# Euro Mount - DIY for $6.87



## Wild Thing (Mar 19, 2010)

BWHUNTR said:


> Thanks Wild Thing. I see we have similar taste, love the bear rug! Are the Bison not the biggest animals you've ever put eyes on? The one I shot was 120 pounds shy of one ton. Yours? You opted out of a shoulder mount huh? They do take up a ton of wall space for sure, but nothing compared to the hide. You could drape that over a king sized bed! Killing a buffalo was always something I wanted to do. Now its Moose next and still have to get an Elk.
> View attachment 366815


They are really great animals aren't they? I always knew they were big and I have been fairly close to them in Yellowstone but until I actually walked up to that animal after I shot it I really could't fully comprehend their size. We tried to get the head up for a photo like you did but it just wasn't going to happen. My guide estimated his weight at 2,200# and aged him at 9-10 years old.

Thinking the meat might be somewhat tough I decided to age him in a meat locker to tenderize it some and it worked great. After hanging for 18 days we cut some steaks off of him and grilled them up and they were as tender as could be. We weighed all 4 quarters after 21 days and they totaled 985# so I'm thinking the 2,200# live weight estimate may have been a little high but not much. We folded and rolled up the hide and it still took 3 of us to get it into the back of the truck.

One of my buddies drew a tag too and we were able to go together. Here we are loading them up for the trip home:










I built an insulated box to fit into my utility trailer - 6' X 10'. We put 6 of the quarters in the box and the other 2 in the back of the truck with the heads and hides.










I am standing behind one of my front quarters at the meat locker. I'm a little over 6' tall.










I made up 10# of Italian bulk sausage yesterday and I've got 15# of jerky marinating today. I'm thawing out more for a few more batches of Kilebasa, Brats, Polish Sausage, Italian Brats and Snack Sticks. We've got a roast corning in the fridge as we speak. Everything we have eaten so far has been wonderful. I'm glad I donated all of our deer to the local feed the hungry program this year.


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## LabtechLewis (Nov 20, 2008)

I think you could turn up a few "european mount display" threads with a search, but I thought I'd share these ideas in this space:

I have 4 euros displayed on skull hookers. They are solid and I like the way they look. A bit pricey, though:











The taxidermist with the zebra wall from earlier used the following:



















View attachment 367023


Certainly a much less expensive option and still sits at a nice angle, which can be achieved with a belt sander to the back of the skull (zebra wall not included @Dish7 !)


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## Dish7 (Apr 2, 2017)

Wild Thing said:


> Not sure what I will do with the Buffalo Robe - that thing is humongous!


In that last pic of post #53, are you providing scale to show the size of the hide or.....?


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## Wild Thing (Mar 19, 2010)

Dish7 said:


> In that last pic of post #53, are you providing scale to show the size of the hide or.....?


Ya know Dish...sometimes it's pretty hard to find firewood out on the prairie...so I was just having a dry run at it. "Big Tatonka!" 

Great movie!


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## Wild Thing (Mar 19, 2010)

LabtechLewis said:


> I think you could turn up a few "european mount display" threads with a search, but I thought I'd share these ideas in this space:
> 
> I have 4 euros displayed on skull hookers. They are solid and I like the way they look. A bit pricey, though:
> 
> ...


Have not used any of those LL. I did buy a bunch of these "Skull Hangers" from Taxidermist Woodshop a while back and actually need to order some more. For $7.99 they work well.

 European Mount Skull Hanger 

Just 1 screw secures it to the wall...and you don't need to add anything to the skull - just slip it into the hole that goes into the brain cavity...



















and you can bend the support bracket to give your mount the tilt angle you are looking for...



















One of the taxidermists we had do some for us used a regular "Jig saw" type picture hanger which he bent in somewhat of a semi-circle and then secured with screws and cement.










And...I've got some others that I just drilled a couple of holes into and used wire to make a loop to hang on a nail or screw. Lots of options.


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## smith34 (Feb 2, 2009)

On other simple option for hanging is to drill a hole,big enough so the head of the screw you plan to put in the wall will fit, then get a smaller drill bit, just over the size of the shank of the screw and carve a slot up to form an easy key slot.
Simply line up the first hole after you have a screw in the wall, lower down and done. Only drawback is you don’t get the cool tilt out from the wall.


