Bunny Boiler 177 Posted January 19, 2014 Report Share Posted January 19, 2014 I've got a lovely thick brush sitting my freezer that I want to preserve and hang with my hunting plates on the wall. I've done a good bit of reading on it and found people are suggesting methylated spirits to preserve it, but are they using purple meth, and does this not affect the colouring? Secondly, once "methed", is it done? I would shampoo it to rinse the meth off, but does anybody salt the inside or stuff it? I'll probably stuff some cotton wool down there to make it a bit more rigid, and then sew the top shut with a looped piece of nice twine to hang it from. Does this sound about right? Should I include salt with the cotton wool? Any other methods people advise? Cheers in advance. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kruby01 114 Posted January 19, 2014 Report Share Posted January 19, 2014 Only advice I can offer as I am a complete beginner at taxidermy and have only done a few squirrels but personally to preserve I use formaldehyde after I have rinsed the fur and dried it pretty much. Also for making a squirrels tail rigid I use a piece of wire with cotton wool or fibreglass around it. I'm sure someone will be along with more advice soon but glad to share what I can Quote Link to post Share on other sites
paulus 26 Posted January 19, 2014 Report Share Posted January 19, 2014 cover it in meth`s in a sealed jar for a few weeks then chuck it in the washer, does work but there is stuff taxidermist use that's far quicker, Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rob58 1,580 Posted January 19, 2014 Report Share Posted January 19, 2014 i take it you have pulled the bone out the tail if you have run a piece of wire down the tail and push it through the tip of the tail. using a syringe squirt meths down it then soak the whole tail in meths for a week then wash and leave to dry. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
paulus 26 Posted January 19, 2014 Report Share Posted January 19, 2014 i take it you have pulled the bone out the tail if you have run a piece of wire down the tail and push it through the tip of the tail. using a syringe squirt meths down it then soak the whole tail in meths for a week then wash and leave to dry. steve109 uses some stuff you just dip the tail in and that's it Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bunny Boiler 177 Posted January 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2014 Will purple meths work well enough? Or will the purple dye discolour the tail? I want to get this one right as it's a really nice brush. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
paulus 26 Posted January 19, 2014 Report Share Posted January 19, 2014 Will purple meths work well enough? Or will the purple dye discolour the tail? I want to get this one right as it's a really nice brush. yes you will need to wash it afterwards to get rid of the smell Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bunny Boiler 177 Posted January 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2014 Will purple meths work well enough? Or will the purple dye discolour the tail? I want to get this one right as it's a really nice brush. yes you will need to wash it afterwards to get rid of the smell Currently sitting in some Meth now. Will let you guys know how I get on. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bunny Boiler 177 Posted January 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2014 (edited) . Edited January 24, 2014 by Bunny Boiler Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Waz 4,204 Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 Used purple mets a lot for brushes works good. Same subject, ive got a pine martin (legally) skin in the freezer, Can I use the meth method? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jack-percival 25 Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 I use purple meths in an old milk carton, stuff the de boned tail inside and give a little shake everyday for a couple of weeks then rinse clean in the bath using the shower head, ull need to use your misses best conditioner to make nice and soft and life like again, also gets rid of the smell of methylated fox lol, good luck mate Quote Link to post Share on other sites
slugbuster 4 Posted February 9, 2015 Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 ive just shot my first fox today. took the tail off and removed the bone. ive heard people poar boarax salt down the cavity. is the meths method better or are they similar results? also its dirty should i wash it before curing it or just wait until after and give it a good wash then like said above? cheers Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hareydave 1,214 Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 seen some on here with the rifle case pluging the hole...looked good job Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RemyBolt 420 Posted March 13, 2015 Report Share Posted March 13, 2015 ive just shot my first fox today. took the tail off and removed the bone. ive heard people poar boarax salt down the cavity. is the meths method better or are they similar results? also its dirty should i wash it before curing it or just wait until after and give it a good wash then like said above? cheers You would want Borax 20 Mule for that. Get some friends from America to pop some in the post for you. But that's best with split tails. For unsplit tails, I'd go with meths. I've been working with a few foxes recently to try and get it right, so these are words of experience (well, I'm telling you what didn't work for me, although someone of more skill could probably get it to work right haha) but Borax ("substitute" as we're in the UK) isn't too easy to get into the very tip of a whole tail. If you're talking the tail, then you're not going to be able to guarantee you've gotten all the salt out...not an issue really. But if you then plan on using Borax 20, you'll not know if it's gone all the way down. Plus, I have had 2 tails clog. One where I wasn't shaking the Borax through, and the other where a salt ball must have formed. So the tip started to get 'funky' and the hairs slipped when moved around. Now I just strip the tail, zip it, salt it, then get it ready for brain tanning and smoking when I have time. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
slugbuster 4 Posted March 13, 2015 Report Share Posted March 13, 2015 i ended up soaking it in meths for a few weeks then after washing it i hung it to dry for a few days and its turned out really nice... no hair loss . my next thing to try is a squirrel fur tanned for some mits if u have any tips or hints about tanning that would b aprechiated. im after a proper tan not alum/salt pickle as ive bn told the pickle will still rot if it gets wet as as the mits r for outdoor use thats no good lol.. was looking at egg tanning thanks Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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