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Unlike the soft oil-shale, I've been preparing this Knightia from a much harder matrix. It's still oil-shale but doesn't seem to flake off as easily as the other. I love how I can see the specific bones and the scale is a bonus. Here is my question to the frum: The dental tool shown in the photo is what I've been using but it doesn't seem to be able to get that final bit of matrix off. It looks like it's covered in a thin layer of dust and I'm worried that if I scratch it off, I will lose much of the detail. How do I remove the final layer and get that dark brown carbon color that makes me proud to show off my work?!?

I was warned that this can get addictive. My current project is 2 Knightia in oil shale. I'll post updates but I'm going slow on this one.

Because I've seen it on other forums, I'm thinking that the moderators have been taxed recently with a huge influx of people joining the group. I apologize to them for adding to their work because I should have done this long ago instead of just visiting from time to time. My areas of interest in Paleontology are very diverse but focus on Paleoanthropology and the evolution of mammals in general, especially the epochs after the Cretaceous extinctions when the mammals began to enter the niches vacated by the dinosaurs and went through an incredible adaptive radiation, quickly evolving into new and larger forms. I also love doing field work and the many hours of prospecting that goes with it. When you enjoy the search and the discovery, the sweat and blood that comes with the excavation process is easy to survive. And finally, my real love comes with doing the work in the lab. Watching a specimen slowly being revealed when the jacket is cut away and the matrix is being removed, or seeing a delicate Green River specimen gradually being exposed using nothing more than an insect pin in a pin vise, the preparation, casting and mounting process with display as the end game. These are what I find the most challenging. My education is also diverse and relatively extensive. I have a diploma as a Biological Lab Technician plus diplomas in Museum Sciences (Cultural Resource Management), Visual Arts/ 3-D Design and Database Design. I have a Bachelor's Degree that's a Double Major in Physical Anthropology and Archaeology and a Master's Degree with specializations in both Vertebrate Paleontology and Geology. It goes without saying that I have a love of the Arts and Sciences. I've worked for a number of museums over the years creating docent programs, collections management policies and designing and building public and educational displays. According to somebody at the Smithsonian I appear to be the world expert on Cetacean skeletal anatomy because I've mounted more Whale skeletons than anybody else on the planet. That one makes me chuckle because although I've found numerous errors in the literature available on whale skeletons and articulated a half dozen skeletons...I don't study the beasts beyond having an appreciation for their fossil relatives. I started out as an amateur collector and grew up among the galleries at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. I have field experience in both Archaeology and Paleontology and was one of the first employees of the Tyrrell Museum (now the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology) and had the privilege of having worked on the museum's first field crew excavating a T-rex in the Crow's Nest Pass area of Alberta near the town of Lumbreck. That specimen later came to be called Black Beauty and toured the world as the star of a traveling exhibit. I worked for the Tyrrell from their inception year in 1982 and after their opening in September 1985, through to the end of the summer in 1986. I maintained my contact with the museum and a number of the original employees and still count them among some of my longest and dearest friendships. I also worked doing some preparation and lab work in the Vertebrate Paleontology lab at the University of Alberta. So that's my background. I don't know if people actually read these but I guess I'll see. I've been visiting this forum from time to time when I'm doing research on something or trying to identify one of the many specimens I have yet to catalogue into my collection. Paleontologists by nature are pickers and hoarders and can't help picking up and keeping a fossil or neat rock when they find one. I'm no different and over my 55 plus years of collecting I've accumulated a fairly large collection. My project for this winter is to translate all my written catalogues into a digital format. While I'm doing this I'm updating information about the changing taxonomic relationships and the changes in status and names of some of the formations, adding photographs and with the use of Goggle Earth fine tuning my location information. You gotta love that Google Earth...it's allowed me to find a few nice prospecting areas that I never knew existed. So, while I'm doing all this I'm hoping to find help with and some critical analysis in regards to some of my identifications. Thought it would be fun to share some of this knowledge I've accumulated and to learn from others. See you on the forum... Gary S.

