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How to make a trophy skull yourself - technology, tips and recipes. Attaching elk antlers How to make elk antlers on the wall

How to process horns?

The ossified antlers of artiodactyls, such as deer, elk or roe deer, are unique and valuable hunting trophies that can decorate any corner of the interior. To process horns, the horns must first of all be intact and dry, without any special defects, cracks, chips, etc.

In order for a hunting trophy made from antlers to be preserved, it must be properly processed. This article is dedicated to telling you how to treat horns at home using improvised means.

Materials for processing horns:

• The horns of artiodactyls themselves (deer, elk, ram, roe deer)
• Saline solution
• Emery cloth for sanding
• Felt and alcohol stain.

First of all, trophy antlers must be separated from the skull, if any. To avoid damage to the horns, you need to separate them as carefully as possible.

Next, you need to clean the horns from soft tissue and unnecessary fragments. Damaged areas should also be repaired while maintaining the proportionality of the horns. Next, the second thing you need to do is soak the trophy antlers in a saline solution.

This process must be mandatory, just as the horns must be disinfected. After disinfection, the horns must be placed in a saturated salt solution for at least 2 days. When placing the horns in the solution, its temperature should be 50-70 degrees.

Next, you should remove the trophy antlers from the salt solution, rinse it to remove various fragments and dry them, for example, using a drying chamber. If you do not have a drying chamber, then the antlers can be dried in any closed room at a constant temperature of at least 27 degrees. Dried deer antlers must lie in a cool, dry place for at least 10 days before processing.

Third, the trophy antlers must be polished to give them a souvenir look. The grain for sanding on sandpaper should be selected as fine as possible. Then, after roughly sanding the horn and removing all imperfections, you need to polish the horns. The materials for polishing horns are velvet and felt.

The fourth step is to soak the treated horns with a stain, preferably an alcohol stain. To achieve a natural shine, it is better not to varnish the horns. But if you have severely damaged or old horns, you can varnish them.

Interior

Animal horns can be strengthened on various surfaces, for example on the wall, on various medallions or stands.

Stands for securing the horns can be made different types and shapes. The material for the stands can be made of birch or birch burl. When making a craft, you should take into account the size of the stand in proportion to the trophy antlers. The material for the stand is dry wood that is undamaged and untouched by birds and insects.

Finished stands can be treated with paints and varnishes in dark brown or light, periodically sanding the surface until matte.

Speaking of medallions, they are mainly used for large antlers, such as large elk, deer or wild sheep. More durable materials are used as the basis for the medallion - beech, birch, oak. You should also take into account the shape of the medallion; it must correspond to the size of the trophy horns and be in harmony with the surrounding interior.

Following the scheme described above, the antlers can retain their natural appearance and beautifully harmonize with the interior of the hunter’s house or hut!

If you become the owner of an elk horn and want to decorate your wall with it, having decorated it yourself, you will have to 1) make a stand, 2) process the horn itself and 3) fix it on the stand. There are many ways to implement each stage of the work, but I will tell you and show you how I do it.
1.
Shape, dimensions wooden stand- a matter of personal taste, imagination and possibilities. In this case, I use the image of an elk's head, but instead it could be a simple, neatly crafted tablet or a wooden medallion in the shape of a heraldic shield.
I cut out the drawn silhouette of a moose head from whatman paper, trace it with a pencil on the board and cut it out with a jigsaw. The drawing can be made directly on the board, or the silhouette can be cut out immediately without a drawing, whichever is more convenient for you.

I drill mounting holes on the back of the workpiece.


I cut out a relief on the front side and reinforce the place where the horn is attached by gluing a die.


WITH using an angle grinder I grind down the surface of the die, giving the plane a slight slope back. I mark the boundaries of contact between the horn and the tree and determine the locations of the holes. I drill two holes with a diameter of 8mm.

