Need help with whitening a Warthog skull

[RichD]

Seems every time I go to the AH well of information you folks always come through. I shot this worty in Botswana this past June. I've put on 2 generous applications of this 40v creme and lightener, but have not seen an improvement. 3 parts of 40 to 1 part of BW2, each application kept on 36 and 48 hours. Cold in Colorado right now, so kept in a spare bathroom with doors closed, well heated. I'm almost a step away from white epoxy spray paint (well, maybe a few steps away). I've seen some pics with very white skulls and others looking like mine. Any recs on what to try next? Thanks as always for the help - it is much appreciated!

 

[Major Bonkers]

Dip and pack skull, how clean?

I'm considering a dip and pack for my first PG trip from august and curious how clean a dip and pack skull is? Eyes, brain's sinuses etc? Just wondering if it's almost a euro or still has all the junk in it. I ask because of the weight regardless of the significance. Thank you for any help...

www.africahunting.com

 

[DPHunter4570]

BoneBrite - Whitening European Mount Kit

New Arrival! The easiest do-it-yourself skull whitening/degreaser kit on the market specifically designed to pull stubborn oil from bone! Just simply spray, brush, and walk away for unmatched results! Application Instructions Bone Degreaser Clean all meat and tissue off the skull using a sharp...

www.velvetantlertechnologies.com

Not sure how it'll work since you've used other things on the skull now, but I had great success with this kit from Velvet Antler Tech cleaning up my black bear skull this spring. Very clean and got it good and white.

 

[RichD]

Dip and pack skull, how clean?

I'm considering a dip and pack for my first PG trip from august and curious how clean a dip and pack skull is? Eyes, brain's sinuses etc? Just wondering if it's almost a euro or still has all the junk in it. I ask because of the weight regardless of the significance. Thank you for any help...

www.africahunting.com

Dip and pack skull, how clean?

I'm considering a dip and pack for my first PG trip from august and curious how clean a dip and pack skull is? Eyes, brain's sinuses etc? Just wondering if it's almost a euro or still has all the junk in it. I ask because of the weight regardless of the significance. Thank you for any help...

www.africahunting.com

For our trip in Botswana, the camp had a crew of skinners who removed the skull hides, removed all soft tissue - eyes, brains, tongue, nose, etc then boiled the skulls until most all remaining soft tissue was gone. The skulls, capes, and hides were shipped to the taxidermist in Maun, cleaned further, dipped for a period of time in formaldehyde and then for a period in peroxide. Hides/capes were salted and folded, crated, shipped to Jo'burg then stateside.

 

[RichD]

BoneBrite - Whitening European Mount Kit

New Arrival! The easiest do-it-yourself skull whitening/degreaser kit on the market specifically designed to pull stubborn oil from bone! Just simply spray, brush, and walk away for unmatched results! Application Instructions Bone Degreaser Clean all meat and tissue off the skull using a sharp...

www.velvetantlertechnologies.com

Not sure how it'll work since you've used other things on the skull now, but I had great success with this kit from Velvet Antler Tech cleaning up my black bear skull this spring. Very clean and got it good and white.

Thank you. I will look this over and see if it will brighten the skull further. I'm going to start on the eland skull tomorrow.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

You'll need to heat that skull to make the whitening paste work. Helps if the tusks are loose. Remove them if you can. Fortunately, mine were only stuck on with a bit of epoxy around the gum and I worked it loose with paint stripper.

If you can get the tusks off, simmer skull in water with a heavy dose of Dawn detergent and quarter cup of soda ash. Skim off grease as it cooks. Change water if it gets skungy. Don't boil, only simmer just below boiling. Watch for teeth coming loose. Keep pulling the skull out periodically and check for loose teeth. Pull them off if you can and arrange in order on a paper towel to be reattached later. Once you've got as much grease as possible removed, heat up the skull, paint it with your whitening paste, wrap in clear plastic wrap (for sandwiches, etc), and let it set overnight under lights. If possible, set outside wrapped that way on a sunny day. That can really make a difference! Try to keep the paste off the tusks. Don't want those bleached.

Our taxidermy business is almost exclusively skulls and cap mounts these days (and fish). I had to clean up both my warthog skulls.

 

[saswart]

You'll need to heat that skull to make the whitening paste work. Helps if the tusks are loose. Remove them if you can. Fortunately, mine were only stuck on with a bit of epoxy around the gum and I worked it loose with paint stripper.

If you can get the tusks off, simmer skull in water with a heavy dose of Dawn detergent and quarter cup of soda ash. Skim off grease as it cooks. Change water if it gets skungy. Don't boil, only simmer just below boiling. Watch for teeth coming loose. Keep pulling the skull out periodically and check for loose teeth. Pull them off if you can and arrange in order on a paper towel to be reattached later. Once you've got as much grease as possible removed, heat up the skull, paint it with your whitening paste, wrap in clear plastic wrap (for sandwiches, etc), and let it set overnight under lights. If possible, set outside wrapped that way on a sunny day. That can really make a difference! Try to keep the paste off the tusks. Don't want those bleached.

