European Mount
At Skull Creations, we specialize in a unique beetle-cleaning process that removes all flesh from your trophy while preserving even the most delicate of bones. Once the flesh has been removed, we soak the skull in a degreasing solution to remove all grease that is within the bone. Then, we whiten the skull and apply our Skull Creations bone preservative and sealer to maintain the skulls white color throughout the years.
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-OPTIONS-
Beetle Cleaning VS Full Euro Mount
Beetle Cleaning
The beetle cleaning only service involves cleaning a skull using our dermestid beetle colonies. This process solely removes the tissue and does not include degreasing, whitening, applying bone protectant, or sealing. The result is simply a skull cleaned by our beetles.
Full Euro Mount
In contrast, a full European Mount includes several additional steps: after being beetle-cleaned, the skull is degreased, whitened, treated with a bone preservative for added protection then sealed for a polished finish.
Standard Degreasing vs competition degreasing
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Standard Degreasing
The deep whiteness of a skull isn't primarily due to bleaching; it's largely determined by the degreasing process. Our standard degreasing method is a meticulous process, but it results in a beautiful, long-lasting whiteness that endures for years.
Competition Degreasing
Our competition method, which has earned awards at multiple expos in Utah, produces such a brilliantly white appearance that judges often request to scrape the back of the skull, suspecting it might be painted—an illegal practice in competitions.
-Important Information for Clients Before Booking-
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Skull Preparation: All skulls must be skinned before bringing them in. Please try to leave as much meat on the skull as possible for the best results. Take care not to nick the skull while skinning, as even small cuts may become visible on the finished product. If the skull is dropped of without being skinned, we will charge an additional $50 skinning fee.
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Wait Times: Our schedule can be busy, so please call us to check availability. In some cases, it may take up to a year to complete a European mount. Estimated finish dates ARE NOT exact dates - these ETA dates can be moved out upon the needs of the customer or the process.
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Beetle Cleaning Service: If you're only interested in beetle cleaning, we usually have space in our beetle tanks to accommodate this service and it will typically be a fairly quick turnaround.
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Dead Heads: Yes, we do clean dead heads! Contact us for a personalized quote.
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Infested Skulls: If the skull you bring has maggots or other carrion bugs, there will be an additional $50 charge. Carrion bugs pose a huge threat to dermestid beetle colonies.
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Freezing: If possible, please freeze the skull(s) before dropping it off.
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Keratin Horns (Antelope, Bison, Mtn Goat, Cattle.): Skulls with keratin horns require special care. We will lightly simmer the skull to remove the horns, as beetles can damage keratin. After removing the horns, the skull will be cleaned in the beetle tanks.
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Cost: A 50% deposit is required for all European mounts being processed. For beetle cleaning only, we do not require a deposit and instead charge the full amount upfront.
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Skull Drop Off: After you bring your skull(s) to our location, we will email you a link to our work order. This will guide you through our policies, collect necessary information, and process the deposit payment.
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Pick Up Policy: Once Skull Creations notifies you that your skull(s) are complete and ready for pick up, we allow two weeks for pick up or for you to arrange for shipping/delivery. After the two week period you will be charged a 25% storage fee. 45 days after we have notified you that your skull(s) are completed, the skulls will become the property of Skull Creations. At that time we will begin the process of selling the skull mount. Please understand that this policy is necessary in order to insure we have prompt pick up of all skulls. If you have special circumstances, please inform us and we will gladly work with you.
If you have dropped off your skull to our location and are ready to complete your work order and pay the deposit for you European Mount, please click the work order form below
