Fossil ID and preservation advise please

[Fogel]

Good morning, fossil newbie here.  Looking for an ID on this fossil and tips on preservation.

I think it might be an ammonite and was found in kimmeridge Clay.  I am aware that the clay can dry out and be very brittle so wondering what I should treat it with to preserve it? Thanks in advance.

[mighty micraster]

Not sure of the id, but to preserve the idea is to not let it dry out.

Maybe a coat of paraloid?

Edited August 26 by mighty micraster

[Jaybot]

Not only a coat of paraloid, but I would completely soak the entire thing.

 

@Ptychodus04

[hadrosauridae]

4 hours ago, mighty micraster said:

Not sure of the id, but to preserve the idea is to not let it dry out.

Maybe a coat of paraloid?

 

paraloid (or other thermo-plastics in solution) cant be used on wet, damp, or even humid fossils.  The plastic solution reacts with the water and immediately set, without penetration, while also leaving an ugly, white coating.

[Ptychodus04]

If you need to preserve it damp, get some Primal WS-24. Probably too expensive to buy a large enough volume to soak it but you can brush it on all sides liberally. It is supposed to soak in well.

[Jaybot]

3 hours ago, Ptychodus04 said:

If you need to preserve it damp, get some Primal WS-24. Probably too expensive to buy a large enough volume to soak it but you can brush it on all sides liberally. It is supposed to soak in well.

Never heard of that product.  There has been more than one time that drying out a specimen was risky; I could definitely use some of that stuff.

Thanks for the great tip Kris!

[Ptychodus04]

On 8/26/2024 at 7:39 PM, Jaybot said:

Never heard of that product.  There has been more than one time that drying out a specimen was risky; I could definitely use some of that stuff.

Thanks for the great tip Kris!

I haven’t used it personally but that is the product recommended by the AMNH for stabilization of wet specimens.