Fossil Cleanup and Care

[jldodd]

I know FossilBabe has in the past talked about how to make your fossils like new but I think it might be something warranted as a sticky in this spanking new forum.

I for one would like to know what to do with all of these teeth!

 

[Walter]

OK, I'm just a tad comfused. How can you possibly have a fossil that is like new? Isn't that a contradiction of terms?

If you're looking to clean them up, most will clean up quite nicely just rubbing them with your thump. For those that have shell growth, a short soak in white vinegar works wonders. I always follow this up immediately with a longer soak in fresh water to stop any possibility of the vinegar harming the fossil. Of course, some very respectable fossil collectors like to leave that growth as they found it.

 

[jldodd]

Thanks for the info Walter! You do have a point, a "like new" fossil may be hard to achieve. Oops!

 

[Sh@rkW@tcher]

Fossilbabe is working on a write up for how to clean and properly preserve your fossil finds which there are plans to make a sticky out of. The techniques Walter discribed work great for shark teeth, and some of the other teeth, but fossils like mammoth teeth, mammoth and whale bones and vertebrate do require a bit more care to keep them from deteriorating once the've been recovered and cleaned.

 

[jldodd]

Thanks for the heads up MoteMan.