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## Wild Thing (Mar 19, 2010)

smith34 said:


> On other simple option for hanging is to drill a hole,big enough so the head of the screw you plan to put in the wall will fit, then get a smaller drill bit, just over the size of the shank of the screw and carve a slot up to form an easy key slot.
> Simply line up the first hole after you have a screw in the wall, lower down and done. Only drawback is you don’t get the cool tilt out from the wall.


Any pics you can add??


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## Trophy Specialist (Nov 30, 2001)

These are the hangers that I and most of the other taxidermists I know use. You drill two small hole just below the spinal cord hole and attach with screws there. I use 1" drywall screws. What ever you do, make sure they are held fast to the wall and not just hung on something. Skulls are very fragile and if they hit the floor hard, it's not pretty. You basically want taxidermy hung earthquake proof. The often get bumped too.


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## Botiz (Oct 21, 2010)

What state did you guys get your buffalo in?


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## smith34 (Feb 2, 2009)

Wild Thing said:


> Any pics you can add??


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## Wild Thing (Mar 19, 2010)

Botiz said:


> What state did you guys get your buffalo in?


Montana.


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## Rowdy Bandit (Mar 22, 2016)

Wild Thing said:


> Montana.


I understand you used to be able to get a good deal on dental floss there. BTW, thanks for the 'welcome' WT.


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## Trap Star (Jan 15, 2015)

Looks good. The only thing I would add is make sure it is totally degreased before adding any polyurethane or clear coat. If you seal that skull and it's not totally degreased it will come to the surface and get trapped under your sealant. In this case your beautiful white euro mount will turn to yellowish brown over the next few weeks as the grease surfaces.


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## Trophy Specialist (Nov 30, 2001)

Trap Star said:


> Looks good. The only thing I would add is make sure it is totally degreased before adding any polyurethane or clear coat. If you seal that skull and it's not totally degreased it will come to the surface and get trapped under your sealant. In this case your beautiful white euro mount will turn to yellowish brown over the next few weeks as the grease surfaces.


With skull mounts, you can expect some slight yellowing over the years as they age. A second application of peroxide will re-whiten them if that bothers you. I have some old skulls (over 20 years old) and side by side with some newer ones, you can see it.


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## Trap Star (Jan 15, 2015)

Trophy Specialist said:


> With skull mounts, you can expect some slight yellowing over the years as they age. A second application of peroxide will re-whiten them if that bothers you. I have some old skulls (over 20 years old) and side by side with some newer ones, you can see it.


I agree...everything ages. In taxidermy school we never clear coated any euros.


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## LabtechLewis (Nov 20, 2008)

Got one going yesterday...


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## mbrewer (Aug 16, 2014)

LabtechLewis said:


> Got one going yesterday...
> 
> View attachment 448203


What did you wrap the bases with?


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## LabtechLewis (Nov 20, 2008)

mbrewer said:


> What did you wrap the bases with?


It's yellow electrical tape. Was hoping for a quick boil with all this tutoring, but it still took 7 hours. Used a hose to clean it up a bit. Probably need to spend more time picking flesh in order to speed things up. Need to purchase some good tools for that purpose.


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## bowhunter426 (Oct 20, 2010)

LabtechLewis said:


> It's yellow electrical tape. Was hoping for a quick boil with all this tutoring, but it still took 7 hours. Used a hose to clean it up a bit. Probably need to spend more time picking flesh in order to speed things up. Need to purchase some good tools for that purpose.


Saran wrap first before electrical tape? Doing one this coming weekend and my last couple I have lost some color on the bases when just wrapped with tape.

I Typically don't have to boil them for more than 2-3 with dawn dish soap mixed in.


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## mbrewer (Aug 16, 2014)

LabtechLewis said:


> It's yellow electrical tape. Was hoping for a quick boil with all this tutoring, but it still took 7 hours. Used a hose to clean it up a bit. Probably need to spend more time picking flesh in order to speed things up. Need to purchase some good tools for that purpose.


Never would have guessed electrical tape. I use a heavy tin foil wrap instead.


