Pterosaur Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 (edited) Hi guys, I bought a pretty neat sperm whale tooth online about six months ago. It was really reasonably priced, and I'd never seen a fossilized one for sale in such excellent condition... (Apparently, you can only buy non-fossilized sperm whale teeth if you live in Maine or something like that?) It came from the North Sea, so the guys I bought it from completely glazed it with some sort of consolidant. I'm really glad they took the time to do this. However, I think they overdid it a little because the tooth looked like it was made of glass. It almost looked like epoxy because it was so thick. (This could be a common preservation technique for all I know.) Anyway...today, against my better judgement, I took a razor blade and picked at a spot where the glaze was chipped. Pretty soon I'd worked most of it off (still some glossy spots), and the texture I found underneath was incredible! It actually looks like a tooth now, and I'm really excited about it!! I did my best to be extremely gentle, and the chips shown in the photos were already there. My questions are... Is there a better way I can preserve this tooth without losing the texture? I don't care if it's glossy, just would like the coat to be thinner. Is this actually a sperm whale tooth? It reminds me of the scrimshaw sperm whale teeth if that means anything...haha Thank you!! Sorry for long post. Lauren Edited January 27, 2016 by Aerodactyl "I am a part of all that I have met." - Lord Alfred Tennyson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaleoRon Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 It is a Sperm Whale tooth, obviously old but of the modern species Physeter macrocephalus. You might want to try something like Butvar as a preservative. It can be mixed to various thicknesses for use. I typically use a thin solution which offers maximum penetration and leaves the fossil less glossy than a thicker solution. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossil Claw Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 (edited) 5% by weight vinac solution. Mix in acetone. http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/60052-some-questions-about-vinac-acetone/?hl=%2B5%25+%2Bvinac Edited January 27, 2016 by Fossil Claw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pterosaur Posted January 28, 2016 Author Share Posted January 28, 2016 It is a Sperm Whale tooth, obviously old but of the modern species Physeter macrocephalus. You might want to try something like Butvar as a preservative. It can be mixed to various thicknesses for use. I typically use a thin solution which offers maximum penetration and leaves the fossil less glossy than a thicker solution. Awesome! Thank you very much for the identification, and thanks for the good advice. That's exactly the kind of information I was looking for. 5% by weight vinac solution. Mix in acetone. http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/60052-some-questions-about-vinac-acetone/?hl=%2B5%25+%2Bvinac Hey Fossil Claw! I appreciate the good information and the link. I will check this out. "I am a part of all that I have met." - Lord Alfred Tennyson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 Im not usually envious of other folks fossils, but that is a really nice tooth! Great find! RB 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boesse Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 I agree with Physeter - perhaps a Pleistocene specimen. There's a remarkable amount of dental variation within sperm whales, however. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBrewer Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 Wow, that's a seriously large tooth. John Map of UK fossil sites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pterosaur Posted February 13, 2016 Author Share Posted February 13, 2016 Im not usually envious of other folks fossils, but that is a really nice tooth! Great find! RB Thanks, RB! I am honored! "I am a part of all that I have met." - Lord Alfred Tennyson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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