2.
I level the end of the base of the horn with an angle grinder using 40-grit sandpaper. Then I press the treated plane tightly to the mounting location on the stand and, using the prepared holes as guides, drill holes in the end of the horn. One hole is for a fastening bolt, the other is for a stopper that prevents the horn from turning under its own weight when the wood dries out. In principle, one mounting hole is sufficient, and rotation can be prevented by gluing. But for ease of transportation, it is desirable that the product be collapsible, and here a stopper helps out.
Next, I use a 10mm tap to cut a thread in the hole for the bolt, and into another hole I hammer a stopper cut from an 8mm metal rod.

Now that the dirty work is over, you need to clean off the dirt and wash the horn. The matter may seem simple, but there is important nuances. If you want the horn to retain its natural color, do not use soda for washing, washing powder, metal brush. Warm water and a simple degreaser are enough for washing.

And here is an example of how, out of ignorance, you can overdo it with cleaning the horn.

And, before proceeding directly to fastening, all that remains is to drill the hole for the bolt to 10mm and coat the wood with impregnation. In this case, I used the mahogany shade. This is not visible in the photo, but the polishing flaws immediately became obvious - all the small scratches, previously invisible against a light background, appeared. And the effect that the wood texture gave to the product faded.

3.
Well, now that the parts are ready, I insert the horn with a stopper into the stopper hole, with reverse side- I drive a 28mm washer into the recess and screw in an 80x10mm bolt with a socket wrench. If you overtighten the bolt, the wood may crack. The stopper eliminates the need to pull the horn as tightly as possible.
If you are lazy or don’t have the opportunity to cut the thread, you can use a wood grouse to attach the horn. But my wood grouse broke down several times, and deciding that this was not The best way To save time and effort, I preferred bolts.

Since I have not yet mastered oils, waxes and other delights, then I will simply cover the product with three layers of yacht varnish and post the photo in the gallery.

Thank you for your attention and I will be glad if the masters point out errors to me and enrich the material with corrections and additions.

My husband bought antlers and hung them on the wall. What does it mean? - a question was asked from the Internet.

Sympathizers answered: “Probably his dreams...

Someone thought: “He’s an esthete with an innate sense of taste.” One warned: “An owl is not allowed into the house, the horns are allowed.”
There was advice to check my husband's crown: - What if?...))

And someone remembered that “the formations on the heads of deer have a disgusting power from damage and evil spirits - they are rubbed and drunk with water.”
Someone chided: “I bought it, but didn’t install it.” Deer antlers. And you can hang everything on the wall.
The following can be classified as “trolling”: - It’s obvious. | - We should ask you why your husband has horns. | - Maybe these are not reindeer ones, but as a keepsake?!?

There were some heart-warming stories:

At one time, my husband and I bought deer antlers (in Norway), or rather, I bought them, my husband resisted... The antlers lay in the basement for 4 years, because I didn’t know where to put them. My husband forbade it in the corridor, but there was nowhere in my room. Finally, I found a place for them on the TV, they look great. As for our relationship with my husband, it has not undergone any special changes - it remains the same.

My mother-in-law has horns hanging in her house. Everything is fine in the house, BUT... our friend took a photo under these horns and after some time he got betrayed and divorced. I don’t know if it’s a coincidence, but no one else even stands under these horns.

I’ve had horns hanging in my house for about 20 years now. Until another man gets under the horns, everything is ok.

We had one too - as a result we got divorced. Throw them out!!!

Hence the conclusion: Russian people are not accustomed to deer antlers. In a family of two people there will always be one who is “for” and one who is “against”.
But there are “horn-loving hoarders” in the world who fill their entire home with controversial elements.

