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hi, I'm a student from Belgium. I've been searching the internet and I can't find any unprepared fossils for sale, can you help me out?

I recently completed my first fossil prep. Woohoo! As a novice, I did a lot of reading and research; trying to piece together exactly what I was supposed to do. How exactly I was supposed to "prep" the fossil and what that process entailed. While I found a wealth of information here on TFF, and other avenues, that information took a while for me to uncover and assemble into something useful. Not that the information itself wasn't useful, but uncovering a bit of info would often cause even more questions to arise. Consequently, it sometimes felt like taking 1 step forward but 3 steps back at the same time. So here is a novice guide, written by a novice, for other novices. It is intended for someone trying to figure out how to get started in Manual Fossil Preparation. The following information is what I feel is the basics of getting started in prep work based on my observations, research, and very limited experience. A quick guide to help get someone started who has been wondering what to do, but hasn't quite figured out where to start yet. Hopefully this will open up the wonderful world of fossil preparation for a few more people. What is Fossil Preparation? Fossil Preparation is the name given to the process of cleaning and repairing fossils. Making them more presentable for display, and revealing more diagnostic detail for study and research. Preparation at it's most basic form, is cleaning. Simply using a brush with water could be considered preparation. However, when most of us discuss fossil prep, it typically involves removing matrix. There are basically 3 ways to remove matrix from fossils. Using hand tools is generally referred to as manual preparation. Using power tools that require an air compressor, or electricity, is referred to as mechanical preparation. The third option is chemical preparation. Which, as the name implies, is using chemicals to prepare a fossil. Typically by dissolving matrix. Most people use one, two, or a combination of all three methods. I chose to focus on Manual Preparation. In my opinion, it is the cheapest, easiest, and the most forgiving form to start with. This is where most people tend to begin their prep journey. The process is pretty much the same with mechanical means. The more aggressive tools just make it go much faster. Which can lead to quicker results, but also quicker damage if done improperly. I figured it was better to cut my teeth on the cheaper, slower option, then upgrade tools if I liked it. I typically see “starter kit” recommendations for mechanical prep in the $800-$1000 USD range. You may get by with spending a little less, but it will still cost hundreds of dollars to get going. I spent less than $50 USD on my manual prep “starter kit” and you can get by with spending much less. Chemical prep can work well, and can be fairly cheap. A gallon of vinegar doesn't cost much... but it can VERY easily damage the fossil if you are not careful and don't know what you are doing. Proper precautions will need to be taken as well. Most chemicals used in fossil prep pose some sort of health hazard. Also, not all chemicals will work in all situations. What tools do you need to get started in Manual Prep? Anything that is sharp and can dig into the matrix that you want to remove. Seriously... Anything! There are people on TFF who started prepping with a wood nail, drywall screw, a push pin, and even a steak knife! That being said, there are definitely tools that will make life easier. Listed below are ones that I found the most helpful and personally used. Pin Vise* Magnification Lamp Dental picks Razor Knife** Brushs Sewing Needles Scribes (Sometimes referred to as Scribers) Scratch Awls Water *A word on Pin Vises... These are handy little gadgets, who's name is somewhat of a misnomer. While they are very useful for holding pins/needles and the like, they are typically sold as small hand drills, and can come with an assortment of micro drill bits. You will not need these drill bits for fossil prep, and if you can find a pin vise without the bits, it will usually cost less. They are sold by many hobby stores, or can be found online very easily. Simply put, they are handles with collets or chucks, used to hold very small things.You don't need a pin vise, but if you do purchase one, I would suggest a range of 0-.125 (1/8) inches or 0mm-3mm. This way you can hold the smallest of needles, and things up to the size of a standard rotary tool bit. Which is 1/8 inch or roughly 3mm. What you put in your pin vise will vary depending on what you are prepping, but I found that a scrib(er) or engraving tip for removing bulkier matrix, and a larger sewing needle worked rather well. They come in double ended forms, or you can usually find them cheap enough to buy more than one for quick switching between tips if you desire. **A word on Razor Knives... These are also known as hobby knives and are commonly referred to by a brand name that is rather “exact”. I had read people recommending to use these and how great they were to have around. I thought “Why use a razor blade on rock?” I didn't fully realize their use in fossil prep until I actually broke down and tried it. The tip of the knife can be used similar to a dental pick or needle and can slide between the layers of rock to pick it away or split it. I found that it could also be used to sculpt the matrix around the fossil. Sure it will dull quickly, but replacement blades are cheap, and it actually cut and planed the soft shale I was working with pretty well. I am sure there are more uses that I need to discover. Very handy and cheaply purchased. So... How do you actually prep? Well... You remove matrix without damaging the fossil. Things can happen, but this is the ultimate goal. First you use a larger