Horn Sheath Removal How-To for raw skulls (no banging!)

[@rachelshaffer1877]

Hey Hunter, maybe you could put a quick explanation under this comment regarding how to remove those dried horn sheaths while we are waiting for the video??

[@Perry969]

Thanks Hunter, can’t wait for the how to video on getting dried horns off of old skulls. I have an old skullcap and horns, ( rodents got to the original mount) that I’d really like to turn into a European mount, by putting those horns on a different goat skull. I just have no idea how to get the horns off the skullcap. I’m a bit worried that the taxidermist may have glued them on to the skullcap, but we will see🤞🏼 thanks for sharing, have a great day.

[@usskullhunter]

Ok sounds good Mark. Yes, hopefully there is not glue involved!

[@shazam333]

I'd love to see how to remove dried sheaths. I have a ram skull where the horn spirals, so I'm not sure if that cerates extra difficulty.

[@bradbarnes2976]

Looking for the video on removing the sheath from a dry skull. Great work and thanks

[@usskullhunter]

Thanks Brad! Yeah working on getting a skull to use for the video :)

[@dovidpostelnik7675]

Very awesome way to remove sheaths. I'm working in slaughter factory in Spain and the factory agreed to give me some curly ram horns , they are cur off from the scull my question is would that sweating process you showed work even though they are detached from the scull? Or should I use another method.

[@nothinginterestinghere7612]

Hey man. Nice video. I've got some dried goat horns with the core still inside, cut off from the skull. How would I remove the core?

[@louisejj3797]

Used this method (after talking to you on IG) while soaking it (no horns under water). I usually cover the tub and head with black plastic, as some of the heads I get are pretty big). Works like a charm. One time my plastic piece wasnt big enough, so i covered the horns with black doggy poop bags and secured it with gaffa, lol. Worked as intended.

[@usskullhunter]

That's great to hear!

[@jessedoesthings]

could you make a video on how to remove horns on a dryer up skull i found in the desert

[@mytestman]

Hello Hunter. Thank you for the video, it was informative. Plz send the link or advise on removing the horn from a dry skull. I have 6 Kudu horns on dry skulls.

[@pieterjonker8193]

Grate to see this video please kan you tell how to remove dried out horns i have 2 pairs of kudu horns that i would like to remove currently have them submerged in a dam in the sun but no luck so far

[@lilsureshot]

I’d love to see the video for working with a dried out skull! I have a longhorn I’m working with and I’m going to need to get them off and even polish the sheath. Thanks in advance.

[@taneesescu]

ever figure out how to remove the sheath on the old skull?

[@rhettwoodc]

I'm wondering the same thing

[@taneesescu]

@@rhettwoodc i ended up getting a trough and letting it sit in water for 5 days. I couldnt bang on it without fear of breaking the already brittle bone on the skull. I basically soaked it until it became loose and went around the base with an exacto blade and then thin screwdriver to pry around the base until it became very loose. Then held one horn down with my foot while pulling and twisting the horn until it came off. Was a slight workout but got it off. I then got my orbital sander with 30 grit and went to town and did the same with 80 grit. Then hand sanded at 120 150 180 240 600 800 1500 2200 and 3000. I ordered some diamond polish for the final touches which includes the 5000 8000 and 10000 grit. Epoxy the horns back on the bone stub I left attached after cutting down with saw and do the mop and glow trick he always talks about before mounting in my green house. What a fricken process this was. took me 2 months of spare time to get this far.

[@rhettwoodc]

@@taneesescu did it mess with the color or hardness of the horn sheath?

[@taneesescu]

@@rhettwoodc and I have one horn 60% done and the other not started (if you wanted to see them both for yourself)

[@chanelledejager955]

Please, would you send me the link too? Is removing the sheath neccesary?

[@michelevanzyl6127]

Yes pls would love to see a video on a dry skull

[@ileanaayala7057]

Yes, please. How do you remove the sheaths on a dry skull?