Hi everyone, I've been a bit of a skulker on these forums so I will make my introduction brief and get to the pretty photos. I moved to New Mexico about 2 years ago and have been fossil hunting and rock hounding ever since. I've found some pretty awesome stuff, but this past weekend I really had my first major find, what I believe to be Coilopercas inflatum (see attached pictures). I have managed to get this specimen out of its surrounding matrix very nicely, and I would like to keep it whole and attached to the matrix base that it is currently on (the ammonite is actually detached from the matrix currently, but sits nicely in the fossil impression and my plan is to re-secure using cyanoacrylate gel once I have prepped the actual ammonite). My question is how should I deal with the white crust that is obscuring the ammonite structure? It is fairly soft, so I am wondering if a dilute acetic acid will take it off without damaging the underlying fossil. Secondly, how would one go about polishing this ammonite, and what varnish is typically used to keep it shining and protected from UV? Thanks for your help everyone! Really want to prep this one right!

I'm told the middle fish is a Knightia. Any ideas about what the other 2 are? Also, When I'm done preparing this, how can I darken the fossils and seal it up? It's in oil-shale. Thanks!

I dug this up in Wyoming and was told it's a Mioplosus. The soft sandstone came off with only a bit of effort. Now I'm on to a harder crystalized matrix around the most delicate areas. I don't want to lose any of the carbon so I'm asking for help. I've used dental tools and pen razors so far. I see amazing, beautifully completed fossils on this site with no sandstone on them at all. Is there a method or tool I am unaware of?

I got some trilobite fossils that i found many are possibly complete bodies but how do i prep them? How do i know where the body starts and ends? I kind of know where the body ends because of the size of the trilobites. But not really what way it goes in the rock. Up down the side? It also depends on the rock. Its not shale its limestone from kinnekulle. What really worries me are the rib things i Will use dental picks and small and other small sharp hand tools

Hello everyone. I'm sorry to bother you. I have a few ammonites and ammonite impressions from a trip. I was wondering if you have any suggestions in how to clean them. I'm afraid of destroying them in the process. Thank you.

I am new to fossil preparation, I really want to prepare this echinoid I found on Jebel Hafeet, Al Ain, UAE. I have started prepping it with a small needle, since I don't have access to any fancy machines, but I think I just ended up damaging the fossil. The rock seems to be a type of clay, not too hard. It might also be limestone, since the area is known for its shallow marine sedimentary rocks. Should I soak it in water? Or vinegar? Should I have a go at it with my dremel?

I have a nice selection of various species of Ammonite from cowboy pass, Utah. I’ve been sitting on them for a year as I have no clue how to prepare the ones that have the very hard encrustations. Wire wheels had little effect. I’m thinking something more aggressive on the bench grinder... last year I saw some prepped on here, but was no info on technique. And I cannot seem to find that thread now... will post photos when not on mobile!

So i got alot of fossils from sweden from the ocean altough i dont remember if its salt water or not. But if it is how do i remove it? heard that it slowly destroy the fossils from the inside what can i do? Im also going to put glue on one of the finds is that going to mess up when i clean the salt water?

Looking for some assistance and guidance. I have spent countless hours reading posts about fossil preparation and specifically about fish prep. The knowledge shared here is humbling to say the least. So here goes: If your end goal is to be able to do all the things necessary for 18" layer Green River material, split fish Green River material, Hell Creek material; how big of a compressor should I start thinking is overkill? The smallest capacity I've considered is 20 gallons, the largest 80. I'm just wondering what people are using in terms of capacity and if I'm better off going bigger for future growth of my needs, or for example a 27 gallon is all that I would ever need running 1 tool at a time. I very much appreciate any input!