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## Wild Thing (Mar 19, 2010)

Mike - I believe you said you don't wrap Saran Wrap or anything else over the skull after you apply the whitener. Is that correct?


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

Wild Thing said:


> Just rinse the Salon 40 creme off real well with hot water hplayer...and then wrap rubber bands or zip ties around the snout to keep it from separating while it dries.
> 
> I am starting to rethink the sealant spray after reading comments from our in-house taxidermist, Trophy Specialist, and others. The first ones that I had done by a taxi were definitely sealed, but it sort of makes sense that if any additional grease leaches out over the years it could yellow the skull under the sealant. If you don't seal it you can always degrease it and whiten it again where this may be tough to do after sealant has been applied.
> 
> ...


Dont use polyurethane. Its yellow tinted. Maybe that's where the yellowing theory comes from? My gramps used something but I cant remember... laquer or varnish maybe.


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## Trophy Specialist (Nov 30, 2001)

Wild Thing said:


> Mike - I believe you said you don't wrap Saran Wrap or anything else over the skull after you apply the whitener. Is that correct?


No, never did that. I also do not wrap the antler bases during boiling either. In the rare event that the base discolors, I touch it up with my air brush, which takes less than a minute. I don't rinse off the peroxide because there's nothing there to rinse. It soaks into the bone and dries within one day. I just dry them on a table. I also don't degrease them per say. After boiling and removing most meat, I blast them with a garden hose using hot water. That takes off the grease and remaining tissue. I have some that are pushing three decades and they still look good.


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

Trophy Specialist said:


> No, never did that. I also do not wrap the antler bases during boiling either. In the rare event that the base discolors, I touch it up with my air brush, which takes less than a minute. I don't rinse off the peroxide because there's nothing there to rinse. It soaks into the bone and dries within one day. I just dry them on a table. I also don't degrease them per say. After boiling and removing most meat, I blast them with a garden hose using hot water. That takes off the grease and remaining tissue. I have some that are pushing three decades and they still look good.


How long do you summe? I did mine for like 2.5 hours and still had a heck of a time getting some of the junk with a 1600 psi washer.


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## Trophy Specialist (Nov 30, 2001)

sureshot006 said:


> How long do you summe? I did mine for like 2.5 hours and still had a heck of a time getting some of the junk with a 1600 psi washer.


Two hours on the first boil, then I take them out, cool them and remove the big stuff. Then 1.5 more hours of boiling, cool, remove most of the rest of the tissue, then blast them clean. I'm doing them in groups of four in the pot, so eight per day.


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## Wild Thing (Mar 19, 2010)

sureshot006 said:


> *How long do you summe? I did mine for like 2.5 hours and still had a heck of a time getting some of the junk with a 1600 psi washer.*


I did these for an hour and a half to 2 hours and then scraped them and put them back in the pot 2 or 3 more times for maybe 20-30 minutes - probably a total of 3 hours or so. I was alternating between the 2 skulls so I would simmer one while I was picking away at the other. I also did the 2 jawbones so I had something in the pot for most of the day.

I found the air compressor with the little narrow air nozzle to really work well for me. Once I got the major portion of the tissue removed, I would just simmer for maybe 20 minutes, blow it off and put it back for another 15 minutes and blow it off again. It does a great job of removing the brain tissue (albeit a little messy), gums and even a lot of the staining off of the teeth. Try the air compressor - you'll like it.


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## Trophy Specialist (Nov 30, 2001)

Wild Thing said:


> I did these for an hour and a half to 2 hours and then scraped them and put them back in the pot 2 or 3 more times for maybe 20-30 minutes - probably a total of 3 hours or so. I was alternating between the 2 skulls so I would simmer one while I was picking away at the other. I also did the 2 jawbones so I had something in the pot for most of the day.
> 
> I found the air compressor with the little narrow air nozzle to really work well for me. Once I got the major portion of the tissue removed, I would just simmer for maybe 20 minutes, blow it off and put it back for another 15 minutes and blow it off again. It does a great job of removing the brain tissue (albeit a little messy), gums and even a lot of the staining off of the teeth. Try the air compressor - you'll like it.


