Kennyburns Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 (edited) I recently went to Spain for some fossil hunting, and I found some nice fossils (in limestones). Now i want to remove some matrix. Is it possible to use coca cola and does anyone have experience with it? If yes, how is this process? I'm kinda new to this game. I heard that vinegar is very popular to use. Thanks in advance. Edited August 16, 2015 by Kennyburns Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Pocock Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 Hi, Welcome to the forum, never heard of Coke being used but I would not be surprised if it worked, Vinegar will work but you should use the white malt vinegar, there if a good video of how to do it on Utube. I have used acetic acid that is a very strong version of vinegar, But no matter what you use remember to use the right type of gloves and eye protection. Regards Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oilshale Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 (edited) Hi and welcome to the forum. Coke is somewhat acidic but not enough to be of real use. Use either acetic acid or citric acid; muriatic acid (unless very diluted) will be too strong. STANDARD PREPARATION TECHNIQUE FOR FOSSIL FISH FROM THE ROMALDO MEMBER.pdf Fish from Brazil can be prepped by acid - this is how it's done. Not so easy - you will need a lot of experience to get good results! Thomas Edited August 16, 2015 by oilshale Be not ashamed of mistakes and thus make them crimes (Confucius, 551 BC - 479 BC). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZiggieCie Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 Welcome to the forum. Glad to have you with us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kennyburns Posted August 18, 2015 Author Share Posted August 18, 2015 Wow, thanks for the warm welcome and helpful tips! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mediospirifer Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 Kenny, one thing to keep in mind when using acid (I use vinegar to extract microfossils, but not for larger ones) is that you can etch your fossils as well as dissolve the matrix. Phosphatized fossils will be more resistant that calcified fossils, but if there isn't much matrix left for the acid to attack you should assume they can all be etched. Have fun, and be careful! Welcome to the Forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptychodus04 Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 Take the Coke, mix it with rum and break out the distilled white vinegar. Drink your Cuba Libre and apply the vinegar to the fossils with a toothbrush. Scrub, rinse, and repeat until you are happy with the prep. Then, soak the specimen in water and baking soda for a few hours to neutralize any remaining acids. The topical application allows you to target areas of matrix without soaking the entire thing and etching the fossil. 2 Regards, Kris Global Paleo Services, LLC https://globalpaleoservices.com http://instagram.com/globalpaleoservices http://instagram.com/kris.howe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bev Posted September 4, 2015 Share Posted September 4, 2015 Hi and welcome to TFF! I've played around some with the different acids and household chemicals - and ruined a few fossils. DON'T hit your crinoids with acids!!! Or bryozoans for that matter! They "melt" for lack of a better word. I'm in the Ordovician and limestone matrix is the norm, but it can really vary! Be sure to protect your work surface - having wrecked a tabletop. Pictures of your fossils that you are trying to prep would help. Toilet bowl cleaner and a stiff tooth brush can be very effective. An inexpensive engraver can do wonders. That said, many fossils look best in the matrix just exposed more than they currently are - so getting them out may not be the goal. I have several prepping videos, and experiments, on my fossil blog that may interest you. Remember - SAFETY FIRST! And have Fun! The more I learn, I realize the less I know. BluffCountryFossils.NET Fossil Adventure Blog Go to my Gallery for images of Fossil Jewelry, Sculpture & Crafts Pinned Posts: Beginner's Guide to Fossil Hunting * Geologic Formation Maps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boesse Posted September 4, 2015 Share Posted September 4, 2015 I thought I could use coca cola once in an experiment to see if the phosphoric acid would help dissolve glauconitic matrix - do NOT do it! The end result was no net change in sediment hardness but as it evaporated the leftover syrup stayed and began to break down, producing a pretty strong vomit-like smell. Five years later I'm sure it's fine, but even after soaking the fossil in water for months and cleaning off the rest of the rock it smelled like vomit for well over a year - the specimen is a little fur seal ankle bone, now in UCMP collections at Berkeley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpc Posted September 4, 2015 Share Posted September 4, 2015 What! Coke residue smelling like vomit... what a surprise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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