skull cleaning using lacquer thinner

[nybowhunter43]

I just picked up some thinner and want to degrease a baboon skull.. How long can I leave it in the thinner whith out damaging the skull??

Thanks

[andyb]

i am not sure i would say a couple of hours i dont think you would want to have it in for too long because it might start to brake down the parts that hold the teeth in palce. but that is just me...?!..:>

[fesekula]

I would think you can leave the skull in as long as you need if the teeth are loose that would be from the bugs. I have left skulls in cleaning liquids for weeks at a time until I could get back to working on them. You will always have loose teeth after the cleaning. I found that if you go to a auto parts store and pick up a gallon of degreaser that it will work a whole lot better with out the risk of a major fire. Very few taxidermist deal with flammable explosive liquids any more.

[butt monkey]

i just asked Knight's Taxidermy the same question, 2 wks is fine with lacquer thinner. drilling small holes with a dremel in the back of the skull where the neck muscles attach will also facilitate grease removal.

if there is any discoloration after hydrogen peroxide, make sure the skull is dry before going into laquer thinner.

teeth can be put back later with a touch of super glue on the roots