tool to remove the bulk of the matrix. Depending on the size of excess matrix, you may be using a hammer and chisel for this, or you may use something like a scratch awl. My first prep was on a brachiopod valve so the scratch awl method worked well for me. I used the awl to pick and scratch at the matrix. Removing as much as I could, as quickly as I dared. Use a brush to get dust and debris out of your way. I used a small paint brush. Something that puffs air or even a little water can also work. Once you start to get closer to the fossil you will want to use something finer. When I got down fairly close, I switched over to a smaller scribe tip. When I was right next to the fossil I started using the sewing needle and dental picks. When you are right up against the fossil you will want to be very, very careful. Hopefully their will be a small gap between the matrix and the fossil. You can slide a dental pick, sewing needle, or tip of a razor blade in this gap and pick away the piece. Lifting it away from the fossil will hopefully cause it to flake off. If the matrix is more “sticky” you may need to painstakingly pick it off grain by grain. OK. Now you know how to prep, but what do you actually prep first? My advice is...Don't start with a nice, expensive, rare, or scientifically important specimen. Don't grab the one that you have just been dying to see revealed and start poking at it. There is a learning curve to prepping. The concept is simple, but in practice it is difficult. You WILL mess up. Especially on your first try. It happens. The needle slips and scratches. That piece of matrix that looked like it was going to break away cleanly took a piece of valve with it. Practice. Build up your skills and technique, then tackle that nice fossil. Your results will be much better and you will be happier with the outcome. Also, don't grab that big hash plate. Get something small that will give you a sense of completion in a few hours. A hash plate may take 10s or 100s of hours to complete. Starting with a small piece will give you a sense of completion and a much needed reward for your hard work and first try. If you collect fossils, I suggest getting something that is common to the area. Something that you might even currently pass over because they are everywhere. If you purchase your fossils, look for the same type of thing. Something that is common and not too expensive. Something that is a dime a dozen. Maybe even a fragment of a larger specimen that isn't worth much monetarily because it is broken. I would also suggest something that is relatively simple. Something with a lot of bones and pieces might throw you for a loop. Here are some Tips and Tricks that I learned just in my first few hours of prep work. Take your time! This is probably the most important tip I can give. Don't rush it. This process will take hours, not minutes. Even on something small like a brachiopod valve. I didn't time my first prep, but it took at least 4 hours. If you are tired, stop and give yourself a break. If you are frustrated with a piece that just doesn't seem to want to come off, move to another section to work on, and come back to it later. Rushing and frustrations cause mistakes. Magnification is very helpful. I would even say necessary. I used a magnification lamp. The magnification and light combo worked great for letting me see what I was doing. Especially when working close to the fossil. I have seen others who use those magnifying visors, or even a microscope. Keep your tools sharp. It sounds crazy I know. You are pushing these things into rock, and they will dull quickly, but they do work better when sharp. There is a noticeable use of less force when using a sharp tool. To borrow a philosophy from knife use... A sharp tool is a safe tool. Good lighting is a must. This goes hand in hand with magnification. If you can't see what you are doing, you can't prep. Wear proper safety equipment. Dust and flying debris is a real hazard. Even when using a tiny sewing needle. I would wear a dust mask and eye protection at the least. Gloves for protecting the hands from the errant dental pick/needle tip may come in handy as well. Know the morphology and/or anatomy of what you are trying to prep. You need to know what you are trying to dig out of the rock and what it looks like to avoid damaging the fossil or digging into the wrong place. The pieces and parts may not be where they are supposed to be, because of the nature of the fossilization process, but you need to have a good idea of what you are looking for. I wet the fossil from time to time. This isn't always an option depending on the fossil and matrix, but in my situation it helped wash away dust, bring out detail so I could better see what I was doing, and softened the matrix slightly, making it easier to prep. Stone is like wood, it has grain. Look for it and use it to your advantage. Picking and poking with the grain will typically yield better results that digging across or against it. Some things are not worth prepping. There I said it. Sometimes things will take way to long to prep, or are too delicate. You need to realize, and be ok with the fact, that some fossils, or part of a fossil, is better left alone. I'm sure I'll think of something else after posting... I hope this quick little guide will encourage other novices to try fossil prep. It is an enjoyable and rewarding aspect of the fossil obsession. Seeing something revealed for the first time in millions (sometimes hundreds of millions) of years has a distinctly wonderful feeling. Thanks to all those who helped get me going with their comments and suggestions in various threads. A special thanks to those that I PM'ed and asked questions of. You know who you are. Your knowledge and expertise were invaluable and greatly appreciated! Comments, corrections, and constructive criticisms are always welcome! Best of luck! Here is a link to my first prep that I referenced...

