Lindsey Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 I don't really have any desire to try to polish any of the sharks teeth we have found but a little while ago I bought a couple of Meg teeth and I just thought I might like to give it a try and polish them. I didn't personally find them so no personal attachment, figured what could it hurt. I don't have a clue when it comes to polishing teeth, for instance what would I need and how would I go about polishing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grampa dino Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Have you thought of using tooth paste and an old tooth brush I really mean it, no joke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenixflood Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Don't Unless they are in really bad condition. If you really want a polished meg I have a 4 and 1/2 I got swindled on ebay for 100. I wouldn't ask for that much. It's in my trade thread if you'd like to check it out. http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?showtopic=2630&view=&hl=civil%20bond&fromsearch=1 The soul of a Fossil Hunter is one that is seeking, always. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 hey, didn't you and i do a trade? a bond for some fossils or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenixflood Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 hey, didn't you and i do a trade? a bond for some fossils or something? Ha, ha, no, no I still have it though The soul of a Fossil Hunter is one that is seeking, always. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracer Jr. Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 i would never, EVER polish a meg tooth. (are yall tired of me saying that yet?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsey Posted October 14, 2009 Author Share Posted October 14, 2009 Don't Unless they are in really bad condition. If you really want a polished meg I have a 4 and 1/2 I got swindled on ebay for 100. I wouldn't ask for that much. It's in my trade thread if you'd like to check it out. http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?showtopic=2630&view=&hl=civil%20bond&fromsearch=1 That is a beautiful tooth, one of these days I will have to make a scuba trip, until then I am willing to buy one here and there, I've only got 2 now. I don't know what condition you would classify these as, I don't think they are in the greatest shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracer Jr. Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 i would take a broken in half 2" meg tooth over a polished 5" tooth. i think your teeth are fine the way they are. it's just a matter of preference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilMick Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 This topic fueled a heated debate not too long ago. I personally feel that if you think you can approve the aesthetics of a fossil and turn a "rock" into something you would display rather than have it in a box under the bed, go for it. I have had luck starting with rough sand paper 400 grit and working it down to about 2000 grit, using a hand held sander. It worked great for a particularly ugly meg I had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsey Posted October 14, 2009 Author Share Posted October 14, 2009 Trust me if I found one myself I would leave it as is, well of course giving it a simple wash. It was just an idea that ran through my head, I suppose I will leave them as is and just enjoy the fact that I actually own one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenixflood Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 i would take a broken in half 2" meg tooth over a polished 5" tooth. i think your teeth are fine the way they are. it's just a matter of preference. I would agree with you TJ. Other than the point, the one tooth is in nice condition. But, damage on any part lowers the value and grade. The soul of a Fossil Hunter is one that is seeking, always. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsey Posted October 14, 2009 Author Share Posted October 14, 2009 This topic fueled a heated debate not too long ago. I personally feel that if you think you can approve the aesthetics of a fossil and turn a "rock" into something you would display rather than have it in a box under the bed, go for it. I have had luck starting with rough sand paper 400 grit and working it down to about 2000 grit, using a hand held sander. It worked great for a particularly ugly meg I had. I'm happy enough to have one(although I bought it, didn't find it) that I've got mine displayed in a shadow box along with our other teeth and fossils. I know with coins they have more value when you leave them as is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsey Posted October 14, 2009 Author Share Posted October 14, 2009 I would agree with you TJ. Other than the point, the one tooth is in nice condition. But, damage on any part lowers the value and grade. I gave around $7 for the both of them together, so I knew they weren't worth anything to begin with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracer Jr. Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 (edited) i think $7 was quite a good deal on those two teeth. i've seen some very poor examples of single teeth at shows go for much higher than that. i think your teeth are great and i'm glad you enjoy them so much! after loving shark teeth for several years, i have only accumulated five meg teeth myself and cherish them all greatly. if they are worth a lot to you, that's all that matters. Edited October 14, 2009 by Tracer Jr. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyguy784 Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 I'd like to know what others think of what I do on some of my "display" pieces. I've found that if I take an old tooth brush, and merely stroke it across a piece of parafin wax, then, buff the fosil with the brush. It richens up the color and gives the specimen a very slight sheen. I would never use an abrasive. One or two applications of this very small amount of wax really makes the piece stand out. If the fossil is still attached to some matrix, I only buff the fossil itself. Makes it much more pronounced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 ...I've found that if I take an old tooth brush, and merely stroke it across a piece of parafin wax, then, buff the fosil with the brush. It richens up the color and gives the specimen a very slight sheen.... In my mind, that practice qualifies as "prep", as it is non-destructive. "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...