[@phillipkenny1398]

Hi Hunter, have seen a number of your videos, which I have found extremely interesting and informative. I am attempting my first skull preservation, a blue wildebeest I hunted last week. I have a few questions. If I use either the maceration or the burying method, will the Horn sheaths loosen routinely, or do they require separate specific treatment? Is it necessary to remove the Horn sheaths and cut the horns prior to macerating or burying? Lastly, do you have any specific comments regarding headshot skulls? I would appreciate any tips, comments or suggestions.

[@caroltiller8139]

How do I remove bone from horn sheath if cut off skull?

[@58dunc]

Thanks Hunter. Very informative as always. Take it easy.

[@usskullhunter]

You bet Dennis!

[@BIGMANANOOP]

thank you for the video, i did find an Ox skull .. it is dry. if you could be so kind as to point to the video on how to remove sheath. maybe i am blind but did not find it in the comment section,..hence the trouble.

[@BowskinArchery]

How about this on deer toes?

[@ffudon]

any tips on cleaning up the horn sheaths? I've got a couple of rams horn sheaths and they are quite fragrant to say the least

[@KuriositiesByKat]

Definitely need the dried out info. I was just handed 2 bins, and well, I have no idea how long these have been sitting for.

[@usskullhunter]

Are they just the horns or are they full skulls?

[@KuriositiesByKat]

@@usskullhunter skull caps attached

[@usskullhunter]

@@KuriositiesByKat How about this; I need some horns to use in order to make a video on how to remove them. If I paid for shipping could I use some of yours? Where are you located? I would then send them back nice a clean, so we both win :)

[@KuriositiesByKat]

@@usskullhunter let me see if I can get my hands back on them. My friend and I decided to collaborate and work together. I might have some more hidden. I'm in the middle of a big move. So I set her up. I think you and I were also going back and forth on Instagram about walnut and tea dying as well. So I'll message you there. Once I find out.

[@youliantabakov1828]

hallo there super helpful video a question: i am making an exhibition that consists a pile of skulls and need to clean some of them from paint (we are talking between 120 and 40 old ones) and need to remove the horn sheaths do you have the video on that? also i have a moose skull and separate antlers and need to attach them to the skull, they are quite big and heavy maybe 6 kg each do you have something on that?

[@angelquewessels7322]

Could you please post the video for the removal of the sheaths on a dry skull.

[@usskullhunter]

Hey Angelque! I am working on getting a skull to use for the video but will post it as soon as it's available :)

[@rhettwoodc]

​@U.S. Skull Hunter any chance you've got a video on how to do the dry skull now?

[@kyriedavenport8114]

I have a dried out long horn skull. How should I remove the sheath on it?

[@AdamOrtega1969]

Have an old longhorn very dried out. Probably 20 plus years in an old shed.

[@sammylemmer6194]

Hey Hunter, i have dried bull skulls that i wanna cleam up. Is it a recommended to remove the horn sheeth off the core and then just glue it back or can i leave them in place as the skulls are dried out. If i must remove them please explain how. Thank you. Greatings from South Africa.

[@usskullhunter]

Hey Sammy! Let me ask first, how will you be cleaning the skulls?

[@darlenecolyer4434]

Yes I do have a dried out cow skull, how do I get the outer layer off?

[@tehminasacranie6017]

Hi how to remove horn sheath on dried out skull

[@joannebiotrace]

how do you remove dry ones? please

[@court12sport]

Is there a video for dried sheaths? Have a highlander that was given to me and I need to clean it up a little.

[@taneesescu]

i did my steer by soaking in water. It was very bad. Like a year or more old in the shade or something because the jaw was still attached with tendons, it's eyes were mummified and i had to soak it for 2 weeks or so. I would change water every 2-3 days and add soap and detergent into it. The head was large and those troughs are all I could find to fit the head and horns in. Anyways, it worked but after a LONG battle of soaking and cutting the tendons and funky stuff dang near fused to the brittle underparts of the skull. Gross stuff but super satisfying when them horns finally come off.

[@usskullhunter]

Good to hear you got them off!