Our taxidermy business is almost exclusively skulls and cap mounts these days (and fish). I had to clean up both my warthog skulls.

RichD, you have to go back a few steps. My father and brother has a taxidermy and export company in SA so I have seen this a few times. Ontario is correct above.

Look at the skull, all those black on skull is still old rotten blood and the bright yellow is fat. it wasn't properly cleaned. You would need to cook that out before applying anything. Best for white skull is after properly cooked clean, to bleach it,(not tusks), that is the how most skulls get white. But "painting over" the issues will not help. You can do it yourself or for peace of mind take it to local taxidermy

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Seems every time I go to the AH well of information you folks always come through. I shot this worty in Botswana this past June. I've put on 2 generous applications of this 40v creme and lightener, but have not seen an improvement. 3 parts of 40 to 1 part of BW2, each application kept on 36 and 48 hours. Cold in Colorado right now, so kept in a spare bathroom with doors closed, well heated. I'm almost a step away from white epoxy spray paint (well, maybe a few steps away). I've seen some pics with very white skulls and others looking like mine. Any recs on what to try next? Thanks as always for the help - it is much appreciated!

View attachment 574465

What is that blob of yellow on the end of its chin/nose? Neither of my skulls have that. Wait ... is it the septum dividing nasal cavity? That should have been removed.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

RichD, you have to go back a few steps. My father and brother has a taxidermy and export company in SA so I have seen this a few times. Ontario is correct above.

Look at the skull, all those black on skull is still old rotten blood and the bright yellow is fat. it wasn't properly cleaned. You would need to cook that out before applying anything. Best for white skull is after properly cooked clean, to bleach it,(not tusks), that is the how most skulls get white. But "painting over" the issues will not help. You can do it yourself or for peace of mind take it to local taxidermy

Yes, avoid painting the skull if at all possible. South African taxidermist (who's already been roasted on here) painted ALL my first shipment of skulls to cover up rotten flesh, grease spots, etc. Terrible mess stripping that paint off then properly cleaning and bleaching skulls. Can't have shit like that up on the walls in my house that also doubles as business showroom. It was nothing short of a miracle Canada customs inspection didn't send the works to incinerator. COVID lockdown was only a day away and I suspect the crate probably didn't even get opened. They were just moving stuff through customs as fast as possible.

 

[Major Bonkers]

Cleaning a skull is surprisingly easy.

(1) boil in a pot. Add washing powder, which dissolves the grease. (Don't over-boil or the skull starts to disintegrate.)

(2) soak the skull in hydrogen peroxide, which is available from Amazon. Rather than use a pot, which is a bit extravagant, I use a whole load of women's make-up removal pads, put them on the skull, and soak the pads in peroxide. Useful tip: peroxide is a precursor chemical for homemade explosives.

(3) to brown horns, use potassium permanganate. Most people with dogs have this stuff lying around. It can be painted on fairly liberally. This trick is particularly useful, I have found, with red deer horns which can be very white.

Thinking about this a bit more, Mr. Ontario Hunter's advice (simmer, don't boil, scoop off the 'skungy' scum from the top of the water, and change the water if it gets too greasy/ dirty) is better and more thorough than my advice of simply boiling the skull. Adding soda ash also seems sensible, although I have not done this myself.

The active ingredient in both the hair products and the 'velvet antler technologies' sprays (recommended by Mr. DPHunter4570) is hydrogen peroxide. I suspect that the hair products stuff will be very mild and, therefore, not particularly efficacious. My own playing about with hydrogen peroxide has revealed that there seem to be no ill-effects from slapping as much of this stuff on a skull as you like: it does not weaken the bone. I definitely agree with the advice not to paint the skull.

If you are going to bleach a horned skull, like your eland, it may be sensible to buy something like the Fritzmann Boiling Clamp. Obviously, the horns should be kept out of the water and not bleached.

Please do let us know how you get on.

 

[Philip Glass]

BoneBrite - Whitening European Mount Kit

New Arrival! The easiest do-it-yourself skull whitening/degreaser kit on the market specifically designed to pull stubborn oil from bone! Just simply spray, brush, and walk away for unmatched results! Application Instructions Bone Degreaser Clean all meat and tissue off the skull using a sharp...

www.velvetantlertechnologies.com

Not sure how it'll work since you've used other things on the skull now, but I had great success with this kit from Velvet Antler Tech cleaning up my black bear skull this spring. Very clean and got it good and white.

Thanks for the tip. I've ordered some to try as well as their mount cleaner/ insecticide product.

 

[UKHunter]

Boil / simmer it with washing detergent and then while still wet after boiling apply hydrogen peroxide solution. Ideally in paste form or if liquid use cotton soaked in it to stick all over the skull. Leave it overnight and then remove.

