Saltwater Mammoth And Rhino Fossils

[32fordboy]

I've done much research on this, but am still uncertain, so I figured I'd ask before ruining something. What I have are the following fossils:

A. Mammoth tusk bark with ivory still clinging to the back (has not been treated as far as I can tell)

B. A woolly rhino tooth that has already been treated with butvar or vinac (not sure which one, but it does soften easily and get sticky with a bit of acetone)

C. Another woolly rhino tooth that has not been treated (as far as I can tell)

----These fossils are all from the North Sea. Now, I've heared lots of scary things about North Sea fossils deteriorating over time.

1. Is it true that if I soak the fossils in fresh water for an extended period of time it will get rid of the salts?

2.When the soaking is done, how long do I have to let the fossils dry before consolidating them?

3. Should I strip the coating off of the treated woolly rhino tooth just to make sure it gets soaked in water properly before resealing, or should I just assume it was done properly the first time?

4. The mammoth tusk bark (aside from maybe the ivory on the back) looks to be pretty solid. Would it be a good idea to soak it then consolidate it anyway (I don't want a pile of dust 20 years from now).

That was pretty long-winded, so if you read this far, thanks for any help! If this is all wrong, please let me know.

Nick

[tracer]

conservation

take a look at some of the above thoughts.

it would normally be better to try to get the salt out of things while they're still wet so as to avoid the concern over expansion and shrinkage that gets repeated when you resoak a dry object. how much salt hurts something in part depends on the structure of the object. it is hard to retreat something that's already been treated because it's hard to get enough of the original consolidant off to let the new consolidant soak in as well as it would on an untreated object. how long it takes for something to dry depends on a number of things, with a major one being how dense the object is and therefore how long it takes moisture to wick to it's surface and evaporate. some soak the wet object in ethanol for a while and then a bath or two of acetone to make sure. some would consider that overkill. just make sure the stuff is dry before you consolidate, otherwise you'll probably end up with a hazy result plus trapped moisture. don't worry too much about your stuff. you won't be taking it with you when you go. have fun.

[worthy 55]

Look at the( preserving fossils )thread in this section it will help you .

[32fordboy]

I had read the preserving fossils thread, just wanted to be sure. What you said about getting the salt out before it dries makes sense. Never thought of that. Other than that, you guys confirmed my thinking. I'll probably just leave 'em for now. Thanks!

Nick

[PrehistoricFlorida]

And in the future avoid North Sea fossils at all costs!! I've heard way too many bad stories. Yes, the prices are very enticing, but American fossils are a much better value.

[32fordboy]

Yeah, that's the plan. Luckily, I only have a few. Got 'em before I knew it wasn't a good idea. It's one of those things where you buy the item, then the next day you learn it wasn't a good idea. Live and learn.