Hey, I've heard a few people talking about european mounts on here lately, so I thought I would start a thread on that.
Back durring the '05 season, my wife killed a nice 4x4 that we decided to do european (not really having a clue how to do it mind you).
We left it out in the weather for a couple years and most of the junk has come off the skull. However there is still a fair amount of the really tough trash that won't come off, plus the skull is far from being that pretty pure white color.
Furthermore, from being out in that weather, the antlers have lost their color, as well as become a bit pourous. [:/] I would like to restore them to the way they used to look if possible.
So I was just wondering if any of you pros out there had any pointers for me on how to finish the job, and/or if there is any hope. I've heard about boiling and everything, but do you put bleach in the water?? Please give as much detail as you can.
Thanks in advance to those who take the time to offer up any advice. [
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Things i use for my European mounts are
1.Tinfoil
2.big pan
3.knife
4.stove or burner
Skin the head of the animal as good as you can and get it cleaned off as good as you can then. Take the tinfoil cut if off in strips fold it up long ways, fold it around the base of the antlers starting down at the base. Work your way up half way and make sure its rolled around the antlers tight. Then place the skull in the boiling water and boil for 20-30munutes depending how much stuff you have to boil off the skull. When done pull the skull out shake off the hot water and carve off what is left behind and wash good with soap and water....
I have done several different European mounts. I never add bleach. i just skin the head the best i can get as much stuff off as you can, then when you get that done i get hot water put it in a pan so that the skull can fit into just up to the top of the eye sockets. (i dont put the whole head in) MAKE SURE YOU COVER THE ANTLERS WITH TINFOIL (or it will bleach the antlers) I then boil the water for about 25minutes or so (depending on how much meat and stuff you left on the skull) then i take it out and the meat and such would be cooked mostly then i get a knife and carve it off. If you can not get it all repeat the process... )Dont boil to long where the skull will turn black and the bones will break off) After i get that done i get soap and a S.O.S pad and scrub the reddish color off and then dry it up really good... let it sit a few hours and then you will see the white European mount!!!! Here is one ive done this was just after i washed it up...
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Thanks for the info dma, that's a great looking mount!
Does anybody think I will be able to restore the color to the antlers, or would I just be better off to leave them as is at this point?
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I do a lot of antler work i have restored lots of antlers. First off is there a lot of cracks and flakes?? If so you might not be able to do a lot least i havnt found out a way yet. I made up a stain what ive done just grab a piece of sand paper and fold it around ur antlers and sand them down (only if there flaking bad) just get a rag or a brush and stain them up (but once you do this its near inposable to remove the stain) This is a elk set that ive done, i will try and get the name of the stain that i used. i cant remember it right off but on the ivory tips you can just rub them more and back to the white color you want..
If there is cracking you can use bondo or a filler and rub that into the antlers like ur sanding it down. then just get a peice of sand paper and rub it down good. then stain it once i get the name of the stain lol. Hope this helps out!
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What about the brain? And the lower jaw. Does it just fall off or do you do something to it before you boil it. I just dont picture the brain coming out just by boiling it. Thanks for going into detail this will help me out a lot. [
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One of the best ways to remove the excess tissue from your skull is to put it in a pot with the water up to the top of the skull. Keep the antlers dry. Put some dawn dish soap in the water. This will help remove the oils from the skull. The oils and grease will give the skull a yellow appearrance and it will also collect dirt. Don't boil the skull. Heat the water to a simmer. Check the skull until you can tell that the tissue is starting to fall off. It will look like a well done roast that you can easily seperate the meat from the bone. Make sure you don't get the water too hot. If you boil it for very long the bones will become weak and crumble. There are several chemical mixtures that will help lighten the skull. One is concentrated hydrogen peroxide. Be careful it will burn your skin and it isn't wise to inhale the fumes. I have also seen skulls soaked in clean solvent in order to get that nice white appearance. I hope this helps. gshorthair
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LOL ur right i forgot about that one[sly]
When you skin the head you fallow the lower jaw bone up just below the hears it connects inside a spot there (no dr dont know whats its called) If you saw it off it better be a sharp saw lol. you should just be able to cut the muscle around where it connect to the top half and be able to pull it loose.. it takes some trimming around the muscle and on the cheeks of the mouth....
For the brain, if you took the head of at the top of the virtabra's on the neck and left the back of the head. when you boil it it will leave a natural whole into the brain. When you boil it the brain becomes a moosh and free's. You might have to stick a hose and rinse it out a fiew times but you should just be able to boil the most of it out.....If yo use a hose it should spray right on out for you.
I hope this isnt to gross im trying to keep it ("family rated G") I hope this helps out if not let me know if any Questions i will try to round up some pix on step by step.
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I like to cut the lower jaw off and the back of the head then you can dig the brain out! I will post some pics later how i cut mine off!![
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I also have a bunch of dental tools i use to pick scrape and dig in all the little knooks and crannys!![cool]
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Here is a link I have found useful.
[url "http://www.wildlifeartistry.com/hints-european.html"][/url][/url]http://www.wildlifeartistry.com/hints-european.html[/url]
I do a few heads every year.
