Bone valley FL

[MSirmon]

Going back through some of the material received earlier this month in a trade and continue to find some small items. Most I can identify but need some assistance on these. 

[Monica]

17 hours ago, Darktooth said:

While breaking apart the matrix I recieved, a sliver of sharktooth, similar to the one in your first pic, sliced my thumb real good! Hurt guite a bit, suprisingly it didn't bleed. Couldnt figure that one out.

I'm trying to work through the rocks that I received from @joshuajbelanger (Thanks, by the way, Joshua!).  I've had them soaking in water for a few days and I've been trying to break one apart just using my hands, and I think I'm peeling off my skin in doing so, so I'm looking for a better way.  Should I just go ahead and use a hammer?  I was worried about damaging any fossils inside of the rock by hammering it, but perhaps that's better than continuing to damage my hands?  What do you guys think?

[Fossilian]

28 minutes ago, Monica said:

I'm trying to work through the rocks that I received from @joshuajbelanger (Thanks, by the way, Joshua!).  I've had them soaking in water for a few days and I've been trying to break one apart just using my hands, and I think I'm peeling off my skin in doing so, so I'm looking for a better way.  Should I just go ahead and use a hammer?  I was worried about damaging any fossils inside of the rock by hammering it, but perhaps that's better than continuing to damage my hands?  What do you guys think?

I would slowly use a chisel to break the matrix into smaller pieces and let them soak so it's faster. If you use a hammer, make sure to use it slowly.

[Shellseeker]

#1 Mako, #2 Barracuda, #3 Lemon.  The other 2 fragments could be most anything.  I think #4 is bone and #5 is enamel. #5 might ???  be a mammoth tooth fragment but really reaching there.

[MSirmon]

2 hours ago, Monica said:

I'm trying to work through the rocks that I received from @joshuajbelanger (Thanks, by the way, Joshua!).  I've had them soaking in water for a few days and I've been trying to break one apart just using my hands, and I think I'm peeling off my skin in doing so, so I'm looking for a better way.  Should I just go ahead and use a hammer?  I was worried about damaging any fossils inside of the rock by hammering it, but perhaps that's better than continuing to damage my hands?  What do you guys think?

Monica - I had great success soaking and breaking apart with a small hammer and then soaking some more. If you break apart with your hands wear gloves because as Darktooth pointed out there are incredibly sharp shards of teeth in the matrix. One think I know for sure is that the effort you put into this project will be worth it. 

[MSirmon]

2 hours ago, Shellseeker said:

#1 Mako, #2 Barracuda, #3 Lemon.  The other 2 fragments could be most anything.  I think #4 is bone and #5 is enamel. #5 might ???  be a mammoth tooth fragment but really reaching there.

Thank you Shellseeker

[MSirmon]

20 hours ago, Darktooth said:

While breaking apart the matrix I recieved, a sliver of sharktooth, similar to the one in your first pic, sliced my thumb real good! Hurt guite a bit, suprisingly it didn't bleed. Couldnt figure that one out.

That is weird. Hope it's not too bad.

[joshuajbelanger]

Yeah the BV should break apart pretty easily.  But that Ocala will take some serious whacks!  GL