I am wondering if anyone has any tips or guidance for preparing belemnite fossils. I found a bunch of them this weekend and would like to polish them so I can enjoy their orange color!

Hello TFF members - I'm in need so some advice on this one please. So this is my first post (happy to be corrected on any newbie errors) and although preparation is my favourite part of the fossil game, I am 'fairly' new to it - In other words, please go easy on me, I'm aware it's going to be all too tempting to say I've bitten off more than I can chew here... I recently purchased this Mosasaur skull from a well known European fossil auction site; you may have seen it yourself if you follow such things. It wasn't 'hugely' expensive, but that doesn't mean I'm not serious about making something good out of it and giving it a lot of attention (which clearly it will need...). It is from Morocco, was sold as a Platycarpus (from the teeth I would tend to agree, but please correct if you think otherwise) and originally was complete in a plaster jacket. The seller decided to prep it and remove from the jacket. Whilst this may have exposed more of it, some quite nicely, they have also turned it into the most insanely fragile fossil I have ever come into contact with! It was already in five large pieces when advertised for sale, and despite being very well packaged, has suffered further in transit. The matrix is not much more than hard (ish) sand and the bone only marginally more solid. Doesn't help that it's so crushed, so only matrix between each piece. Clearly leaving it in the matrix, perhaps replacing the jacket with something more aesthetically pleasing as part of a mount and prepping only the surface would have been the way to go, but it's beyond that now, so I would really love some thoughts and suggestions on the following: 1 - Immediate stabilisation and strengthening to prevent further breakages and reattach the broken sections (buckets of CA to solidify the sand matrix and reduce porosity to enable gluing?) 2 - Rebuilding/mounting (combining these two, as it will never be strong enough to hold in one piece and the mounting technique will likely need to be integral as it will need complete support across the entire back. It would never be my first choice, but I'm thinking a rebuilt matrix under the fossil to support and hold it together at the same time?) Ok, lots of text there for background and to give you more context, here are some pictures which will help... Original, in jacket: Advert pics: And another: Now it's home, in a slightly more confused state: And another: Last one, you get the idea: If anyone is interested in seeing more of it, please let me know, have lots of pics. It's an interesting item and despite being crushed to hell, looks to be fairly complete (the reverse tells it's own story too, more teeth there, etc.), but it's realistically only ever going to be an 'in matrix' display piece. Out of curiosity, I believe it's upside down, with the two maxilla visible on top and the upper jaw section being below, sure someone will easily be able to confirm? Anyway, enough from me, would love your thoughts and really appreciate anyone who has the time to consider and reply. If I haven't been clear or you need more info, please just let me know. Thank you, Dave

