preserving bones... preffered methiod?

[pike n' whities]

yea, turns out i got ALOT of questions. today i decided to screw around after i was done fishing and came across a raccoon skull and lower jaw bones. well im assuming its a coon anyway... so has anyone ever preserved bones before? any preffered methods out there? how about cleaning them? about the cleaning question: i found them without any flesh or skin left. was some older remains. maybe 2 years. they just look dirty. what ways SHOULD i use to get them nice n' white? do i seal the bone with some sorta shalak or whatever? and what sorta glue should i use to stick the teeth back in there?

 

thought i would spare you guys from openning another thread and just post my question here. who smokes? anyone chew tobacco? im startin to quit. moved to chew. anyone wanna tell me their fav. chewin' tobacco since i cant seem to find some decent stuff?

 

thanks!

Edited April 12, 2010 by pike n' whities

[Joey]

I have preserved a few skulls. I just cleaned and soaked them in bleach for awhile, then let them sit out in the sun for a long time until they were white. No shellack or anything, just pure bone, they look great.

 

Chewing tobacco is for sissies Smoke em it ya got em I say!!

 

Joey

[irishfield]

Cancer is cancer I guess.. be it cheek or lung !

[pike n' whities]

thanks joey, i feel real manly now! lol.

 

and you got that right irish. cancer is cancer. to tell you the truth i've gotten off pretty lucky, being raised with second hand smoke and all. hopefully it holds off for the rest of my years!

[Leecher]

I would boil it for a couple of hours just to make sure that there's no living organism inside the bone structure, then dip it into peroxide for an hour to blanche the bones.

 

Peroxide won't harm it and will come out real white

This is what I do with my deer antlers except that I boil for a whole afternoon.

 

You can apply waterbased varnish if you like.... will definitely give it a shinny look but for me no need for it cause I re-construct the skull with paper mulch type substance so that I can hang it on a wooden plaque.

 

Hope this helps and good luck with your project!!!

Leechman

[Mykester]

Don't place it in vinegar, it'll make it all rubbery, I think.

[Guest gbfisher]

Even if you find a skull with skin attached. Just boil it. Everything will come off and out...

Put it in the sun to dry.

Edited April 12, 2010 by gbfisher

[4thgen]

I have had good success mixing standard white glue with a bit of water (to thin it out) and painting that on. It was suggested by a museum employee. I've had a tuna jaw for about 12 years that still looks like the day I found it.

[LucG]

Here is an article that describes how I clean my skulls. Its a much quicker way than most, and give an excellent end product.

 

Good Luck

 

Luc

 

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Skulls fascinate many people. A clean, intact skull is most appealing and can sometimes be worth more than prime fur from the same animal. Like fur handling, skull preparation is an acquired skill. Good results are achievable by simple means. Although messy and painstaking, it is gratifying work to transform a raw head into an item of value and lasting beauty.

 

A relatively quick method is described below. It can produce clean, white, intact skulls suitable for public display. It is a method that I’ve developed after working for and picking the brains of several taxidermists, as well as processing hundreds of my own furbearer skulls. It works well for me, a trapper who wants to process numerous skulls in a short period of time, just once a year without harsh chemicals.

 

Selecting

Any skull can be cleaned, but those from young animals will have to be glued back together if the bone sutures have not fused. Growing bones are also more porous and will not shine as bright or feel as smooth as those from mature animals. Mature animals usually have discolored, broken, worn, or missing teeth; however, deformities can certainly add character. Unless it’s for research or for practice, I only process mature specimens.

 

Tagging

Skulls are more valuable when they are tagged with the harvest date and location, license or permit number, sex, weight and species. Immediately after skinning, I identify each skull with a number written in permanent black ink on a durable and waterproof tag. Each tag is attached with a zip-tie inserted into the eye socket and out the cheek muscle so that it remains attached to the zygomatic arch during processing. The tag numbers and corresponding data are recorded in a book. After processing, new tags with neatly recorded data are attached in the same way.

 

Bagging

Skulls are easier to clean if they are kept fresh and moist. I bag each head in clear durable plastic immediately after tagging. The heads remain frozen in containers until cleaning time in the spring. Individual bagging cuts down on the mess of bleeding and freezing to other skulls or storage containers. It also eliminates odors and insects when the weather warms up. Dried skulls should be soaked in warm soapy water before cleaning.

 

Pressure washing

For skulls the size of a fox or larger, I use a pressure washer with a single stream nozzle to remove as much soft tissue as possible. Fragile skulls (small, young or decomposed) can be bagged in a non-metallic screen and sprayed with a wider stream to keep from damaging and losing parts. I use a 1900 psi electric model which is perfect for lynx and just adequate for wolf. Larger models must be used cautiously on furbearers and are better suited for big game. If you don’t need to run a generator to power them, electric models run quieter, cleaner, and cheaper than fuel powered models.