1. Quiet, rural Columbia County. A very famous photographer in Manhattan and his two dogs live in a house that looks like a barn:

2. Dining room, filled with old furniture. Bull horns.

3. In the living room there is also an antique, made in France, about 200 years ago:

5. In an authentic house, only the bedroom reveals the glamorous profession of the owner:

6. Everything else is a chaotic brocant world. Mixing expensive things with simple ones.

7. Antique wooden table.

8. Terrace, where a company of 12 people can easily fit. The rusty chairs and table date back to 1900.

From an animal caught during a hunt, trophies can be prepared, suitable both for display at hunting exhibitions and for display in the interior. I would like to offer a number of hunting items that are most easily prepared at home.

Skulls of ungulates (deer, elk, roe deer) and predators (wolf, bear, lynx) are valuable hunting trophies that adorn the hunter’s corner and are exhibited for evaluation at hunting exhibitions. To make a trophy, the skull must first of all be intact, without visible defects. The skin is removed from the skull, the muscles are cut off, the eyeballs and tongue are removed, the lower jaw is separated, the brain is removed through the foramen magnum, and its remains and brain film are washed out with a strong stream of water. To remove blood, the skull is soaked for 10-12 days. running water or let it soak in stagnant water, changing it often.

Most affordable way cleaning the skull from muscle and bone fat cuts is maceration by rotting. Unfortunately, when fabrics rot, which lasts at least two to three weeks, a strong, specific odor arises. To weaken it, you need to add an agar-agar solution to the water.

Maceration should be done in cold, unboiled water, using wooden, glass or plastic containers. You cannot macerate in an iron vessel: the bones in it will turn black. The solution is changed every five to seven days. After the muscle and fat leave the bones, the skull is removed and washed in running water. Then washed well hot water The skull is dried with soap.

Other no less effective method processing - boiling bones in soft water. It is poured over the skull and the container with it is placed on the fire. If the skull has horns, flyers are attached to them, which, located along the edge of the dish, prevent them from plunging into hot water. Remove foam from boiling water; boiling continues until the remaining muscle is separated from the bones; At the same time, bone connections and sutures weaken, teeth fall out, so it is better to boil such skulls sewn into gauze or linen bags.

After boiling, the skull is washed in water for a long time and then dried. When a greasy plaque appears on the bones, immerse it in a 10% solution for 30 hours. ammonia.

In bovids (wild sheep, ibex), the horn sheaths are separated: wrapping the horn in a rag, pour boiling water over it. Having softened, the cover easily comes off the rod. After boiling down the skull, the covers are again placed on the rods and secured with screws or secured with glue.

Skulls and skeletal bones can be treated with warm water, maintaining a constant temperature of + 30 C, + 40 C. Maceration in this way lasts no more than 10-15 days. If it is not active enough, a piece of fresh meat is added, which accelerates the putrefactive process. The skull that has undergone this treatment is thoroughly washed with warm water and soap. If adhesive substances appear on the bones of the skull, it should be immersed in a hot (+60 C) five percent soda solution for 10 days. The skull cannot be degreased in a hot alkali solution: it destroys the surface of the bone and spoils its appearance. The well-washed skull is dried.

It should be remembered that during maceration in warm water, fangs and incisors crack, which is caused by a sharp change in temperature. In this case, it is better to treat the skulls of predators and large rodents by rotting.

If the skull is all right; remains greasy, it must be immersed in gasoline for 10-15 days, where it will finally degrease.

Bleaching is desirable for all skulls after maceration; It is produced with a 4-5% solution of hydrogen peroxide in an enamel, wooden or glass container without crumbs. For the fastest reaction, add 2.5 g of ammonia per 1 liter. To ensure that the skull whitens evenly, it is occasionally turned over. The natural color of the skull bones is light yellowish, so when bleaching you should not achieve too much whiteness.

The bleached dry skull is rubbed with a mixture of chalk and lime, paraffin and polished with a clean cloth. The bones that fall out during processing are glued back into place. In this form, the skull is prepared for mounting on a stand.