[@usskullhunter]

So like @taneesescu said you will need to soak in water to start the maceration of the horn core and the membrane that is holding the sheath. Works better in warm conditions so if you can maybe put the whole thing under black plastic would help. You may have to do one side at a time just sticking the horn down into a bucket of water depending on the size.

[@malissamcbride6285]

I have a set of longhorns, not connected to a skull. After I get the sheaths off, how can I go about drying out the core? I live in the south Texas humidity!

[@usskullhunter]

I would treat with baking soda first like I show here kzbin.info/www/bejne/d5rVeZmgqp2notU and then maybe just keep inside for a few weeks to help with the drying process

[@samlemons8053]

i was carrying about my goat skull to point out something to my dad, i was holding it by the horn, and i was gesturing something with my hands, and i slug down my near perfect skull, it hit the ground real hard, but i was still holding the sheath, i was scared it damaged my good goat skull, but it didnt and i was so glad it didnt

[@stacyirish8107]

I have a dried out skull that one horn sheath came off but the other is fighting me. Any help?

[@megyumiyoshi1062]

Last time that I bought a cow skull the butcher told us that it'll come with the horns. I was really excited and was already looking into ways to remove the horn sheath, at the end the skull came without horns :'v. Thank you so much for the video, if one day the skull comes with horns I'll try it hahaha

[@usskullhunter]

Haha next time :D

[@valalava1]

Ik I'm late to the party but if the offer still stands I'm in for the dried horn tutorial. I might be getting a cow skull soon so I'm doing all the research I can 😅

[@vanessafarmer284]

how do i preserve horn sheath

[@erenpasha77]

Wow just wow you can realy find everythink ın youtube

[@usskullhunter]

Lol thanks for watching :)

[@christinamodise9177]

Hi can you please help me to remove dry horn

[@eddiesanmarcosr8301]

Do o really need to remove the sheath? I found this, what looks like a cow skull, but o think the sheath adds character

[@jennifercorbitt9868]

I have an older skull and they are pretty stuck. I want to clean it but afraid of being to abrasive. More info would be great. Thanks

[@usskullhunter]

Hey Jennifer, if the skull has already been cleaned at some point it is possible it has been glued on. If you know that is not the case the best method is to macerate the sheaths off. Are you familiar with this process?

[@jennifercorbitt9868]

@@usskullhunter no I'm not. I'm new to this whole situation but I will look up some information. Do you have any videos on the topic? Thank you so much

[@usskullhunter]

@@jennifercorbitt9868 Ok, take a look at this video, something to consider kzbin.info/www/bejne/o4jaeoproZdsbKc

[@WhiteDove_82]

I have two steer skulls that were literally just thrown in a pile with a bunch of others after butcher. One still has the dried eyeballs and everything. It's been at LEAST 3 years since butcher. So both are dried and yuck. I put the one I'm working on currently in the maceration bucket horns in for about 36 hours and just took it out and removed the flesh around the horns. What do I do from here to remove the sheaths? Thanks in advance

[@usskullhunter]

Hey! So you are going in the right direction. You will just need to keep macerating them. Once he membrane inside the sheath and some of that tissue around the base starts to break down it will slide right off.

[@WhiteDove_82]

@@usskullhunter thanks! After I wrote that I actually did get them off! I just used a butter knife and wedged it under around the base of each and then stood on one and pulled on the other. Since I'm not really that strong lol it was actually the one I was standing on that slipped off. Then I did the same with the other side. It's looking quite nice so far. Hopefully the other bigger one I haven't started on comes off as easy. Thanks for getting back to me ✨

[@usskullhunter]

@@WhiteDove_82 Ah good! Glad to hear that :)

[@evolstowers8670]

Just watched your video because I have messed up maybe 6 sets of horns because I just buried the skulls and didn't know about the horn sheath rotting. Since watching your video, I e actually subscribed to your channel (and I never do that) anyway my question is, what can I do or is there a way to make the horns look better since the horn sheath is decayed

[@taneesescu]

orbital sander with 30 grit and then same with 80 grit. stage 2 I hand sanded at 120 150 180 240 600 800 1500 2200 and 3000 grit in small sections at a time. stage 3 is on the way. I ordered some diamond paste for the final polish which includes a 5000 8000 and 10000 grit paste with a cloth.Aint perfect but considering how battered and weathered horns were, its pretty damn close

[@jonamerlinschmitt7092]

Thank you so much. Helps a lot!

