Miocene_Mason Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 I was sent a chunk of material from the aust bone bed of the U.K. by @JohnBrewer (thank you very much!) to practice some prep on, mostly for the large bone and coprolites. I was also told to soak the material in vinegar to get all the little microfossils. I've gotten started by breaking off some chunks (I haven't gotten the acetone for my consolidant yet so I'm not touching the bone just yet) and soaking them in concentrated vinegar (30% acetic acid I believe, strong stuff). After an initial soak I saw this little guy poking out the surface. I saw the opportunity to prep and got right to work (being the forgetful procrastinator I am, I haven't bought a new scribe yet so for the first half I used a blunt dental instrument, the next fourth using a sowing needle, and the last with the needle duct taped to a piece of metal). Here are some pictures of the prepping process. I at first got excited thinking it was a plesiosaur, but I doubt that because of its size (6mm). It's hollow, and has striations similar to the carinae of a crocodile (don't think they have those there). Severnicthys is one possibility I stumbled upon. Opinions are welcomed and encouraged! “...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin Happy hunting, Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted October 13, 2017 Author Share Posted October 13, 2017 “...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin Happy hunting, Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted October 13, 2017 Author Share Posted October 13, 2017 Sneak peek at another tooth (shark) that I will be preppping, more to come on a separate thread in a few weeks along with some more finds from the chunks. “...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin Happy hunting, Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troodon Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 Nice find. No idea on ID but seems to compare to document Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted October 13, 2017 Author Share Posted October 13, 2017 15 minutes ago, Troodon said: Nice find. No idea on ID but seems to compare to document Thank you! Does look like Severnicthys except for the little skinny part at the top which most seem to have but mine lacks. “...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin Happy hunting, Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcoSr Posted October 14, 2017 Share Posted October 14, 2017 21 hours ago, WhodamanHD said: I've gotten started by breaking off some chunks (I haven't gotten the acetone for my consolidant yet so I'm not touching the bone just yet) and soaking them in concentrated vinegar (30% acetic acid I believe, strong stuff). I wouldn't use 30% acetic acid. It is too strong and you will damage your teeth. You should use between 5% to 10% acetic acid which won't damage your teeth. Regular distilled white vinegar is 5% acetic acid. Organic vinegar is 20% acetic acid. I dilute organic vinegar with regular distilled white vinegar to get to 10% acetic acid. Marco Sr. "Any day that you can fossil hunt is a great day." My family fossil website Some Of My Shark, Ray, Fish And Other Micros My Extant Shark Jaw Collection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted October 14, 2017 Author Share Posted October 14, 2017 29 minutes ago, MarcoSr said: I wouldn't use 30% acetic acid. It is too strong and you will damage your teeth. You should use between 5% to !0% acetic acid which won't damage your teeth. Regular distilled white vinegar is 5% acetic acid. Organic vinegar is 20% acetic acid. I dilute organic vinegar with regular distilled white vinegar to get to 10% acetic acid. Marco Sr. Just finding that out now, thank you! I'll do the same with the vinegar! “...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin Happy hunting, Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted October 14, 2017 Author Share Posted October 14, 2017 A little update on the sharks tooth, I found one side is missing and the tip broke off while I was prepping, most would stop here but I will not give up just yet. Tommorow I will probably take some wood glue on a needle and glue the tip back on and continue after that has set. “...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin Happy hunting, Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
belemniten Posted October 14, 2017 Share Posted October 14, 2017 The first tooth looks like an Ichthyosaur tooth ... Well done ! Many greetings from Germany ! Have a great time with many fossils Regards Sebastian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcoSr Posted October 14, 2017 Share Posted October 14, 2017 8 hours ago, WhodamanHD said: Just finding that out now, thank you! I'll do the same with the vinegar! Unfortunately it does take a lot longer sometimes to break down the matrix using the weaker acid concentrations. However stronger concentrations will dull the shine, etch or even break down the teeth themselves, When breaking down a lot of matrix, the acid damage to the teeth may not be that noticeable at first as the acid weakens itself breaking the matrix down. However when there is a lot of acid to a little bit of matrix the tooth damage will be much more noticeable. Plus stronger acids are dangerous to work with and should only be used in a lab environment using lab safety procedures, Marco Sr. "Any day that you can fossil hunt is a great day." My family fossil website Some Of My Shark, Ray, Fish And Other Micros My Extant Shark Jaw Collection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted October 14, 2017 Author Share Posted October 14, 2017 1 hour ago, MarcoSr said: Unfortunately it does take a lot longer sometimes to break down the matrix using the weaker acid concentrations. However stronger concentrations will dull the shine, etch or even break down the teeth themselves, When breaking down a lot of matrix, the acid damage to the teeth may not be that noticeable at first as the acid weakens itself breaking the matrix down. However when there is a lot of acid to a little bit of matrix the tooth damage will be much more noticeable. Plus stronger acids are dangerous to work with and should only be used in a lab environment using lab safety procedures, Marco Sr. Yeah, I noticed the first batch didn't have a lot of full teeth when I knew there were some, unfortunately must've been broken by the acid. ive watered down the vinegar for the time being till I get some 5-10%. The vinegar isn't really that dangerous as long as you avoid internal contact. Thanks for alerting me to this problem, a lot of teeth would have been destroyed if you didn't! 2 hours ago, belemniten said: The first tooth looks like an Ichthyosaur tooth ... Well done ! Thank you! I'm very happy with ichthyosaur, is this typical size for an adult or could it be from a juvenile? “...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin Happy hunting, Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
belemniten Posted October 14, 2017 Share Posted October 14, 2017 19 minutes ago, WhodamanHD said: Thank you! I'm very happy with ichthyosaur, is this typical size for an adult or could it be from a juvenile? That's very difficult to say ... I am not familiar with the location, but in Holzmaden you can also find very small Ichthyosaur teeth. For example Stenopterygius teeth are often not that big. Yours could be a stenopterygius tooth (adult) Either way it's a cool tooth Many greetings from Germany ! Have a great time with many fossils Regards Sebastian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taogan Posted October 14, 2017 Share Posted October 14, 2017 The tooth is Severnichthys acuminatus, not uncommon from Aust, keep looking you'll find more. And full strength acetic acid makes the teeth brittle, a longer time in a weaker solution seems to be better. I used to collect Aust a lot and some blocks took almost a year before they were ready in the acid, but you can get a lot of teeth out of them if you are gentle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted October 14, 2017 Author Share Posted October 14, 2017 39 minutes ago, Taogan said: The tooth is Severnichthys acuminatus, not uncommon from Aust, keep looking you'll find more. And full strength acetic acid makes the teeth brittle, a longer time in a weaker solution seems to be better. I used to collect Aust a lot and some blocks took almost a year before they were ready in the acid, but you can get a lot of teeth out of them if you are gentle. Thank you, that was my suspicion . Truly are a lot of teeth in there, just gotta get them all out! Already a few other severnicthys, just way smaller. “...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin Happy hunting, Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted October 14, 2017 Author Share Posted October 14, 2017 57 minutes ago, nimbus said: Neat. How long did the whole process take? Thanks! Not long considering my use of inadequate tools, the matrix was softened a little with the vinegar so it was easy to scrap it away. It took about or maybe a little over half an hour spread over two days. “...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin Happy hunting, Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifbrindacier Posted October 14, 2017 Share Posted October 14, 2017 To stop the action of vinegar you can use bicarbonate and then you rinse a lot to avoid the white stains. "On ne voit bien que par le coeur, l'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux." (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry) "We only well see with the heart, the essential is invisible for the eyes." In memory of Doren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBrewer Posted October 16, 2017 Share Posted October 16, 2017 I agree with @Taogan with the ID. I use 5% vinegar and sometimes even dilute this. 30% is too strong. I soak over several days even weeks. John Map of UK fossil sites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted October 23, 2017 Author Share Posted October 23, 2017 HELlo everyone, thanks for all the help! Just want to add the broken hybodontid shark tooth was successfully glued back together. It has a few other little teeth around it I may work to expose, but I realize that taking the big but fragile teeth out is unrealistic. Thanks again! Sorry for the horrid pictures, I’ll get some better ones soon. “...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin Happy hunting, Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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