I was able to find this guy over the weekend and am really interested in prepping him. From what I have read air scribes tend to be the best but from initially looking they are a bit more than I would like to spend, especially this new into the process. I was wondering if anyone thinks a Dremel or something would work decently? I have some other things like brachiopods that I can practice on and I plan on using a dental pick or needle once I get super close to the fossil. Does anyone have experience with using Dremmels to get down close to the fossils?

I have not posted anything for quite a while as I have been very busy doing prep for a number of dealers and a major Museum. Unfortunately without their permission I cannot post what are some spectacular pieces. I figured I deserved to do a piece for myself for a change. Started this one on the Sep. 19th and finished this afternoon. I did not really track the time but probably in the 6 to 8 hour range. Unfortunately the fellow that split the rock in Morocco was not the gentlest on the bug. The matrix was in three pieces before I glued it back together. There is no restoration or coating on this Kettneraspis (Leonaspis)at this point in time... Might do a tiny bit of restoration on the join line but have not made that decision yet. Let me know if you would do any restoration on this one. The preparation was with a COMCO MB1000 at about 20PSI using 40 micron dolomite mostly with .018 .015 and .010 nozzles. The scribes used on this one were HW-10, Pferd MST-31, CP 9361, and HW322. All preparation was done under an Olympus SZ3060 Zoom scope. As many of you know I never prep anything without a scope. The matrix was put back together with super thin cyano acrylate and was clamped for 24 hours before starting prep The bug is 24.3mm long 24.07mm wide The first two pics are as it is sitting right now (potentially completed) and the ones before are taken during the prep. The difference in matrix color is due to indoor versus outdoor pics The reddish matrix pics were taken outside. Not the greatest pics just with my phone.

While I was prepping my first oreodont (his name is Charles ) I noticed something, there seems to be some puncture like fractures. There is a killer out there? My poor Charles has been killed? What do you think based on your experience?

Hello, Total amateur collector here. I found a mastadon tooth yesterday in a Florida river, with some beautiful enamel. My question is, how do you know in advance which fossils are unstable and will need preservation? Is it okay to let things dry and just see what happens? Are there general rules? I know tusks are fragile, but have been having a hard time getting more information! Thanks!

Well I started my next project tonight, and compared to the last one, this one is so much fun (so far ). The rock is softer and it also peels off the shell beautifully. Things are going to get a bit more complicated I can see already as there is a thick layer of powdery calcite around the edges. I originally thought it was shell and I’d stripped off the shell the whole time But I checked with the scope and it’s calcite. Some before pictures. The concretion is 24 cm (9.5 inches) wide. The claws were already exposed like this, I found it wedged in between 2 rocks facing me like this! The big claw exposed section is 8 cm (3 inches) long, so the big claw will be at least 16 cm (6 inches long)!

Hi All, I am a newbie to fossil collecting other than randomly finding them while rockhounding. I have a standard backpack of things I bring when gold panning and another one that I bring for surface collecting vs mining. After having a blast at the Florissant Fossil beds in Colorado a couple of weeks ago I have decided to take my daughter on a day trip to Mazon Creek area for some hunting. We are making out list of items we will need to bring. Since we are driving about 4 hours each way there will be no going home for forgotten items or returning the next day so we want to have everything we will need or want with us. We would appreciate any input of items that we might not think of including for this area, and any suggestions, or photos of what to look for in particular. photos of the fossils online are great, BUT we know they don't look like that in the field. Are the concretions fist sized or basketball sized? round or egg shaped or flat like the layers of shale in Florissant? Is the area one that denim shorts are fine or do we need long pants to protect our legs from scratches. Bug spray??? hiking boots or tennis shoes? I'm hoping we find a creek or two that we can hunt around and we are packing extra clothes and towels for the car ride home. We are including a box of large 2gallon sized ziplocs to help sort and label locations where concretions are found so that when we open at home we can figure what was found where, and will photograph sites and note on map for later reporting but I am sure there are things we aren't considering or realizing that we might need. I would rather bring more than I need than get there wishing we had remembered something we had (like my favorite loupe) but left at home. Thanks!