I tried the air method after you posted it before, but prefer a hot water hosing better. That can be messy too.


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

Wild Thing said:


> I did these for an hour and a half to 2 hours and then scraped them and put them back in the pot 2 or 3 more times for maybe 20-30 minutes - probably a total of 3 hours or so. I was alternating between the 2 skulls so I would simmer one while I was picking away at the other. I also did the 2 jawbones so I had something in the pot for most of the day.
> 
> I found the air compressor with the little narrow air nozzle to really work well for me. Once I got the major portion of the tissue removed, I would just simmer for maybe 20 minutes, blow it off and put it back for another 15 minutes and blow it off again. It does a great job of removing the brain tissue (albeit a little messy), gums and even a lot of the staining off of the teeth. Try the air compressor - you'll like it.


Air compressor would probably result in less brains on my face lol


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## Joel/AK (Jan 12, 2013)

Didn't read the whole thread but wife uses a steamer for euro mounts.


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

A guy I worked with used a steam hose. Worked awesome.


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## Wild Thing (Mar 19, 2010)

Trophy Specialist said:


> I tried the air method after you posted it before, but prefer a hot water hosing better. That can be messy too.


I don't have hot running water in my barn so that isn't an option for me. I got the air compressor tip from an on-line article. That guy used the air while the skull was submerged in water. Tried that and it was messy too.


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## Wild Thing (Mar 19, 2010)

sureshot006 said:


> Air compressor would probably result in less brains on my face lol


You're not turning into a "neat freak" are you sureshot? Put your face right down there and look into the brain stem hole while you are blowing them out!  Kidding of course SS - you really don't want to try that.

Goggles are your friend when using the air compressor or the hose.


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## LabtechLewis (Nov 20, 2008)

Joel/AK said:


> Didn't read the whole thread but wife uses a steamer for euro mounts.
> 
> View attachment 469209
> View attachment 469211


What kind of hook do you have installed on that plaque, please? They look really good.


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

Wild Thing said:


> You're not turning into a "neat freak" are you sureshot? Put your face right down there and look into the brain stem hole while you are blowing them out!  Kidding of course SS - you really don't want to try that.
> 
> Goggles are your friend when using the air compressor or the hose.


I wore goggles, old boots, an apron (the one I use for fleshing hides) and an old hat. I needed a face shield! And the brains weren't real fresh... about 4 weeks old. Blehhhhhhch!


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## Trophy Specialist (Nov 30, 2001)

I really don't make much of a mess hosing them but I have a big deep wash tub to contain it.


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

Trophy Specialist said:


> I really don't make much of a mess hosing them but I have a big deep wash tub to contain it.


Hosing is different than 1600 psi jet lol


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

Dumb question... what does the powder stuff do when mixed with the 40 volume peroxide? I thought peroxide does the job on its own.

Got the 16 oz volume 40 for $3.25 delivered next day. Good for a lifetime or until it degrades I suppose


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## Trophy Specialist (Nov 30, 2001)

sureshot006 said:


> Dumb question... what does the powder stuff do when mixed with the 40 volume peroxide? I thought peroxide does the job on its own.
> 
> Got the 16 oz volume 40 for $3.25 delivered next day. Good for a lifetime or until it degrades I suppose


I don't add any powder. I would guess that it's a thickener. The stuff I use is fairly thick already.


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## Wild Thing (Mar 19, 2010)

sureshot006 said:


> Dumb question... what does the powder stuff do when mixed with the 40 volume peroxide? I thought peroxide does the job on its own.
> 
> Got the 16 oz volume 40 for $3.25 delivered next day. Good for a lifetime or until it degrades I suppose





Trophy Specialist said:


> I don't add any powder. I would guess that it's a thickener. The stuff I use is fairly thick already.


My wife picked up a 16 oz bottle of Salon 40 creme this time. It should be enough for 5 or 6 deer anyway. The basic white powder was something recommended in an on-line article I read. I think it was supposed to be more of a whitener and it did thicken up the Salon 40 Creme. I am going to go with just the creme this time and see if it doesn't work just as well.


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## Joel/AK (Jan 12, 2013)

LabtechLewis said:


> What kind of hook do you have installed on that plaque, please? They look really good.