Hi Guys, I'm preparing this beautiful Miocene fish lying on a bed of teredins. Arriving at this point in the preparation I am undecided about what to do, there are two options: 1) eliminate the teredinas to free the fishing also from the other side (assuming it is intact) and make a 3d fish. 2) Do not go further and refine the work. What do you recommend? In the picture the 2 sides. video-1573331835.mp4

I've been doing preparation for four years now and have tried various masks but none seem to work for me. I've used the disposable ones and the hard ones, but since I use a microscope for preparation all they seem to do is restrict me or send all the air I'm breathing out upwards and steam up the eye pieces! I have a pretty narrow nose so I sit pretty close to my microscope. I've found when I do wear the disposable masks I end up pulling it under my nose - pretty much defeats the purpose. I was just wondering what others around the world use? I know it's dangerous to not wear a mask, and that's what I'm currently doing. For ear protection I use some noise cancelling headphones - best investment I ever made! They are a million times better than earplugs or earphones in my experience, and you can still hear when people are talking to you. Any general notes or suggestions on PPE used around the world would be great!

Hello friends. i am from Vietnam. People in my country dont know much about fossils, and we have no forums to ask about fossils. So, can you help me to finish my preparation? ------ I bought from internet I used sandblaster to expose specimen. Looks more and more beautiful: More bones were exposed. These are hands and foots. But when i use sandblaster, the bones were destroyed, too. So i stop using sandblaster, and dont know WHAT CAN I DO NEXT? ----- I see other Keichousaurus on internet. It's perfect: -------- I want to prepare my fossil like that. I am thinking about using Acid, but i havent used acid before. CAN YOU GUIDE ME WHAT TO DO NEXT? --------- I plan to use acid to soften the stone and expose the bones. Then continue using sandblasting gun (because now the stone is softer, sandblasting at low intensity will not destroy bones). Do you think so? Thank you my friends!

Hello all, I was wondering if anyone could give me suggestions for cleaning this tooth. It is a C. poseidoni (sokolovi) from Harleyville, South Carolina. The tooth has some dirt covering parts of the crown, bourlette, and root. I tried using warm water and a toothbrush, but I was unable to remove anything. Are there any other methods for cleaning fossil shark teeth? Should I just leave the tooth as is? I would prefer not to use vinegar. Thanks for any suggestions.

Hi All. I am looking for suggestions on trimming matrix (hard shale, limestone) from specimens. I have used a tile saw in the past. I am wondering if small hand saws with diamond blades would also be effective. I appreciate the help.

Hi, that's my second preparation using only handtools and table grinder for rough shaping. Limestone can be a pain but I'm slowly learning moves, can't wait for engraver I'm still loooking for my "style", let me know what's wrong and what is right

Hello, i have a few fossils like the one in the picture, they are all shells in limestone. I want to clean them and i have had some success with acetic acid. I just wondered if someone had any tips or a better way to clean them, also if anyone knows whats the best concentration to clean them, mine is 25% acid but this seems a little high. I can post a picture of a relatively clean one if it helps to identify the best way to clean them.

I recently found a nice Calymene tuberculata trilobite on my vacation to Gotland. I’m currently in the process of preparing it and wonder what coating I should use? Is it possible to give it a slightly wet look while not making it look glossy and artificial? I’m considering some kind of vax-based product. Any tips?

Hi we are newbies, went to Kemerer and found a lot of fish, and a slab with a tree branch (about a foot long 6 " wide). YOu can see patterns of the bark, but it is very faint. I am not sure if we should remove the covering and see if there is a darker layer under the stone? As it was a fairly larger specimen it may be more 3 dimensional. Any Suggestions? Any one have ideas? (On the fish I have heard 1:6 and 1:20 diluted wood glue is that correct?

Hoping some of the pros here are willing to share microfossil prep techniques or suggestions to journal articles on the subject. I have been hunting conodonts and the like for quite some time, but the glacial acetic acid digestion and pan and scan techniques have failed me. I experimented with HCl and H2SO4 in various concentrations, and even tried some ion exchange extractions ( which work on paper, but are lousy in practice)! This sort of fossil hunting has become vendetta for me and I suspect I am using the wrong search terms in the academic data bases. I'll be on an excursion until the 26th of July, but I'm going to try and check in here from Spanish Fork or Delta. (And hopefully have some non-nebraska samples to work with and turn my students loose on!)

Hello fossil people of the world! I'm desperately looking for an old Paleotools microjack. It doesn't have to be in working condition, but if it is that's a bonus! Anyone out there have an old secondhand one or one they are no longer using? I'm ideally trying to find a 3, but any size will do. I have borrowed a 3 but need to return really soon. So hoping someone out there has a secondhand one to sell! Or any ideas of where a used one can be purchased? I do very fine work on ribs and finger bones like on the picture I've attached, so the larger scribes are a bit too hardcore!

Hi all! I'm Tiffany and I'm in Cape Town, South Africa. I have an Honours degree in Archaeology, but I have been working as a fossil preparator for nearly 4 years. I used to work at our Natural History museum but I have very recently taken my preparation skills private. I primarily work on therapsid fossils from the mid to late Permian (sometimes spilling into the Triassic) that occur here in South Africa. There is an area called the Karoo which fortunately is very rich in beautiful fossils! When I started working on fossils I didn't know much about them, but over the last few years I have learnt so much! It has taken time and dedication to get to the level of preparation that I am at, with many hours of sitting dead still. I work on microvertebrate fossils and I love working on teeth especially! I've attached a picture of a juvenile youngina (same as profile picture just better quality) that I worked on last year, and the scale bar you can see is 1mm gaps (sorry - we're all metric here!) so you can see the scale of things I work on. I'd like to learn more about what equipment people around the world use for different specimens, as I am in the market to buy my own equipment. I also hope to contribute about fossil preparation and what I have learnt myself! There is still so much out there!!

I just wanted to give a product recommendation here. I was looking for a finer tip for my Dremel engraver so I could work on smaller areas without fear of damage. I was recommended this guy (from our favorite auction site) by a fellow member. I was a little skeptical at first since it's hand crafted, but I figured hey why not, costs about what I spend on coffee every day. But I must say, this is one of the best purchases I've made. It outperforms the standard tips by several factors. Not only does it allow you to work on tighter areas, but it is very long, which increased the working distance by almost an inch. Also, since the tip is so small, it more easily took advantage of weak points in the matrix. The standard tips mostly pummel the matrix to bits, whereas shale has been sliding off like butter with this new tip. I highly recommend this to the folks on here who can't get a higher end setup. Makes a world of difference.

I am trying to prepare this nice plant fossil I found in Wyoming, but can’t figure out how to remove the glue marks left over from stabilizing the fossilized piece of branch in the center. The glue marks are the dark area near the fossilized branch. Anyone have any advice?