 

[Chukardogs]

I have been cleaning skulls for a couple decades now. Its grease still in the bone. Pigs are notorious for being extra greasy. It needs to soak in a degreasing agent. It can take a long time up to a couple weeks of longer to really get it out. Dawn dish soap and warm water will work. You have to have a way to keep the water warm. I have used old water bed heating mats with a tub on top. Change the water once the grease accumulates. Just like Ontario Hunter has said. Acetone in a sealed container also works. Keep it sealed because of how quickly it evaporates. Acetone is the pricier way. I can see in the lower jaw all of the grease. You can drill some small holes on the underside of the lower jaw, 1/8" or smaller. You will not see them. This will help the grease get out of the bone. You can also drill a couple holes and the occipital condyle. The two lobes where the spine enters the skull (real greasy spot). I have soaked pig skulls for a month. Big bears can also be pretty greasy. It is a time consuming process, but it can be done. Then whiten, again like Ontario Hunter has said. Wrapped in saran wrap and kept warm under lights. Good luck and have patience. Grease can come to the surface again in a year or two on pig skulls,

 

[mark-hunter]

Any recs on what to try next? Thanks as always for the help - it is much appreciated!

I will tell you how I whiten roe deer sculls.
I remove skin and meat from the scull, not too detailed.
Put the scull in the water to boil. I put one big spoon of laundry machine detergent.
Purpose of detergent is to dissolve any animal fat.
After about 45 min, I take the scull out from boiling water, and wash it with high pressure washing gun (car wash).
This removes the remaining meat and fat.
After that I put it back in boiling water just to warm up the bone, and open the pores.

After that I fully drop the scull in 30% peroxide, taking care for antlers to remain dry.
I keep up to 20-30 minutes submerged in 30% peroxide.

After that I put the scull to dry on sun, 24 hours.
After that ready to mount on plaque.

In your case:
Boil shortly, warthog scull, just to warm up and open the pores. 10 minutes in boiling water should be enough.
Submerge in peroxide.
If you dont have enough peroxide, then just apply peroxide with brush.

 

[DPHunter4570]

Thanks for the tip. I've ordered some to try as well as their mount cleaner/ insecticide product.

I'd be interested to know how that mount cleaner works; I've been thinking about ordering some myself. I've never given much thought to cleaning mounts other than dusting them off. I didn't know they could get bugs!

 

[MarkB]

I will chime in. I would do as others have stated, must get the grease out first, simmer covered fully with some dawn dish soap and small amount of soda. Keep water clean, to remove grease skim it off surface and add water to keep skull fully submerged.

I have never used any store cream, whitener or the like. All taxidermy supply stores sell Magnesium Carbonate Tetrahydrate powder. Skull whitening powder. Mix this with 3-5% regular store bought peroxide into a paste, smear, cover and work all over skull bone. Wait 2-3 days, remove access and brush skull with banister type soft brush or air line. Every skull ends up bone white. Never had an issue using this.

You can look up on Van Dykes, McKenzie or nearly all taxidermy supply stores. I am not sure if they rename it as their "whitening powder" as I always use this product and method.

Good Luck

MB

 

[MarkB]

I will tell you how I whiten roe deer sculls.
I remove skin and meat from the scull, not too detailed.
Put the scull in the water to boil. I put one big spoon of laundry machine detergent.
Purpose of detergent is to dissolve any animal fat.
After about 45 min, I take the scull out from boiling water, and wash it with high pressure washing gun (car wash).
This removes the remaining meat and fat.
After that I put it back in boiling water just to warm up the bone, and open the pores.

After that I fully drop the scull in 30% peroxide, taking care for antlers to remain dry.
I keep up to 20-30 minutes submerged in 30% peroxide.

After that I put the scull to dry on sun, 24 hours.
After that ready to mount on plaque.

In your case:
Boil shortly, warthog scull, just to warm up and open the pores. 10 minutes in boiling water should be enough.
Submerge in peroxide.
If you dont have enough peroxide, then just apply peroxide with brush.

You guys are lucky if you can get 30% peroxide. We need hair dresser licence then its over the top expensive. Controlled substance up here.

But Canada is Grandmother woke safe. We cant even get moth balls anymore? To dangerous in case you eat a bag? Same for lawn weed and feed=to deadly one or other.

Crazy country.

MB

 

[Ontario Hunter]

You guys are lucky if you can get 30% peroxide. We need hair dresser licence then its over the top expensive. Controlled substance up here.

But Canada is Grandmother woke safe. We cant even get moth balls anymore? To dangerous in case you eat a bag? Same for lawn weed and feed=to deadly one or other.

Crazy country.

MB

PM me if you want to know how to get beautician peroxide up here.

 

[MarkB]

PM me if you want to know how to get beautician peroxide up here.

I can get, its such a PIA and with my method we don't need the 30%. Use Walmart, grocery store 3% cheap stuff.

We did use when we mounted a total black panther. Started life as a cougar and we "blackened" and turned it into a totally black panther. End product looked awesome. That beautician peroxide was something I would NOT want to use on a regular basis.

MB

 

[RichD]

Thank you. I will look this over and see if it will brighten the skull further. I'm going to start on the eland skull tomorrow.

What is that blob of yellow on the end of its chin/nose? Neither of my skulls have that. Wait ... is it the septum dividing nasal cavity? That should have been removed.

I wondered about that, but saw some mounts with that intact and others without. It's attached pretty tight, so I don't want to risk breaking bone.