If you look closely at the 8 point, at the base of the skull /spine you will see a V shaped picture mount..

Kinda simple but works. Most people don't even notice. She has a screw in the board and with the picture frame mount you can take the euro off the board for cleaning. Usually she uses a straight mount, cuz it's harder to see but we must have run out for the 8.


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## Wild Thing (Mar 19, 2010)

Trophy Specialist said:


> I don't use any sealants or paints. *The Peroxide I use is Clairal and its white and creamy in texture. I put on one light coat and it does not leave any residue after it dries, so nothing to remove. I can do 25 skulls with one bottle.*


Mike what is the Clairol product you are using? Can you post a pic of the bottle?

I tried just using the Salon 40 creme this year without adding the Clairol Basic White powder and they did not come out white enough so I need to redo them.

Thanks


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## Trophy Specialist (Nov 30, 2001)

Wild Thing said:


> Mike what is the Clairol product you are using? Can you post a pic of the bottle?
> 
> I tried just using the Salon 40 creme this year without adding the Clairol Basic White powder and they did not come out white enough so I need to redo them.
> 
> Thanks


They will continue to whiten for days. I let them dry for a week before I have clients pick them up and they are bone white by then. I'm not using that much peroxide either. One modest coat. 
https://www.amazon.com/Clairol-Professional-Soy4plex-White-Developer/dp/B00A5ET16A


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

Wild Thing said:


> Mike what is the Clairol product you are using? Can you post a pic of the bottle?
> 
> I tried just using the Salon 40 creme this year without adding the Clairol Basic White powder and they did not come out white enough so I need to redo them.
> 
> Thanks


I used salon 40 and it brightened a lot. Going to try one more application and see if it gets even brighter.


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## Wild Thing (Mar 19, 2010)

I applied the Salon 40 creme real thick last night and let them dry about 15 hours. There was a lot of creme still left so I rinsed them in hot water and they just didn’t look white enough so I’m letting them dry again. Will check in a day or two and decide if I want to apply another coat. Thanks.


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## BWHUNTR (Oct 3, 2008)

Wild Thing said:


> I applied the Salon 40 creme real thick last night and let them dry about 15 hours. There was a lot of creme still left so I rinsed them in hot water and they just didn’t look white enough so I’m letting them dry again. Will check in a day or two and decide if I want to apply another coat. Thanks.


Wild Thing I only use the Salon 40, no additional whiteners. I always apply the crème to a hot skull, wrap in aluminum foil let set for 24 hours. After cleaning with hot water and dawn dish soap I wrap a rubber band around the nose and place on my heat register for a couple of days. My wife just loves that I have heads through the house drying  End result, they are pretty darn white! Good luck.


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## Wild Thing (Mar 19, 2010)

BWHUNTR said:


> Wild Thing I only use the Salon 40, no additional whiteners. I always apply the crème to a hot skull, wrap in aluminum foil let set for 24 hours. After cleaning with hot water and dawn dish soap I wrap a rubber band around the nose and place on my heat register for a couple of days. My wife just loves that I have heads through the house drying  End result, they are pretty darn white! Good luck.
> View attachment 470123



OK - Maybe I just need to be more patient. Last year I did add additional whitener powder to the Salon 40 and then I wrapped them in Saran Wrap as well. I put the rubber bands around the snout while the creme was still wet this year. I was a little concerned about that but it didn’t seem to affect the whitener. Forgot to put the rubber bands back on after I rinsed them. Will do that when I get home again. Thanks for the tips guys.


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## Trophy Specialist (Nov 30, 2001)

After 12 hours I wipe any excess off with a wet.rag, install a hanger, then let.dry for week. There's not much excess, just a few drops on the bottom.


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## Trophy Specialist (Nov 30, 2001)

Also, mine are pretty white right after boiling.


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

Trophy Specialist said:


> Also, mine are pretty white right after boiling.


Is initial whiteness impacted by how long it sat before cleaning? Mine was pretty discolored after sitting outside for a month.


