Hunting & Fishing How do you clean a hog skull?

[Yote Klr]

Do not bleach until you have degreased, you want no dark spots. Keep swapping out the water with fresh water and Dawn every week until the nasty bits come out.

I don't specifically degrease, maybe the borax does that

 

[FjallJager]

It's a soap, so probably!

 

[Burning sensation]

Rather than buying enough peroxide to submerge the skull, I found some peroxide cream that worked really well. The 32oz bottle was $8, and I used maybe 4oz. No license needed.
I did as suggested and wrapped the base of the antlers with plastic wrap and electrical tape. I applied a coat with a cheap paint brush, then place the skull in a disposable pan, and wrapped the whole thing with plastic wrap to keep moisture in. After sitting overnight I rinsed and re-applied. 3 applications did the trick. Now my other ones look a little grungy in comparison. Good stuff.

 

[Whiskey & Wry]

Working on my first skull. Do you apply some kind of finish at the end, maybe a polyurethane or varnish? I don't want it shiny, but it seems like a sealer would keep dust from settling in.

 

[Yote Klr]

No, just wipe off the dried peroxide residue.

 

[Baron23]

The heat has arrived, which means my busiest part of the year for hog hunting is over. My success rate is going down for now, and I most likely will not see another big boar until next year. I’m taking more time to clean up some of the skulls I kept that I didn’t yet have time to work on, and I’m looking for ideas from guys on the Hide that clean skulls themselves. I’ve read about masceration, cooking, and I’ve considered a colony of dermestid beatles. My current process is as follows:
1. Skin the head, remove the tongue, cheek meat, and any other chunks I can cut away quickly.
2. Simmer at about 180F for an hour, cut the heat and let it sit for an hour or so. The wife would kill me if she knew I used the same pot I fry turkeys in.
3. Pull off all the meat I can by hand, with forceps, and water hose & nozzle, and removed the brains.
4. Soak the skull in a bucket of water with Dawn dish soap for a week. Every day or 2 I take a few minutes to dump the water, remove little bits with a dental pick, spray with the hose & nozzle, re-fill with fresh soapy water.
5. Set the skull in the sun for a couple hour to dry.
6. Soak in mineral spirits for 3-4 weeks to degrease.
7. Set the skull out for a week or so to evaporate the mineral spirits.
8. Glue the teeth back in, and display.

This takes a couple hours of work total, and gives me a clean skull that is not white , but has a natural bone coloring. The picture shows a few from my collection. I may try brushing on peroxide to whiten this year. Maybe not. I’m interested to know how others clean their skulls, and may incorporate other methods into my process.

View attachment 7366722

If you want beetles, I did buy some for a friend's kiddo who was into stripping and mounting animal skeletons and it worked out great. Yes, they ship them.

http://www.bonesandbugs.com/purchase-dermestid-beetles.html

 

[oldiephrt]

I don't specifically degrease, maybe the borax does that View attachment 7501806

Is that a walnut slab for mount ? Beautiful! Oh, by the way, the best method is high speed large cal. bullet for good cleaning.

 

[smoooth1]

Working on my first skull. Do you apply some kind of finish at the end, maybe a polyurethane or varnish? I don't want it shiny, but it seems like a sealer would keep dust from settling in.

I give mine a once over with Mop-N-Glo, leaves a nice finish and pleasant scent as recommended here:
HOW TO CLEAN A DEER SKULL "GRAPHIC" EASY PROFFESIONAL EUROPEAN METHOD ) - YouTube
Great videos and process = great results!

 

[Whiskey & Wry]

I give mine a once over with Mop-N-Glo, leaves a nice finish and pleasant scent as recommended here:
HOW TO CLEAN A DEER SKULL "GRAPHIC" EASY PROFFESIONAL EUROPEAN METHOD ) - YouTube
Great videos and process = great results!

Makes sense. Good video. Thanks.