Trophies are mounted on stands or medallions. Coasters can be made in different types and shapes, but they should always be modest. The stand made of birch logs, burl, is very expressive. Its size should be proportional to the trophy. Stable stands are placed on legs made of strong poles (Fig. 1). In this case, harmony should be created between the type of bark on the stand, the structure and color of the horns. Stands should be made only from dry, seasoned wood that is not touched by pests. They can be either simple or carved, with vegetation motifs on the sides (Fig. 2). The stands are painted with water-based paints in light or dark brown tones, sanding their surface until matte. The stands are “aged”: they are burned, smoked, which makes it possible to more clearly highlight the light skull or frontal bones with horns on its surface.

Medallions for large skulls with antlers or for the heads of elk, deer, and wild sheep should be made from durable materials - beech, birch, oak. Their shape can be different (Fig. 3). The size of the stands must correspond to the type and size of the trophies and be in harmony with the interior for which they are intended.

For the horns of a wild ram or ibex, whose curves extend far beyond the back of the skull, the stand is made differently: a piece of log is attached to it, on which the skull or frontal bone with horns is in turn strengthened (Fig. 4). You can mount such horns on ordinary stands, but then they have to be attached to the wall on special welded metal supports (Fig. 5).

Large skulls without lower jaws are attached to the stand as follows: the front part of the skull is strengthened with copper tape (10-15 mm wide), an arc encircling upper jaw, and pass it along the sides of the skull into the slot on the stand; it is secured on the back side with screws. To strengthen the back of the head, use a curved one at a right angle. metal bracket threaded. To do this, a hole is drilled in the stand through which the end of the bracket is passed: the other end is inserted into the occipital hole. By tightening the nut under the stand, the skull is pulled towards it and firmly secured.

To strengthen the horns with the frontal bone on the stand, two holes are drilled in the frontal part. Light horns are strengthened with screws, heavy and massive ones are strengthened with bolts, securing them with nuts on the back side of the stand.

Depending on the length of stay under the snow, the rays of the sun, the shed antlers of deer turn white, lose their color and are destroyed. If the antlers were found shortly after they were shed, they may still have their natural coloration. Such trophies can be used for various crafts - making chandeliers, lamps, candlesticks, pens hunting knives.

To give the shed horn natural look First of all, it is washed well from dirt with hot water and soap, then the cornea is painted with paint dissolved in water (stain, Bismarck, potassium permanganate or other water-based paints). To give the horn freshness, it is rubbed with paraffin and polished with cloth.

Single or paired lamps from elk and deer antlers can be made depending on the number of symmetrical or similar appearance and the size of the horns. An electrical wire is placed along the upper surface of the horn to each process, which is secured to the bone with nails or epoxy resin(Fig. 6). At the ends of the horny processes they are installed small size lamp sockets. The horn is attached to the stand as follows: a hole with a diameter of 5 mm and a depth of up to 30-40 mm is drilled in the center at its base. In the center of the wooden stand (at the place where the horn is installed), a through hole is drilled and through it, combining the horn and the stand, a strong and long screw is screwed in, which holds and secures the horn well (Fig. 7). If the horn is heavy, then a slot of 2-3 mm and a depth of 40-50 mm is cut out at its base; An iron strip is inserted into it, the base of the horn is aligned with it, and the iron and horn are drilled at the same time. Rivets are driven into the holes or the horn is strengthened with bolts, cutting the heads into the bone (Fig. 8). The curved opposite end of the strip is passed through the slot into the stand and secured on the other side with screws. The electrical wire is passed through the hole in the stand.

When making a decorative chandelier from a deer antler, light bulbs or candlesticks are placed on its branches. The horn is suspended on cables from the ceiling (Fig. 9). Holes are drilled on the sides of the shovel or deer antler into which the end parts of the cables are secured. The electrical wiring is lowered from the ceiling to the center of the horn. The location of the wire and its fastening is the same as during the manufacture of the lamp.

