regainfreedom Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 Hi, I have lots of saltasaurus eggshells, some of which are still covered by the matrix. I have decided to prep one of them with an electric engraver and will post a picture of it as well as one that looks unprep as I have forgotten to take a picture of it before prepping. I notice that there are still some matrix attached to the knobby texture of eggshell, are there anyways to remove it other then using an exacto knife to scratch it off? As this is my second try preparing fossils, please give me some comments on my prep work so that I can better prepare fossils in future =) This is the picture showing the current progress of prepping the specimen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regainfreedom Posted March 18, 2009 Author Share Posted March 18, 2009 This is the picture of a similar unprepared specimen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommabetts Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 lOOKS LIKE YOU ARE DOING A GOOD JOB, JUST KEEP IT UP AND YOU WILL DO FINE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xiphactinus Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 You might try soaking in vinegar (weak acid)....it should fizz up and start disolving the matrix. You just have to be careful that it doesn't eat up the shell too.....after the vinegar, soak it in plain water for at least 3x the time you had it in the vinegar to stop the reaction. Test on a small piece first! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regainfreedom Posted March 18, 2009 Author Share Posted March 18, 2009 You might try soaking in vinegar (weak acid)....it should fizz up and start disolving the matrix. You just have to be careful that it doesn't eat up the shell too.....after the vinegar, soak it in plain water for at least 3x the time you had it in the vinegar to stop the reaction. Test on a small piece first! Hi, how long do I soak the fossil in vinegar? Which type of vinegar should I use? Black vinegar or white vinegar? Should I try it on a new piece with the matrix still attached to it or on the specimen I am working on? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 If the shell itself is non-reactive, you could try a soft toothbrush dipped in white vinegar; rinse often with water. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micropterus101 Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 Baking soda will stop the acid right away if you run into problems. How soft is the matrix compared to the shell, could you use a wire brush on a dremel tool? I use on crabs to remove the calcite coating sometimes. fossil crabs website Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xiphactinus Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 Baking soda will stop the acid right away if you run into problems. How soft is the matrix compared to the shell, could you use a wire brush on a dremel tool? I use on crabs to remove the calcite coating sometimes. You have to be really, really careful with the wire brush and dremel. You almost always end up burning off the high parts of your fossil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts