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What hand tools are used to separate Sub MM (even UM) fossils....


OregonFossil

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So how do you "capture the UM size fossils and place them on another slide"? I am thinking of micro fossils less than 1mm. I would like isolate and move to another slide specific specimens.

 

Dental tools are way too big. Do you make your own out of extremly fine wire or what?

 

Sources?

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a natural bristle small paintbrush in the size range of 00 or 000 or so can moistened in your mouth and fossils can be picked up with it. 

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Laboratory spatula, or eye droppers.

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    Tim    VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM APRIL - 2015  

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"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."
John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~   ><))))( *>  About Me      

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Thanks. I just spent a couple of hours filing dental tools on my ceramic knife sharpener to make them very fine - it works. ordering both suggested items to complete "
micro tools":).

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If your question is to how to get sub millimeter pointed tools, I used to work in a research lab that did micro surgery on tiny embryos. We would use sub-millimeter tungsten wire, then sharpen them electrolytically. https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/267153/PMC2555190.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

 

It's never even occurred to me to use these for fossil prep. I'm very curious as to what you're preparing and how it turns out.  

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I have a series of strainers, and after that I place about .5 of a 1/64 teaspoon measure on the slide. sorting what I have with a tool, and then needed something like the eye dropper or very small paint brush to put one or more specimens on a slide. The documentation for micro fossils in the Keasey and Pittsburg Bluff formations (where I collect, both water environments) is almost non-existent so I want to start a library of what I find.

 

Thanks everyone who answered. Have my first 5-gallon trash can full of discarded matrix from invertebrate collecting.

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