Best thing I ever did was rig something to hang the head in the pot of water.
Needle nose pliers are a must.
An assortment of little wire hooks I have made help alot.
Boil and scrape/pick. repeat...until it's clean. I try to clean every little nook and cranny out as well as possible. Don't over boil, it wears on the bone. Dawn in the water helps break down the fat. When a layer of grease develops on the water I skim it off.
Brain - yes it does get mushy. There is a membrane around the brain that is troublesome. I use a wire with a hook bent into it to get it out. Needle nose. Pick and flush alot.
Jaw - will come off/release as you boil the head...much easier than wrestling with it in the beginning.
I dont mess with cutting meat of the head...that is what the boiling is for, and I don't risk errant knife marks on bone.
Once I am satisfied the head is clean I will soak the skull in a taxidermy degreaser solution for an hour or two.
Borax is good to kill bacteria and preserve. A coat of that or soaked in a solution is a good idea. Not necessary, but momma hates any smells...
Whitening:
I give it a good coating inside and out of 40 or 50% (cosmetic grade) peroxide and let it sit overnight. Then rinse really well. Soap bath, rinse again. Get the peroxide off!
Pick/scrape the teeth, and sometimes another round of peroxide on them. They are hard to get real white...Crest whitening strips....[:p] just kidding.
As far as a skull that has been weathered for a few years...I don't know how well it will clean up. I have never tried something old. I do have a year old skull I am doing this weekend. It was boiled(too much) last year. I'm going to give it a try and see if I can clean it up.
There are some recipes on the net for antler coloring. Some are quite exotic. Do a search and pick one you think you can do.
I'm not a pro, just been practicing/playing for a few years. I doubt I would ever do it for money...it becomes work then.
If you have any questions...feel free to ask. I wouldn't be opposed to helping someone if the timing works.
Hope this helps.
PS. I put all the meat scrapings by a tree at the side of the house...they always disappear...couldn't be the neighborhood dogs...we have a leash law...
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1- Skin the head
2- Boil the head until the lower jaw just dangles enough to cut it off. The eyes should come loose as well.
3- Let the head cool and the take it to the carwash. Put the power sprayer nozzle in the brain hole and hold on tight. Best way possible to clean that nasty brain matter out.
4- Soak it in some heavy duty peroxide/water for a few hours and then cut off the stobborn little pieces of fat and skin.
5- Go to the beauty store and buy the "Quick Blue" hair bleaching kit and the developer. Mix into a paste and brush it on. Let it sit for a few hours and then wash it off. Continue until you get it as white as you want.
You will want to protect the bases of the anters when using the peroxide and bleach. Most people would tell you that the bleach will ruin it, but I have never had a problem. Another easy thing would just be to paint the skull.
Good Luck [
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paint the skull? I dont know about that...How would that look realistic?
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It's the easy way out, but it also looks alright. It just depends on how professional you want it to look. It sure beats leaving it out in the yard for two years hoping it will mount itself.
Another thing to do that will save you all the mess, is to buy a "Mountain Mikes Reproduction skull". These skulls are an exact replica of a deer skull and all you have to do is cut the anlters off below the bases and mount them to the skull. It looks fantastic and you can't even tell it's a plastic skull. They run about $40 at Cabelas and are great for mounting sheds too.
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Thanks everybody for all of your input so far!
The antlers have a couple little cracks but no flaking at all.
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Then you can get it looking very nice then!! Just get a little putty or bondo and rub it into the cracks to fill them then you can get a stain like i said before... Let me know if you need anymore help, Ill be glad to help out...
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man you guys are doing it the hard messy way. get with the times and tech. hookjaw you have some moose sheds i saw in a pic. you want to check this out. they work great and look better than old school euro,shttp://masterofskulls.com/ enjoy guys[
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[quote HookJaw_Brimhall]It sure beats leaving it out in the yard for two years hoping it will mount itself.[/quote]
I wasn't ready for that. I actually laughed soup out my nose!
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How bout some Dap Crackshot? Is it the same thing as putty or bondo? Normal antlers have a pretty smoothe, slick, almost glossy texture, how do you achieve that?
Plus, let me know when you figure out your stain. This deer had fairly light colored antlers.
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I've tried to get with the times, but I just can't bring myself to buy a reproduction. I can see how they would work really well for sheds, but I just can't see how I could saw the horns off the original skull and get them on the reproduction with the same angle and spread. Every set of horns comes out of the skull at a unique angle that dictates the spread and look of that particular animal. Guess I'm just too fussy.
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I made a quick visit to the website and they have a special reproduction skull that preserves those things you are talking about - it's called the Record Keeper. Looks like you leave the antlers attached to enough of the skullcap that you dont' lose the angle or spread, then attach that to the plastic skull. You would only have to recreate the forward/backward angle of the antlers, which I think would be much easier - check it out.
I'm more sentimental I guess, I just like the idea of having the skull of the animal I killed in the mount. Nevertheless, it looks like it's a great alternative with much less work and mess.
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I have seen great out comes from using plain old walnut wood stain light coat for lighter color and multiple coats for darker
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