Hello TFF friends! Fossil Preparation has been something I have delved into on a surface level since I do not have the money to purchase air scribes and abrasives yet. So far I have been using a carbide scriber and some chisels or a dremel for larger matrix removal. Now I am looking to upgrade a bit and get a pin vise, they seem quite versatile and pretty cheap. I have found a vise that I think will be good for now, but I am now facing the task of finding needles to use with it. Can anyone recommend any good pin vise needles? I am looking to use them on matrix of different hardnesses from fairly soft shales to harder limestones if possible. Thank you for any help, Misha

I've owned a sweet Keich that came from China via Germany in the mid-20th century. In our last move, it was broken. The photos attached show the main break point with missing vertebrae. The next photo shows the cross-section, just for the sake of proving authenticity (you can see how the matrix striae curve around the bone as well as the details of the spine in cross-section). As I was lucky enough to find the missing vertebrae I placed the pieces together in the next photo and held the pieces in place in the final photo to show how it should look when finally repaired. My question: What adhesive should I use to repair the matrix and is there something different I should use to glue the delicate piece with the vertebrae into place? Many thanks to all for any experience/advice.

Hello, I'm about to start my first experiment in preparing an Eocene fish from the Green River 18 inch layer. I've done some prep of fish from the "split fish" layer with some success. But the matrix here appears much different! I'll be doing with with a pin vice, scribe and a head band magnifier with good lighting. I could use any advice from y'all with MUCH more experience than me! Thanks

Hi everyone, Have been fossil hunting at Achanarras quarry and I have found what I am sure is an complete Dipterus valenciennesi. The only problem is that it is covered in a thin layer of hard stone. I am just wondering if anyone has had any experience with preparing Caithness fish fossils and know what tools are best for the job?

Cleaning beach pebbles I was wondering if you have some household methods about cleaning pebbles that where found on the beach? For example I have some nice pieces of unakite but they are really pale, maybe because of the salt or algae and water alone doesn't seem to do the job. Thanks!

Finally gonna start acquiring some air prep tools (scribe and abrasive) to better my prepping. My question at this point is this, on the CP brand air scribes, can you use other tips? Have seen here where sometimes a longer or different shaped tip is useful but didn't see in the Amazon description that the tips are changeable. Looking at the CP9160 scribe. So glad I found this group. Already learned much

Hello everyone! I am a digger and prepper of about 7 or 8 years, and of course a lifelong dino lover. I have a lot of experience both digging and prepping fossils from the Hell Creek formation specifically in Montana, but I still have a lot to learn. More recently I’ve begun prepping bones from the Morrison and Aguja formations, and I’m very intrigued by the differences in bone integrity, structure, quality, and mineral make-up. I understand that bones from the Morrison formation are much, much older than that of the Hell Creek and are by and large more agatized. I don’t mean to generalize, but for the purpose of brevity I’ll get to my main question. Ajuga bones. Particularly from the West Texas/Mexico area. I’m finding them to be very strange. I assume the KT Impact Event has a lot to do with their condition; which makes them even more interesting. The ones I’ve encountered (just in my brief experience) are in perfect shape. No predation. Which would fit with a major extinction event. But more intriguingly, I’ve noticed textural indications reminiscent of tissue/skin/muscle on several bones. Moreover, the bones appear to be white and chalky, and sometimes have a feeling and density similar to your teeth when your mouth is dry (REALLY weird and specific comparison I know but can’t think of a better likeness). I assume some of this has to do with the dry climate? I know these are not modern bones because they are very large and VERY heavy. Can anyone explain to me the reason behind the texture and the makeup of these bones from a geological perspective or their experience prepping bones from this formation? Also, regarding the tissue, I normally assume that tissue like structures are just my imagination running wild, but maybe there’s something to that as well? Thanks so much!! Lauren