A specimen made up with parts from multiple individuals is called a composite. I only have a few ribs that for-sure belong to this deer (right) so I’m gathering all my extra unclaimed ribs to fill in the gaps (left)
Maceration midterms One month after going in the tub.
Pull out and secure loose teeth
Remove hooves before the soft sole starts to break down
Drill holes in leg bones if you haven’t already (I drill before maceration. Leg bones hold lots of grease so drilling a hole on each end lets the marrow out and the bacteria in)
Clean out tendon tunnel in jaw (another major grease trap)
Wash gunk off (pressure washing is ok for big bones like deer, but will make bones fly away if you’re not careful)
Let dry and wire-brush dried gunk off
Return to the soup
I have a couple tricks up my sleeve.
Depending on how far it’s decayed, different methods will work.
Push through it with a thick wire (like an unbent paperclip) and shove all the gunk out the other side.
Depending on how far it’s decayed, different methods will work.
Push through it with a thick wire (like an unbent paperclip) and shove all the gunk out the other side.
Hemostats help you push things through the pipes.
Use the stiff wire to shove a pipecleaner (sparkly ones have stiffer bristles than soft ones so use that) through it, then pull each end repeatedly like you’re flossing it.
Twist multiple pipecleaners for a stronger/thicker brush
Pull it out with the thin end of a dental pick. Honestly it’s worth looking up “dental pick set” and getting a bunch. They’re cheap, too!
Hold the jaw underwater and blow compressed air through the tunnel. This only works if its possible for air to even pass through, so it’s a good middle step.
Works best underwater because then you’re sending powerful bubbles through the jaw instead of blowing wind Around the chunks stuck inside.
Next, pull the teeth out.
Stab down through the hole in the socket into the jaw tunnel, and then pick, tweeze, or blow the gunk out from there.
And if all else fails, go for the pressure washer provides your bones are strong enough for it.
Use this on jaw tendons and to remove bone marrow from your leg bones! Very important for degreasing.
This little spike just got through with degreasing and a peroxide soak. He could have gone for longer but I liked the way the moss and rain stained him so I just lightened him a bit.
Touched up this old goat skull! This was one of my Granny’s goats when she was still around. We called him Hashtag. He was found/cleaned at the end of 2014. Probably about 8 or so years old when he died. He was the first big skull I cleaned, which basically amounted to me peeling off a bunch of mummified skin. Decided it was time to give him a proper soak !
Etsy update! Added a whole bunch of things: antelope backhide and antelope tail, tanuki pelt, pitbull skull cast, animal track casts, multiple sets of fur scraps, and I’m still working on a few things that’ll be added later. The casts can be shipped worldwide, the rest is europe only!
I also have a 25% discount running until june on all insects for insect pinning, so check it out :]
I LOVE this partial buck skull my dad found when he came over to go creeking with me this week! He found all of the best stuff that day, haha! But look at how worn and tumbled this beauty is—bet he’s been rolling around in the creek for many, many years. I’ve never seen antlers worn so smooth except in fossilized specimens. So neat!! Can’t wait to get him cleaned up!
Didn’t think I’d be able to get him this white! Poor old guy was super stained from who knows how many years tumbling around in the creek.
He was also one of the worst smelling skulls I’ve ever cleaned—and trust me, that’s saying something! Smelled like the bottom of a prehistoric pond full of dung and dead things, haha.