 

After checking for naturally loose teeth, I clamp the skull to a wooden pallet and blast away from all angles. This is a very messy procedure and should be done away from people and pets. I wear a full rain suit, rubber gloves, ear protection, and a Halloween mask for a face-shield. The brains can be flushed out without backlash by adjusting the nozzle to a wider spray. Nothing ruins my day faster than a shot of brain-juice in the face. I also blast away the turbinates which are the fine sponge-like bones in the nasal passage. After pressure washing, each jaw is refitted and kept shut by 20 gauge brass wire inserted through the skull’s nose and around the mandible’s chin.

 

Simmering

Boiling is the quickest method to soften tissue for cleaning, but it affects the integrity of the bones and teeth and it shrinks the skull. Simmering is better. Although simmering could be done before the skulls are pressure-washed, the larger muscles would take longer to soften. If skulls are left to simmer too long, the teeth become loose and then they may get lost in the spray. For simmering, my 5 gallon pot of skulls is sprinkled with two cups of sodium carbonate (sold as laundry “washing soda”), then filled with fresh water to about an inch from the top. I cover the pot and heat it on a propane burner stand outdoors. (See photo). When the water starts to boil, the skulls are done and the heat is turned off. Just as in boiling traps and snares, the oily froth is floated out of the pot by adding water before removing the skulls. I leave them to soak in the hot water while I work on one at a time. The remaining tissue is removed with the aid of dental picks, needle-nose pliers, a small dull knife and other scrapers. Compressed air is great for blasting difficult areas such as the blood vessel passages in the lower jaw.

 

Degreasing

After cleaning, some skulls may not need degreasing, but for most, natural oils in the bone will tarnish them various shades of yellow. Some species, such as lynx, almost always require it, and others, such as wolverine, almost never. Immersing the skulls in naphtha camp fuel for 1-3 weeks will remove the oils. The container must be sealed to prevent evaporation and placed away from sources of ignition. Grease will collect as a brown slime on the bottom of the container. I remove the skulls without disturbing the grease and pour the clear fuel into a clean container to degrease the next batch. The skulls are wiped clean and air dried in a well-ventilated area for a few hours.

 

Note: Skulls in camp fuel will remain intact for a year, however, if the skulls are left longer than 3 weeks, they may take on a sticky brown coating. A light spray of oven cleaner will immediately allow this to be toweled and rinsed off. Although such skulls may still appear stained, make no bones about it as they will whiten.

 

Whitening

Here is a cheap, safe, quick and easy way to whiten skulls. First I soak them in a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution overnight, in a dark container, at room temperature. The peroxide works best in warm conditions, but it deteriorates in sunlight. The peroxide solution maintains its effectiveness if it is kept in a dark container and it can be used for multiple batches. The next morning, I put the wet skulls into clear bags onto a white surface in direct sunlight for a day. (See photo). The sun hyper-activates the peroxide in the bone, while the bags seal in the heat and moisture. Next, the skulls are soaked in water overnight to neutralize the peroxide and are dried slowly to prevent cracking. If the skulls have yellow stains, the degreasing and whitening processes can be repeated. I have never tried chlorine bleach because it is well known to disintegrate bone, even in low concentrations.

 

Finishing

Unlike other cleaning methods, with this process there is usually no need to glue teeth and bones because the natural cartilage and tissues holding them have not deteriorated. When required, white glue will dry clear and remain intact unless soaked in water. Young canine teeth are especially prone to splitting and can be painted with a 1:1 mixture of white glue and water to prevent this. The jaws can be glued shut, but I prefer to use 20 gauge brass wire. Skulls that will be handled or displayed without a box to cover them can be protected by spraying them with a clear varnish. A flat or matte finish looks more natural than a glossy one. I prefer uncoated skulls, but I have seen some gold and silver painted ones that I liked. White paint never looks natural and is a strong indication of a poor job below the surface. Skulls should be bone-dry before applying any coating or glue.

 

Displaying

Displays vary according to purpose and imagination, but I’ll offer a few guidelines. White skulls look best against a dark background. I have carrying cases that act as shadow-box displays when marketing my skulls. I also have wooden boxes with glass fronts and removable backs. For museum quality displays, low-reflective glass allows a clearer view. Skull collecting continues to be popular and a neat tag with accurate data is always an attractive feature. For larger species, a European plaque mount or simply a skull hanging by the zygomatic arches like a picture frame will highlight a trophy.

 

Selling

Some jurisdictions require a special permit to sell manufactured products of wildlife. Export and CITES permits require documentation. Meeting the requirements avoids any bones of contention with wildlife authorities and clients. Consult your local wildlife authorities for details so they have no bones to pick with your business.

 

Enjoying

Like fur handling, preparing skulls can be fun and easy once you know how. It’s also messy and smelly. If you’re a good fur handler, you’ll probably pay the attention necessary to produce bona fide pieces of art. May your skulls bring added value from your harvest and keep you from being bone-idle after the season.

 

Taken from the Fur Harvester Publication

Written by Ryan Sealy, Yukon

Edited April 12, 2010 by LucG