Maceration Steps

[treillw]

So I got my skull clean. It's been soaking for most of the summer in a 5 gallon bucket.

What are the next steps? Soak in dawn water for a couple of rounds and then whiten? How? Any good tutorials you'd recommend?

Thanks!

Edit:
I probably should add that this is a bear skull.

 

[Bear_Hunter]

Here’s what I do. Make sure all tissue and everything is removed. Sometimes the back of the head can have some stubborn spots.

Then I put it in peroxide. I use this stuff https://www.sallybeauty.com/hair/ha...Vch-tBh2z4wcsEAQYASABEgKLa_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

It's a 12% peroxide solution. You can either just use it straight or dilute it down to 6% if you want with just water. It just takes a little longer if you dilute it. Soak it in there for 4-6 days. Don’t get it on the antlers.

After that, rinse it off and set it out in the sun for a day and it’ll whiten right up. I usually call it good after that. If my skulls appear particularly greasy or get greasy over time, then I might degrease them. To do that, I just put straight gasoline in a bucket and soak the skulls in that for a week or two.

 

[treillw]

I probably should add that this is a bear skull.

 

[RoJo]

Degreasing will be important on a bear skull. A lot of people have success with Dawn water, I think it is even more effective if it is heated...not boiling, just very warm. I don't know if they use aquarium heaters or what.

But my choice for degreasing non-antlered skulls is actually acetone. You obviously need to do it in a well ventilated area away from any sources of flame or sparks. You can get acetone in cans in the paint section of your local home improvement store. You just have to be careful what you put it in, acetone dissolves some plastics. I usually leave the skull in the acetone for a couple weeks just to be thorough. I have found the same acetone can be used for two or three skulls before it gets too saturated with the animal grease.

Lots of good info here: http://www.taxidermy.net/forum/index.php?board=17.0