If a chandelier is made from 3-4 horns, then in this case the horns are aligned with each other in the center by the bases and strengthened at a certain angle on a strong welded cross. The base of each horn is crimped with an iron strip, which is secured with bolts. Copper tube 20-30 mm in diameter is firmly attached to the cross and becomes a holder that is suspended from the ceiling hook. The length of the tube depends on the height of the room. The crosspiece on the bottom side is decorated with a horn or a cut of a burl (Fig. 10). Such a chandelier can have 10-15 lamps. Candlesticks are also attached to the shoots of the horns. It should be borne in mind that the chandelier is heavy and requires strong fittings and reliable fastening.

The very shape of the boar’s graceful front or hind limb suggests its use as wall lamp. A limb is separated from a hunted animal, and a cut is made along its lower side to the base of the hooves. It is better to insert the knife under the skin, then it will not damage the hair. If possible, it is better to pull the skin from the foot with a stocking to the hooves and make one small cut on the sole to separate it (Fig. 11). If this is successful, the skin must be scraped well from tendons and muscles and preserved. table salt and potassium alum. At the same time, the limb removed from the knife is placed sideways on the paper and traced with a pencil, obtaining its outline. Based on it and the dimensions taken from the limb, materials that are convenient for reproducing the limb in a mock-up are cut out of dense foam or wound around a wire frame - hemp, straw, shavings, hay, moss.

It should be taken into account that in the place where the tendon usually passes, there will be a passage through the entire limb in the model. electrical wire. The lamp made from the limb should have a bend at the joint, which allows you to attach a small electric lamp socket between the front hooves or install a candlestick-type lamp. This bend justifies the type of lamp (Fig. 12). Before installing the model and sheathing it, you need to prepare the skin for this, wash it well in warm water to remove salt and blood, using soap or washing powder for this, then wipe with a rag, dry the fur with starch, rubbing it deep into the undercoat, and then blow it out of the fur with a stream of air from a vacuum cleaner. To protect the exhibit from damage by moths or carpet beetles, the inner side of the skin is lubricated several times with a 3-4% solution of karbofos. Soft clay is stuffed into the hooves, cleared of muscles and bones, to give this part of the leg a correct form. The prepared model is placed in the skin and sheathed, trying to make the seam unnoticeable. Due to the fact that the wire or metal pin coming out of the limb model has a thread at the end, it will not be difficult to attach it to the wall on a stand.

You can make a pencil cup from the bottom of a boar's limb. To do this, the skin is removed or pulled together to the hooves with a stocking, an incision is made between the hooves, through which the skin is cleaned. The skin is pickled and, having sewn up the cut, the cavity is tightly filled with dry sawdust or sand. At the same time, it is correctly installed, strengthened on a temporary stand and dried, making sure that the skin is not deformed. After a few days it hardens firmly, the contents are removed and the inside of the skin and hooves are sealed with layers of gauze. The upper edge of the cup is leveled by cutting off excess skin. In order for the glass to stand firmly, it is attached to the stand with a bolt, drilling a hole between the hooves on the sole (Fig. 13).

The ashtray is made from a wolf or bear skull. A lid is cut out of the skull, which is then attached to a hinge and folded back (Fig. 14). In this case, the lower jaw can be separated, and the souvenir itself can be mounted on a stand made from a cut of birch or birch burl. On a stand you can strengthen the skull with its mouth open, securing it with screws: then the fangs will be clearly visible.

Previously, a person was forced to go into the forest solely to shoot someone and provide meat for himself and his family. Today wild nature For most, this is a place where you can relax, practice shooting and gain new experiences.

For some, hunting has become a lucrative source of income. How successful a hunter is can be judged by his trophies. In this regard, the skins, skulls and claws of killed animals are highly valued. One of the best trophies are antlers. Due to the fact that they are quite heavy, difficulties may arise when installing them on the wall. There is a device specifically designed for mounting this trophy, which is known as an antler medallion. Of course you can buy it. However, depending on the size and design, a medallion for horns costs about a thousand rubles. Therefore, many hunters try to make do with homemade products. You will learn how to make a medallion for horns with your own hands from this article.