[@usskullhunter]

You bet Jona!

[@jameswambugu5527]

Thank you so much

[@matthewkennedy7576]

I need a video on a dried out longhorn skull plate

[@vanessafarmer284]

how can i keep the horns core and partial skull

[@usskullhunter]

Hey! Take a look at this video and let me know if it helps kzbin.info/www/bejne/d5rVeZmgqp2notUsi=6BklXIkXKhjCYPip

[@roryscott8923]

Haw to remove horn sheets from dried out sheep

[@marcschultz5869]

How to remove dried horn core

[@usskullhunter]

I will make a video on it! The short answer though is soak in warm water for however long it takes for the cores to come off. My experience is no more than a week.

[@carmelitapetersen615]

Can you do this with shophar horn to

[@usskullhunter]

Adding it to the list :)

[@agiaaaa]

Yea, i found a dry ram skull (probably dead for more than a year), i tried soaking it in water for 2 weeks and still cant remove the horn sheaths. I tried hitting with a rubber mallet, pulling etc nothing worked so far :(

[@usskullhunter]

Ok, I will post the video as soon as I can.

[@aonewilkenson6732]

What is the benefit to removing the horn sheath?

[@youliantabakov1828]

well i am cleaning painted horns from a sable antelope 225cm long and 6 kg it is very uncomfortable to make it when they tucked together. then they have mols (is that how you call the small moths that eat wool and so?) if you take the sheaths out you can spray them with insect poisson from inside so that you won't get them back and of corse you can sanitise them if you want out of this i suppose not so many benefits

[@helenposee2508]

Perfect for a shofar

[@darkhillseuropeanmountsLLC]

I have a Watusi Cow that I'm doing for a customer and it's been sitting for years I haven't started to try to get the Caps off yet but any advice I can get helps. I did a Longhorn a while ago and did the boil method to get the horn caps off and one took me 6 hours and the other took 5 and a half hours. If there is a faster method I'd love to hear it. Thanks for the video keep up the good content and add me on Instagram please @darkhillseuropeanmounts thanks for your time.

[@usskullhunter]

Ok sure thing

[@williemarais3837]

Removing dried horn

[@vanessafarmer284]

hey

[@danahoffman2923]

Hey! Working on a dried out hartebeest skull. I am about to loose my mind! How do I get these sheaths off???

[@usskullhunter]

Ah dang, yeah those are tough depending on the shape. Depending on how the skull was cleaned I would macerate the skull/horns first. Then soak in clean warm water for possibly an extended period of time in order to loosen up the sheaths.

[@AsifShaikh-co7cn]

I am not able to remove it .. It causes bacteria

[@usskullhunter]

What method of cleaning are you using!?

[@joshpurdy1797]

Holy smokes that came off no problem

[@usskullhunter]

Yup! :)

[@joshpurdy1797]

Here’s a pickle. I have a old cow, bone dry, good condition, no flesh whatsoever left on it. I have soaked it in water for days to remove the horns but they are not coming off. It’s also too big to boil. I live in a region that has cold rainy winters so the bag trick isnt going to work. Because of the dried out condition of the skull is it alright to leave them on or do they absolutly need to come off to be rid of bugs and crap? Im not sure what other options I have. Thanks.

[@usskullhunter]

Hey, sorry this is so late. Were you ever able to get the horn sheaths off?

[@kristamiller2931]

The horns are made of solid bones

[@usskullhunter]

Thanks for watching Kalyn!

[@matthewharvey8755]

Here I was thinking I didn't have a gag reflex!

[@usskullhunter]

Hahaha sorry :D

[@groverbundy899]

First

[@usskullhunter]

Thanks Grover!

[@jameswambugu5527]

Thank you so much.