# Preserving Swordfish Bill



## Jackson Yacht Sales (May 21, 2004)

What is the best way to preserve a swordfish bill? I have the bill from a fish I caught last summer that has been in the freezer and I would like to get it into a condition to display it. Any advice is appreciated.


----------



## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

Not sure what the pros do, but we threw them on a big ant pile and they ate the nasties off it real good, and we bleached them in the sun a bit. Fire ants should do the trick real fast. Not sure what you'd do after that. Spray some oil on it so it wouldn't get too brittle?

I saw one East Coast boat with about a dozen nice swords wired to the top of it, all sticking up in the sky like fire sticks, looked real bad-arse.


----------



## wacker (Mar 22, 2006)

How preserved do you want to make it??
I know RJ Boyle will do them for a price and does a great job making a piece of art out of it.

If you have a dock you can hang them in the water and let the marine life clean them out but it will take a long time.

I am not that patient so I use KOH(pot ash) then Dawn and bleach.

Bills are full of grease and there is 4 passages that run up in the bill to almost the tip.




Here is a couple that I have done.


----------



## Snap Draggin (Nov 11, 2007)

Man Jimmy that is bad ***!


----------



## Jackson Yacht Sales (May 21, 2004)

Wacker,

I guess it would depend on what the bill looks like after the potash/bleach treatment. I would presume that at that point the bill looks white. At that point what options would I have if I didn't paint it?


----------



## donaken (Nov 25, 2010)

*nice*

Hey whacker...how much for the paint job?
kp


----------



## wacker (Mar 22, 2006)

Eric, You can dry it out, I clamp them in a jig to keep them straight. After that you can clear them w/ epoxy or paint a color first. I have seen them polished out natural but haven't tried it yet.


----------



## jakers (Oct 29, 2004)

Jim,

Can I have one? Pretty please. Just straight black is fine with me.:brew2:


----------



## wacker (Mar 22, 2006)

jakers said:


> Jim,
> 
> Can I have one? Pretty please. Just straight black is fine with me.:brew2:


OK....OK...... Just as soon as I finish the Wicked winter trophy, It is proly the coolest thing I have made yet.


----------



## Konan (Jul 13, 2009)

Wacker, 

Those are sick. If I boat one this summer I will be getting with you and trying to do something similar. Work of art my friend. 

Konan


----------



## broadonrod (Feb 26, 2010)

wacker said:


> How preserved do you want to make it??
> I know RJ Boyle will do them for a price and does a great job making a piece of art out of it.
> 
> If you have a dock you can hang them in the water and let the marine life clean them out but it will take a long time.
> ...


 Nice work my brother..... Those are cool !!!!


----------



## jakers (Oct 29, 2004)

wacker said:


> OK....OK...... Just as soon as I finish the Wicked winter trophy, It is proly the coolest thing I have made yet.


Sweet!!!! I'll look forward to it. Just do the big one for me. You can give the rest away. I just need one to remember the days when I was able to fish.


----------



## BIG PAPPA (Apr 1, 2008)

*thats 2 Cool*

I'd like to have one and try making a Handle for one of my Knives with it.
I Can Polish it Natural i Think.


----------



## broadonrod (Feb 26, 2010)

Eric said:


> What is the best way to preserve a swordfish bill? I have the bill from a fish I caught last summer that has been in the freezer and I would like to get it into a condition to display it. Any advice is appreciated.


 Here are a couple of Swordfish Bills RJ BOYLE has done for us on the Booby Trap... I have more at the house Ill post later... I just stick them in a PVC pipe and send them to him and this is how they come back LOL.... Capt. Ahab


----------



## broadonrod (Feb 26, 2010)

Here is Rjs info... http://www.rjboylestudios.com/


----------



## Kenner21 (Aug 25, 2005)

jakers said:


> Sweet!!!! I'll look forward to it. Just do the big one for me. You can give the rest away. I just need one to remember the days when I was able to fish.


It may not be offshore but I see a Shear Water hooked up to a black truck all the time or is that just to keep the HOa off your arse? 

Wacker awesome job on those bills, the sun light filtering through the water is top knotch work.


----------



## outtotrout09 (Apr 21, 2009)

Thats awesome! I have never caught a sword. I hope too somday soon! I caught a Blue Marlin 395# when I was with my dad a few years ago. I know they are much smaller bills,I wonder if he can do somthing with those? We were on a friends boat in Cabo and we kept the fish I still have the bill.


----------



## sea sick (Feb 9, 2006)

Now I know what im going to use to spank my kid with. He just turned 3. How many kids can say their ol man use to woop their arse with a swordfish bill ???? Put a little ducktape for a handle,get to work!!!


----------

