GeoJon Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Hello everybody, A while back, I bought some Elmer's Multi-Purpose Spray Adhesive and sprayed it on some of my favorite leaf fossils as a fixative. I've since been informed that this is a no-no because fixatives make them difficult to photograph and they can also discolor over long periods of time. I'd like to get it off, but I'm a little concerned about how to do it, because the fossils are very fragile-the matrix is a crumbly sandstone that you can scratch with a fingernail. The label says the product contains acetone, which I'm assuming evaporates when the glue dries. I'm figuring maybe I'll just get some acetone and a rag and see if I can get the fixative off. Any one have any ideas or tips on how I can get the fixative off? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 um, from what you've said, i'd leave the things alone and just reconsider what you do with finds in the future. porous, fragile material absorbs whatever you put on it and you're not going to get it all back out, especially not without destroying the fossils if they are fragile. if you don't think some fossils you find will survive without being consolidated, then put something on them. but read up on what you use. people who conserve things for museums and such have figured out pretty well which consolidants are the least likely to harm fossils, and also which are the most likely to be reversible should something better come along down the road, which always seems to happen. i try not to use proprietary products simply because i can't find out exactly what's in some of them, and if i don't know what's in it, then i can't research what it's likely to do long term. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost1066 Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Hello everybody, A while back, I bought some Elmer's Multi-Purpose Spray Adhesive and sprayed it on some of my favorite leaf fossils as a fixative. I've since been informed that this is a no-no because fixatives make them difficult to photograph and they can also discolor over long periods of time. I'd like to get it off, but I'm a little concerned about how to do it, because the fossils are very fragile-the matrix is a crumbly sandstone that you can scratch with a fingernail. The label says the product contains acetone, which I'm assuming evaporates when the glue dries. I'm figuring maybe I'll just get some acetone and a rag and see if I can get the fixative off. Any one have any ideas or tips on how I can get the fixative off? Tracer pretty well covered it. An adhesive on a porous item isn't just a surface contact but becomes internal to the piece. Just wiping it off isn't going to fix it. You are going to want to leave this batch alone. I have some brachs that are on a sand matrix and just keep them wrapped or separated from others so they don't get damaged. Tommy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeoJon Posted August 18, 2011 Author Share Posted August 18, 2011 (edited) You guys might be right. Ah, well. Live and learn! Edited August 18, 2011 by GeoJon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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