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## mbrewer (Aug 16, 2014)

BWHUNTR said:


> Wild Thing I only use the Salon 40, no additional whiteners. I always apply the crème to a hot skull, wrap in aluminum foil let set for 24 hours. After cleaning with hot water and dawn dish soap I wrap a rubber band around the nose and place on my heat register for a couple of days. My wife just loves that I have heads through the house drying  End result, they are pretty darn white! Good luck.
> View attachment 470123


Are the teeth white too?


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## BWHUNTR (Oct 3, 2008)

mbrewer said:


> Are the teeth white too?


Unfortunately the teeth do become white after the peroxide is applied. I've never tried anything to prevent this.


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## mbrewer (Aug 16, 2014)

BWHUNTR said:


> Unfortunately the teeth do become white after the peroxide is applied. I've never tried anything to prevent this.


I think it's a better look when everything is white. But I wouldn't listen to me, my man cave is between my ears. :help:


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## Trophy Specialist (Nov 30, 2001)

sureshot006 said:


> Is initial whiteness impacted by how long it sat before cleaning? Mine was pretty discolored after sitting outside for a month.


I've never let one sit before. Don't know.


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## Trophy Specialist (Nov 30, 2001)

mbrewer said:


> Are the teeth white too?


If you don't want the teeth white, then don't put peroxide on them.


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## tjhuntfish (Oct 7, 2015)

did my first one this year and didnt need to whiten it after the boil, i used oxy clean and it was plenty white enough just let it dry out then sealed it with mop and glow, my brother in laws i did do it sat for a few weeks then i did his and i did have to whiten it up with salon 40 for only a few hours then rinsed off. i did remove brains and eyes before boiling it so that prolly helps it


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

I put a 2nd coat of salon 40 on last night. Didnt really need to but this morning it was a bit brighter again. Good enough for me.

I should have decreased. Still smells a little, probably from the brain and nasal cavities.


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## Dish7 (Apr 2, 2017)

Trophy Specialist said:


> If you don't want the teeth white, then don't put peroxide on them.


Do you get many customers who request natural teeth? Not sure which I like better.


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## Trophy Specialist (Nov 30, 2001)

Dish7 said:


> Do you get many customers who request natural teeth? Not sure which I like better.


No


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## Wild Thing (Mar 19, 2010)

Mine really didn't turn out too bad, but I do like them a little whiter so I will do another coat and then let it sit longer.

The rubber band did a nice job of preventing the separation in the snout so I will continue to do that in the future. Great tip!


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

Wild Thing said:


> Mine really didn't turn out too bad, but I do like them a little whiter so I will do another coat and then let it sit longer.
> 
> The rubber band did a nice job of preventing the separation in the snout so I will continue to do that in the future. Great tip!
> 
> View attachment 470349


I think mine turned out a little whiter than that first go round with the Salon 40.

I wouldn't think brand matters. 40 is 12% peroxide either way.


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## tjhuntfish (Oct 7, 2015)

cool buck!


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## Bowhunt (Jul 27, 2010)

With the crappy weather and kids activities cancelled today, gave me a chance to get in on the action.


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## Tryin2 (Oct 4, 2012)

got my gun opener buck all cleaned up the other day .....now time to brainstorm some unique ideas for a plack or pedestal


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## Horseshoe (Oct 15, 2003)

I copied this off one I saw on FB. Did it for a buddy.


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## Groundsize (Aug 29, 2006)

I do the same thing. Easy as pie. I use a power washer though after boiling. Love a nice skull mount.


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## LabtechLewis (Nov 20, 2008)

I tried this hanger the other day. Works fine, but I think it's best suited for use with a solid substructure because of the force used to bend the L-bracket after hanging.


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## Trophy Specialist (Nov 30, 2001)

LabtechLewis said:


> I tried this hanger the other day. Works fine, but I think it's best suited for use with a solid substructure because of the force used to bend the L-bracket after hanging.


I always tell my clients to hang your mounts from a stout screw that's buried into a stud. Never trust a mount on a drywall hanger. They will eventually fail. Skull mounts are very fragile and if they hit the floor, they smash into pieces.


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## Joel/AK (Jan 12, 2013)

Even got the kid learning.