flyguy784 Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Thanks Auspex, it really works well. Makes the detail stand out, and richens up the color. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megateeth Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Polishing has come to mean more than simple cleaning and sprucing up a tooth by buffing it. First, the teeth I find have very small scratches on them from the sand, gravel, whatever running over it for all these years. I will use a wire brush to remove dirt and a cleaner like tripoly to buff out the scratches. I believe that this was what you were refering to when you said you want to polish it. Some consider that altering the tooth and some do not. In my mind, cleaning and buffing a tooth actually brings back the original shine but I understand people that feel otherwise. When you see a "polished tooth" on the net it is usually because either the enamel or blade had serious damage. The person "polishing" it is using a diamond polisher or low grit sand paper to smooth out the damage which reshapes the tooth. Then high grit abrasives are used to shine it up. This does significantly alter the tooth from its found condition. I think a better term than "polished" should be used but for years altered teeth have become known as polished. I am one of the few people here that does polish-alter teeth. I find a lot of them and sell many of them so I am looking at it from a different angle. When a tooth has signifiacant damage, I will sometimes polish (alter) it with a diamond polisher. I do this to about 10% of what I consider significantly damaged teeth. Serious collectors usually would not want a polished tooth, but most of them would not want to purchase the damaged tooth anyhow. But many non-collectors want a cheap, big and attractive tooth for a display piece. They do not want a chipped, enamel peeled tooth. but they want something big and pretty at a low price. I know that many here will disagree with me here but I feel that there is a place for what we call polished teeth out there as long as the buyer understands what they are getting. If I were in your place and those were my only teeth I would not alter-polish the tooth but a wire brush and a cleaner on a polishing pad would clean it up nicely. Megateeth Fossils - Megalodon Teeth, Other Shark Teeth and Info about Megalodon shark tooth collecting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grampa dino Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Don't Unless they are in really bad condition. If you really want a polished meg I have a 4 and 1/2 I got swindled on ebay for 100. I wouldn't ask for that much. It's in my trade thread if you'd like to check it out. http://www.thefossil...nd&fromsearch=1 It's one thing to just say NO So why not say no, because......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsey Posted October 18, 2009 Author Share Posted October 18, 2009 Wow, didn't know it was a touchy subject lol, I love hearing everyones opinion. I just thought maybe it would be nice to have at least one shiny tooth in my collection, thought mayeb there was a simple way to do that. I purchased these teeth for little to nothing so they don't have the same sentimental value that a tooth would have that was found by me, I fully understand when you say not to alter a tooth and I greatly respect everyones input and opinions. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracer Jr. Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 Wow, didn't know it was a touchy subject lol, I love hearing everyones opinion. I just thought maybe it would be nice to have at least one shiny tooth in my collection, thought mayeb there was a simple way to do that. I purchased these teeth for little to nothing so they don't have the same sentimental value that a tooth would have that was found by me, I fully understand when you say not to alter a tooth and I greatly respect everyones input and opinions. Thank you. lindsey, if you really want a polished tooth, check out megateeth.com. he has a ton of meg teeth, including shiny polished ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsey Posted October 19, 2009 Author Share Posted October 19, 2009 He does have alot of nice teeth, sadly I can't afford to pay that kind of price for a tooth. I think my fiance and I just need to make a trip somewhere to dive for them and forget all about altering them, well I would never alter anything I find myself. Thank you for the link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts