Prepping a rather battered egg

[FF7_Yuffie]

I got this egg for free from the chap I get my China fossils from. Not the best shape, but for free, who is complaining?

 

Now, is there any way to spruce it up a bit? Clean it etc so it looks nicer without further damaging it? 

 

Thanka

[Ludwigia]

Air abrading at minimal pressure may do the job.

[oilshale]

Might also help:

PRELIMINARY RESULTS ON THE CHEMICAL PREPARATION OF DINOSAUR EGSHELLS.pdf

But sorry, no own experience with this method.

[Tidgy's Dad]

Free is a blinking good price, in my opinion. 

But I still would have haggled. 

[jpc]

1 hour ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

Free is a blinking good price, in my opinion. 

But I still would have haggled. 

Methinks you have been living in Morocco too long.   

Edited December 16, 2021 by jpc

[daves64]

1 hour ago, jpc said:

Methinks you have been living in Morocco too long.   

Naaaaww.... @Tidgy's Dad would have haggled with the person until they paid HIM to take it. 

[hadrosauridae]

3 hours ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

Free is a blinking good price, in my opinion. 

But I still would have haggled. 

 

[Ptychodus04]

9 hours ago, Ludwigia said:

Air abrading at minimal pressure may do the job.

 

I agree. This is going to be the very best route. I've worked on a few eggs and they came out well. It's hard to remove thin matrix with other mechanical methods without damaging the shell.

[pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon]

I'd have thought that, as with teeth, air abrading would be too risky on egg shell, which may loose its texture, but agree that of all mechanical methods this would seem the only one with the potential to get the job done. The chemical route would be the only alternative I can envision. But there too you'd need to apply the exact right method to the exact right degree in order not too loose the texture of the egg shell... All the same, I know that @Manticocerasman has had very good results in preparing delicate placoderm armour using chemical methods, so may be he has some insights into how this could be tackled (although I expect chemical treatment to be very specific to the types of rock one is used to working with)?

[Ludwigia]

In my humble opinion, the chemical method would be much too complicated. I would rather agree with someone like Kris, who already has made the experience that abrading the matrix covering the shell at low pressure could do the best job.

[Manticocerasman]

On 12/18/2021 at 1:13 AM, pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon said:

I'd have thought that, as with teeth, air abrading would be too risky on egg shell, which may loose its texture, but agree that of all mechanical methods this would seem the only one with the potential to get the job done. The chemical route would be the only alternative I can envision. But there too you'd need to apply the exact right method to the exact right degree in order not too loose the texture of the egg shell... All the same, I know that @Manticocerasman has had very good results in preparing delicate placoderm armour using chemical methods, so may be he has some insights into how this could be tackled (although I expect chemical treatment to be very specific to the types of rock one is used to working with)?

Chemical preparation depends on the matrix, I use Potassium hydroxide on some fossils, but it only works on thin layers of clay related matrix.

It is also quite agressive and might dammage some areas so I wouldn't recomend tu use it on that egg since it looks quite fragile.

but is you have some isolated egg fragments it is worth a try on those.

 

[pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon]

On 12/18/2021 at 11:56 AM, Ludwigia said:

In my humble opinion, the chemical method would be much too complicated. I would rather agree with someone like Kris, who already has made the experience that abrading the matrix covering the shell at low pressure could do the best job.

 

I agree that practical experience ways in a lot, and that for that reason alone air abrasive methods are likely the best route to go. However, I think it's also worth checking whether others might not have equal experience with chemical methods. In my opinion, it's always good to chart your options and with them before going for one or the other... Air abrasion, though relatively easy to apply, it's not something everyone has easily available due to the hardware requirements, which might make chemical methods a viable alternative. I, for example, would tend to much rather look into whether I can achieve a result similar air abrasion with either mechanical or chemical means, as I don't have an air compressor and will not be able to buy one for a couple years still due to our current place in life, with a lot of planned moves ahead before we'll end up in a home we own ourselves and where I'll have some space to construct a proper workshop...

[Ludwigia]

Apropos chemical methods, something where I also have experience: Manticocerasman has mentioned Potassium hydroxide. If you want to go the chemical route with this specimen, then this would be the chemical to use, since it has the properties to dissolve this type of matrix over time. What makes it complicated with this piece is that KOH would also dissolve the matrix under the shell, so one would have to be extremely careful with the application. One could melt wax and apply it to the areas which should not be attacked by the base before applying it, although this is a somewhat messy and complicated procedure, particularly when one has little experience. I would therefore continue to recommend to the OP that he make his investment in someone who can abrade for him, rather than buying chemicals. At any rate, @FF7_Yuffie has yet to respond to our recommendations, so I'm curious to hear what he has decided to do.

[FF7_Yuffie]

Hi

 

sorry for late rpely. I have been away all week. Some interesting ideas here. Air abrading seems like the way to go, and air abrader seems the easiest thing to find for sale here in Taiwan. Chemicals seems a bit more specialist and beyond me/.

 

Thanks for the help