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## Bowhunt (Jul 27, 2010)

I have been trying to clean up some old skull mounts for a display I am building. Any tips on further whitening? Some of these were skull mounts that were never whitened from years ago. I did a light simmer on them and then degreased with dawn for over a day. I have used peroxide but still can’t get as white as some of my others. Not interested in ruining the bone with any bleach.


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## Wild Thing (Mar 19, 2010)

LabtechLewis said:


> I tried this hanger the other day. *Works fine, but I think it's best suited for use with a solid substructure because of the force used to bend the L-bracket after hanging. *
> 
> 
> 
> ...





Trophy Specialist said:


> *I always tell my clients to hang your mounts from a stout screw that's buried into a stud. Never trust a mount on a drywall hanger. They will eventually fail. *Skull mounts are very fragile and if they hit the floor, they smash into pieces.


I have used these hangers from taxidermistworkshop.com Deer Euro Mounts and like them real well. I bend it to the desired angle before I hang them on the wall.

I agree with trying to get them into a stud but...unfortunately, when I framed in my walls in the man cave I framed the 2X6's on 24" centers. Saved a little money but I regretted it once I started hanging things on the walls. Still, I have hung several with hollow wall anchors with no issues so far...


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## Wild Thing (Mar 19, 2010)

Well...with the weather being a little on the chilly side for outdoor activities, I decided to go ahead and get Elaine's Euro Mount done. We've had a lot of subzero actual temps and a lot of wind chills of 25-35 below. Sooooooo...

The first thing I wanted to do this year was to bypass the timer on my propane burner. I got the new burner last year and found that it was a real PITA rewinding the timer every 15 minutes to keep the thing running. I cut the wires on the timer and soldered them together but then...










The Thermocoupler quit working on me too. It lit just fine while I was depressing the button but went out as soon as I released it.










So...I just pulled out everything, threaded a new bolt in the fixture where the thermocouples had been and .... Viola! A beautiful blue flame and it keeps running as long as I've got propane.










For the first time this year, I decided to pop out the ear buds. There is a lot of meat and gristle around those ear buds and it can take forever to keep trying to pick it out. I used a #1 Phillips to stick into the ear hole and just worked it around a little until it popped out.



















Amazing how easy it is now to clean out when the ear buds are removed.


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## Wild Thing (Mar 19, 2010)

I also found that if you chip out the thin bone behind the ear buds with your screwdriver, you have much greater access to the brain cavity to remove that tissue. Much, much easier!



















3 Access ports are better than one for sure...










Spent a little extra time trying to degrease it well after I had cleaned off all of the meat and tissue. I got this tip from a you tube video I found on the net.
The guy recommended adding about 300 ml (10 oz) of Dawn dish soap to fresh water and then just keeping the temp up between 80-115 degrees F. You don't want it to even simmer - just keep it warm. Other options are to use an aquarium heater or an electric wrap pad wrapped around a five gallon pail. We have the extra electric range in the man cave in the barn so I just set the pot there and set the temp on #2. I turned it off at night and then turned it on again in the morning and let it go for 2 days. Some guys might go 2 weeks but I found it was degreased enough for our needs.










After degreasing I mixed up some Salon Care 40 Vol creme with a little Basic White 2 powder as I have done in the past. I applied it and let it sit for 2 days and then rinsed it off. I thought it could be a little whiter so I mixed up some more and applied a second coat which I also let sit for 2 days. Just rinsed it off this morning and I think it is going to be plenty white once it dries.










On a side note - there was virtually no separation in the nose throughout the entire process. After rinsing it out today I noticed that the nose was starting to separate within an hour. I should have put the rubber band on right away but just didn't think about it. I may go ahead and use some super glue and a zip tie to pull it back together later.


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## Dish7 (Apr 2, 2017)

Wild Thing said:


> I have used these hangers from taxidermistworkshop.com


I've got four Euros in my garage hanging on these. They are hand rail brackets. Fit perfectly (minus the screw plate for the rail).


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## Let It Ride (Jul 28, 2010)

Wild Thing said:


> I just bought the 4 oz size of Salon Care 40 creme which is more than enough for 1 deer. I mixed in 1 packet of the Basic White 2 powdered stuff and just mixed it together with the paint brush:
> 
> View attachment 366453
> 
> ...


great job, love those mounts


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