Getting to know the product

The horn medallion is special device made of wood. Since the main task is to withstand a lot of weight, in addition to wood, the design includes one or two metal brackets. Depending on the shape and size of the trophy, medallions are round, square and shield-shaped. Judging by numerous reviews, you can make a medallion for horns at home. More on how to do this below.

What will you need for work?

Before you begin, you should have the following: consumables and tools:

• One board. Its thickness should be from 40 to 50 mm.
• With a jigsaw. With its help, the outline of the medallion will be cut out of the blank.
• With a chisel.

• Sandpaper.
• Paint coating. Wood impregnation is also suitable for this purpose.

Where to begin?

The first step is to prepare the base. Mostly, do-it-yourself medallions for horns are made from boards at least 40 mm thick. The dimensions of the product depend on the shape of the horns themselves. Some home craftsmen advise using ash. However, other wood is suitable for this purpose. The main thing is that the board is perfectly flat on both sides. This can be achieved by passing it through a thickness planer.

Second step

At this stage, they are working on the shape of the product. It should be remembered that the main aesthetic role is still played not by the medallion, but by the trophy itself. And if the design turns out to be too large or flashy, then attention will be constantly distracted from the horns. Each master chooses the shape for the medallion at his own discretion. After it is selected, a drawing is prepared on a piece of paper. In the future it will be used as a template.

Manufacturing

Now the design on the piece of paper is carefully cut out and applied to a wooden surface. Next, you need to trace its outline with a pencil. After these steps, you can proceed directly to cutting. This can be done quickly using a jigsaw. Due to the fact that the edges of the workpiece are sharp, experienced craftsmen recommend smoothing them using milling equipment. Of course, if there is no such machine, then you can trim the contour manually. However, this work is too labor-intensive and the edges are wooden blank will turn out less prominent. Further wooden surface carefully sanded with sandpaper of various grits.

The moose antler medallion will look much more beautiful if it is painted. Experienced craftsmen It is recommended to use a clear varnish, which is best applied in two layers.

About fasteners

To ensure that the trophy hangs securely on the wall, with inside the medallion should be equipped with one or two metal brackets. It is best if the design has two loops. In this case, the medallion will be completely adjacent to the surface. Judging by the reviews, after installing the brackets, there is a gap between the wall and the board. To correct this disadvantage can be done as follows. You need to attach a loop to the workpiece and outline its outline with a pencil. Next, you need to mark two holes for the screws. Then, using a chisel, select a piece of wood in the selected area. At this stage, it is important not to overdo it, otherwise the loop will simply “drown” in the workpiece. It is only enough that the bracket does not protrude beyond the surface. If the medallion is completely ready for mounting on the wall, you should consider how to attach the decoration itself - the horns - to it. This can only be done after they have been finalized.

How to prepare the horns?

You'll have to work grinding machine And hacksaw blade. It is desirable that the file has small teeth. In this case, the edges will be smoother and will not chip. The essence of the procedure is to carefully cut off a small circle with horns from the main part of the skull. If flaws appear during work, they can be easily corrected with a grinding machine. You can also use it to fix the horns themselves. Subsequently, two holes for self-tapping screws are drilled in this circle. With their help, the horns will be attached to the medallion. In order not to make a mistake with the holes and not spoil the workpiece, experts recommend attaching a piece of paper to the circle and making appropriate notes. Then the paper is cut along the contour with scissors to form a new template. It is applied to the medallion from the front side and holes are made.

Finally

Judging by numerous reviews, medallions for deer and other ungulates can be made in the form of a shield. If you have the skills to work with wood, use a set of special cutters to cut out various patterns in the form oak leaves. Mostly such products are made to order. They cost up to 9 thousand rubles.