FYI @DevonianDigger @JamesAndTheFossilPeach @Kane @Malcolmt @caldigger @RJB @Ptychodus04 @Fossildude19 @FossilSloth @FossilDudeCO I need your guy's input as I go along! I'm a green horn! Thank you in advance. Well since some of you who I know have started your own fossil preparation threads I thought I'd do the same. A lot has transpired since, well Saturday morning. I went all chips in and bought a really nice two stage, 60 gallon Kobalt air compressor. You don't want to know the cost. My jaw dropped when the cashier rang up the total but I had no other choice. I was all in at this point. Went home and my neighbors helped me lift this monster out of my cousins pickup and I spent the rest of the day setting everything up then realized that I didn't have the connector for the 3/4 output on the tank so went back today and figured it out. The Lowes guy and I had fun figuring this puzzle out together. So I have a moisture trap, emergency shutoff (isolator) valve, regulator, 25 foot air hose, CP-9361, some fossils to prepare, and 240 volt connection (yes I wired up the plug and cabling). Wiring up this 240 volt electrical housing was probably the scariest thing I've ever done in my life. Definitely not a lot of room for error. Really was nervous about doing this. Also nervous about this. Had to punch a hole through 11 inch dry wall and plywood to get to the washer/dryer room to access the 240 volt dryer outlet. Thankfully we weren't using that outlet as our drier runs on natural gas. Here's the big 250 lb air compressor. This thing pumps out a ton of air. I was able to run the scribe continuously for three hours. No stopping! Moisture trap, shut off valve, and the regulator all hooked up to a large 3/4 elbow. One of the reasons why I had to get the elbow was because I knew with all the extra valves and connections it would put strain on the line so I wanted gravity to compliment the setup (as punishing as gravity can be at times). So now for the good part. The fossils. Recently acquired a massive Tumidocarcinus giganteus crab concretion from New Zealand. Within a few hours the carapace is well exposed. I'm not exactly sure what to look for here. There's either an exoskeleton that's flaking off or that's some sort of chemical process on the outside. I'm really not sure as I've seen these crabs in both that light pinkish hue and then in the black color. Where the black is was where the concretion was exposed to the elements. You can see the non-dominant left claw being teased out. That's also delicate so I've really been taking my time. Worked on it for about 3 hours total. So far so good. Here's a couple pictures to illustrate the process. Unlike @RJB I may not have a beer by my side but I'm ready to go crabbing. Definitely needed the safety goggles. Will need to pickup an air mask tomorrow along with some noise cancelling headphones (have some Beats at work). Roughly 10 minutes in and am really taking my time (don't want to do anything that I might regret later). About 40 minutes in. Slowly inching my way towards the left claw. About two hours into the process. The carapace is starting to show. Decided to leave at this point with nearly three hours invested. I hear crabs can have leg parts in virtually any arrangement depending on their displacement and preservation but I'm anticipating legs going from the carapace region out towards the edges (you can see points where legs should be). Really decided to slow down and take my time. I think this is going to be a very special fossil especially since it's the first crab I'm preparing and the first fossil prepared by my first owned air scribe the tried and true CP-9361. I'm sure I'll make mistakes along the way and I'm not doing this the way other more experienced prepares would but it's a start. The CP-9361. I'm in love. Then for kicks I decided to do some work on this little Knightia from the split fish layers. The Museum of Ancient Life curator that I've been volunteering with has been teaching me the ways of prep. Some secrets I won't be able to divulge here as I've sworn an oath of secrecy but he's really good at preparing Green River fish. He actually uses a CP-9361 so I figured why couldn't I right? Well I went in really slowly on this fish and exposed it in about five minutes flat. There's a few punch holes on the far end of the tail from where I was a tad bit to aggressive with the scribe but with time and practice I'll get a better feel for how to work with this soft matrix. I'm sure the 18 inch layer is a bit harder. Still I think it came out for a common fish and it looks pretty good. I forgot to take a before picture but here's an after picture. Little Knightia required only 5 minutes of preparation work with the CP9361 when it would have taken at least an hour with dental picks, which I'm never going back to again.

Looking for material to practice, like the u prep site but not as much of a gamble

Looks like a new set of photography techniques will assist us in determining what is associated and what was added to those drool worthy discoveries. Progressive Photonics

Back during an April trip to the Widder Formation (Mid-Devonian), I came upon a rather sizeable placoderm. It is very likely the arthrodire, Protitanichthys sp., although it is a bit of wastebasket taxon, but new research is underway. It was pretty much stuck in this rock, and it was only going to come out the hard way. I collected every little bit I could find from that dirty, messy bench, including the impression. Here is the in situ photo:

Does anyone create fossil prep videos/ tutorials. Or do you know of any videos worth a watch? Would be great to expand my knowledge and enjoyable to watch others work!

Okay, so everyone else is doing one it looks like, so I figured I would jump into the fray.

So, finally on the last leg of my trip and headed home tomorrow. Am thinking ahead about trying to prep my DSR Dipleura. Doubt I could but does anyone think it would it be possible to flip the cephalon to straighten this bug out? There is about 3/8 inch of matrix between at tip of cephalon. Otherwise the plan is just to re-glue the pygidum break, cleanup the cephalon and enjoy my beginners luck Dipleura