Wrangellian Posted July 23, 2016 Share Posted July 23, 2016 This may have been discussed before, but in case there are others with experience, I want to ask what is the best way to remove a wax coating from a fossil? Is there any kind of chemical that will effectively strip it without damaging the fossil/rock? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldigger Posted July 23, 2016 Share Posted July 23, 2016 Depends on what it is. Is it actual wax (bees, paraffin, etc.) or a floor type wax. We have a product found here at the dollar stores called "Awesome" brand multi cleaner. That strips the wax right off the floor (warning- don't spill it) used to clean soap scum and greasy messes, but makes a strong stripper. Hopefully someone else may know how to remove actual wax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted July 23, 2016 Share Posted July 23, 2016 (edited) Acetone or heat (hair blower). Edited July 23, 2016 by Ludwigia Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troodon Posted July 23, 2016 Share Posted July 23, 2016 Is this a natural coating or something that was applied? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted July 24, 2016 Author Share Posted July 24, 2016 I'm not sure where wax coatings occur naturally but this would have been applied. It's soft and greasy feeling, like either a beeswax sort of thing, or maybe a floor polish? Scrapes off very easy with fingernail but is impossible to remove it all that way, I need some sort of chemical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpc Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 Acetone will not touch wax. But it can't hurt to try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 (edited) I use rubbing alcohol to remove wax from lapidary stones, but have not tried it on a fossil.. Roger suggested heat, If You place an absorbent cloth on the fossil before You heat it, that will soak up the wax as it melts. Tony PS Please let Us know how it goes. Edited July 24, 2016 by ynot Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 (edited) Acetone will not touch wax. But it can't hurt to try. It works for me on my Rember Edited July 24, 2016 by Ludwigia Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted July 24, 2016 Author Share Posted July 24, 2016 (edited) I was recently surprised to find out what acetone will do... I had some old pennies with some waxy residue (not really sure exactly what that substance was), put them in nail polish remover for a while (days/weeks), and when I took them out, they had stripped most of the patina/toning from them as well! I was only expecting them to remove the residue/buildup. I might try the acetone idea on this. I should ask if anyone knows what the fossils from Holzmaden (ammonite plates) are commonly coated with, if there is a particular thing, then it might help me to know what to use to strip it. I'd be scared to try heat on this piece. Edited July 24, 2016 by Wrangellian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 Don't say I didn't try. Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBrewer Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 Acetone will dissolve some waxes, particularly man made such as ren wax which I quite like because it is archival and reversible. I'd try a small inconspicuous area first. You could also try ethanol even whisky. Use Canadian don't waste Scotch Bee's wax dissolves in turpentine. Oh, I suspect the wax on the coins was, um, many years build up of human skin oil. In the old days of film photography if we had a scratch on our negatives we would use skin oil to fill the scratches so they wouldn't show on the print. I worked fine John Map of UK fossil sites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagacious Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 The go-to solvent for removing stubborn waxes is xylene. It will quickly dissolve paraffin and other waxes. It can usually be found in the paint section of larger hardware stores. As a solvent, it's generally analogous to acetone, in that it dries quickly and leaves no residue. I've used it many times for removing spilled wax from concrete, carpeting, etc. Cheers, and best of luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted July 25, 2016 Author Share Posted July 25, 2016 Don't say I didn't try. Who said that? I never negated your idea. Acetone will dissolve some waxes, particularly man made such as ren wax which I quite like because it is archival and reversible. I'd try a small inconspicuous area first. You could also try ethanol even whisky. Use Canadian don't waste Scotch Bee's wax dissolves in turpentine. Oh, I suspect the wax on the coins was, um, many years build up of human skin oil. In the old days of film photography if we had a scratch on our negatives we would use skin oil to fill the scratches so they wouldn't show on the print. I worked fine No doubt the coins had skin oil buildup but there is also a waxy kind of verdigris that occurs, and besides that, the toning of the metal itself, which is the first thing to develop - on top of that comes the buildup. If I wanted to strip the toning too, I would have used Brasso or Tarn-X. Is there a noticeable difference in quality