What is the best way to distinguish fossil bone from rock or fossil wood!

[kerryrocksnla]

I look at all my "rocks" Im slowly learning what some are. Like wood, fossil, etc..

Wood is hard to determine for me a lot of times because of the different varieties. But im also interested in learning about fossil bones even the smallest specimens. As far as all this goes, sometimes I think I have a fossil identified by comparing it to a picture only to realize its not or it could also be another fossil that is similar. I have so many I sometimes wish I could ship them all off and have them returned with labels... Lol...

Sorry for such a long post but I just want to know!!

[jpc]

Shape and texture and internal porousness, if visible, are keys to ID chunks as bone. Bone and wood can be tough to tell apart if they are just chunks.

[ZiggieCie]

Asking for information is never too long.

[Plantguy]

Understand that wanting to know feeling--drives me nuts sometimes especially with all the different pieces of stuff you can find. It would be neat to have some galleries showing some of the various textures of bone/wood. I was actually thinking of a gallery last week of just scraps of the different things I have and their textures...maybe some day I'll figure out how to do that easily. In the meantime keep doing those comparisons and asking questions.

Regards, Chris

[Ptychodus04]

For large, unidentifiable chunks of bone/wood, I use what has come to be known as the KFC test (by myself at least). Lick your thumb and stick it to the piece in question. If it is fossil bone, you finger will slightly stick to the fossil when you pull it away. No sticky feeling = no fossil bone.

[kerryrocksnla]

Understand that wanting to know feeling--drives me nuts sometimes especially with all the different pieces of stuff you can find. It would be neat to have some galleries showing some of the various textures of bone/wood. I was actually thinking of a gallery last week of just scraps of the different things I have and their textures...maybe some day I'll figure out how to do that easily. In the meantime keep doing those comparisons and asking questions.

Regards, Chris

If you do a gallery please let me know! I will keep on studying..