I need help learning how to prep

[Ordivician19]

Hello FF! I’ve recently taken home some neat fossils from the Waldron Shale in southern Indiana. I’m new to taking fossil collecting seriously, and thus have little experience in trying to properly prep them. For some, the surrounding matrix often crumbles when I take so much as a dental pick to them, though a toothbrush and soapy water hardly yield results after scrubbing for a while. For others, I can hardly get anything to work (such as the large trilobite mold below). The tools I have present are a dental pick, a toothbrush, water (and dish detergent), a small chisel, a hammer, and a jug of muriatic acid, though I have read the muriatic acid should be used as more of a last resort. I just don’t know if I’m doing the methods I’m currently using wrong (likely), or if I need new methods altogether. For the trilobite mold, I’ve been scrubbing and dental picking for 2 hours with little to show, so perhaps I should alter my methods. Lastly, I plan on purchasing an air scribe in the near future, so is that something I should get before working on these further? Thank you kindly for your time and help!

 

[Ordivician19]

I just found that there’s a Novice guide on here and I’m trying to use that before I ask any more questions. Please ignore this post!

[Mark Kmiecik]

2 hours ago, Ordivician19 said:

I just found that there’s a Novice guide on here and I’m trying to use that before I ask any more questions. Please ignore this post!

 

The first three look like impressions. In other words, there's probably no fossil to be found deeper in the matrix. The fourth one, with careful prep, will be a truly beautiful crinoid and should give you the hang of prepping and even if you screw up here and there the vast amount of fossils in that specimen will easily disguise any minor errors. The fifth one will require a more delicate touch, but should be quite nice when done. I believe it may a crinoid calyx. Google it so you have an idea of the general shape they have. Good luck and post pictures once you've prepped them.

[Ptychodus04]

So, you decided to take the red pill and enter the world of fossil prep. Be careful, it is a rabbit hole that will suck you in and you will never get back out. BUT, it is extremely gratifying and rewarding if you have the patience for it. 

 

You're starting out at a typical spot. All preppers start here and develop their craft through trial and error (lots of error typically). Each specimen presents its own challenges and no one application should ever be relied on wholly. With hand tools, good prep can be done but you have to keep your expectations leveled. The prep will be slow and you may have to leave it at a place you are not happy with it due to the limitations of the tools. Adding a scribe is a step in the right direction but it opens up other things you have to deal with. There's no single scribe to prep all fossils. A good starter is an Aro clone. Now, you need a compressor big enough to run it, lighting, magnification, eye/hearing protection, and a respirator at a minimum. Don't cut corners on the PPE. Once you mess yourself up, you can't go back. 

[Ordivician19]

I just wanted to say thank you to both of you. This information is very helpful as to the expectations I should have for the current challenge. Best to you both!