btwn Cdn and Scotch whiskey?? The go-to solvent for removing stubborn waxes is xylene. It will quickly dissolve paraffin and other waxes. It can usually be found in the paint section of larger hardware stores. As a solvent, it's generally analogous to acetone, in that it dries quickly and leaves no residue. I've used it many times for removing spilled wax from concrete, carpeting, etc. Cheers, and best of luck! Thanks, I'll try the acetone first, then that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 (edited) Who said that? I never negated your idea. That's just an expression we used in the old days in Brampton. I just figured you'd understand what was actually meant. Edited July 25, 2016 by Ludwigia Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBrewer Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 Verdigris can be formed by salt in sweat, sodium chloride, and react with copper to make copper chloride or verdigris. Atmospheric stuff will add to it too. Just pulling your leg re the whiskey. Never tried Canadian, Scottish single malts are pretty good though! John Map of UK fossil sites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldigger Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 For use on fossils just make sure your Scotch is properly aged...like a few million years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted July 31, 2016 Author Share Posted July 31, 2016 Verdigris can be formed by salt in sweat, sodium chloride, and react with copper to make copper chloride or verdigris. Atmospheric stuff will add to it too. Just pulling your leg re the whiskey. Never tried Canadian, Scottish single malts are pretty good though! I know how verdigris forms, I'm usually trying to remove it without removing the toning/patina and this time I've failed. I guess there is no way to do it in bulk, can only do it one coin at a time in the ultrasonic cleaner. I wouldn't know much about which whisk(e)ys are better, I can't afford any of them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted July 31, 2016 Author Share Posted July 31, 2016 The waxy stuff I'm told is called Fluat... anyone have any knowledge of that stuff, what might remove it? I'll try the acetone unless someone says I'd better not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmaier Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 (edited) The waxy stuff I'm told is called Fluat... anyone have any knowledge of that stuff, what might remove it? I'll try the acetone unless someone says I'd better not. Oh-oh. I've heard of that stuff, but never used it before. If this is what you are talking about ---> http://www.tikkurila.com/industrial_coatings/products/products_and_safety_data_sheets_in_alphabetical_order/temafloor_fluat.7754.shtml and https://www.schomburg.com/de/en/products/esco-fluat then it isn't a wax, it is a very strong mineral crystal, so using all the organic solvents mentioned above will not touch it. The Fluat contains silicon fluoride, which mixed with water makes hydrogen fluoride acid, which reacts with calcium carbonate to make calcium fluoride. It is mildly soluble in acids, but don't use sulfuric, because that will produce hydrogen fluoride gas (very corrosive and toxic). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calcium_fluoride As I mentioned, I've never used this stuff myself, or attempted to remove it. Edited July 31, 2016 by tmaier 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBrewer Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Hydroflouric acid is bad bad stuff. In work environments it's recommended that you never work alone, admittedly that's full strength and in quantity. As a collector of Roman coins I've had my fair share of verdigris. In the past I've tried removing it chemically and physically but I've damaged coins so I keep them sealed with silica gel now. All whisky is good if it's a single malt and old. Best get others to pay for it John Map of UK fossil sites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted August 1, 2016 Author Share Posted August 1, 2016 For crying out loud... I think one of those sheets said HF can be produced when the product is heated, but that it is miscible(?) in water. Anyway it's apparently a deep-penetrating substance and I'd rather not have it on any of my fossils... I'm going to try to return the fossil, and/or ask that the suppliers don't treat them with this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted August 1, 2016 Author Share Posted August 1, 2016 ... All whisky is good if it's a single malt and old. Best get others to pay for it I haven't quite mastered this trick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 Have You tried the rubbing alcohol yet? Tony Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted August 1, 2016 Author Share Posted August 1, 2016 Haven't tried anything yet, but now I'm afraid to try anything! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 I have never seen any detrimental effect caused by rubbing alcohol and it evaporates without any residue. If it does not work You will be no worse off than it is now. Tony Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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