer in the steam method!

 

[Weldor]

The peroxide is pretty impressive at whitening if you use a lot of it

You can get the 10% peroxide from a beauty parlor, they have a paste also.

 

[Ucsdryder]

I’m getting the hang of this…

 

[Geewhiz]

I’m getting the hang of this…

Looks great!

For whatever reason, all the antelope I've done turn out excellent. Bright wight and perfectly clean. Not sure why but they just seam to turn out better and be easier to clean up.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Looks great!

For whatever reason, all the antelope I've done turn out excellent. Bright wight and perfectly clean. Not sure why but they just seam to turn out better and be easier to clean up.

Agreed. Probably helped I didn’t wait 2 weeks for it to get covered in maggots like the elk.

Being able to remove the horns and just drop in the water made it easier too.

 

[Macintosh]

Old thread, but maybe someone can lend an assist. @Tod osier @william schmaltz @WCB or anyone with insight.

Doing my first diy euro on a deer at my family camp—no access to pressure washer, minimal tools, tiny town so only basics abailable, etc. Sort of a “must-do-diy” to be legal bringing it home tomorrow lunchtime. I simmered for about 3 hours with only dish detergent. So far so good, but the final meaty bits arent cooperating at all. Really stuck on there. Is there a trick at this point to getting the final bits loose enough to remove? More simmer? Is borax the answer, and if so is it too late? If I bring home as-is and finish at home, will the final bits be easier to remove if I keep it wet or is it ok to let it dry? Any other guidance is highly appreciated.
Photo shows some of the uncooperative chunks.

 

[OKHunter84]

Old thread, but maybe someone can lend an assist. @Tod osier @william schmaltz @WCB or anyone with insight.

Doing my first diy euro on a deer at my family camp—no access to pressure washer, minimal tools, tiny town so only basics abailable, etc. Sort of a “must-do-diy” to be legal bringing it home tomorrow lunchtime. I simmered for about 2 hours with only dish detergent. So far so good, but the final meaty bits arent cooperating at all. Really stuck on there. Is there a trick at this point to getting the final bits loose enough to remove? More simmer? Is borax the answer, and if so is it too late? If I bring home as-is and finish at home, will the final
Bits be easier to remove if I keep it wet or is it ok to let it dry? Any other guidance is highly appreciated.
Photo shows some of the uncooperativeView attachment 791535 chunks.

Simmer it some more and then take it to the carwash if they have one. Should be able to blow the last little chunks off.

 

[Macintosh]

Carwash? Not around here.