Composite Onchopristis barb?

[Psittacosaur9]

Hello everyone!

I'm going to start posting fossils individually, to gain more traction on the forum. I'll post a few fossils I am worried are fake or composite today, then repost any fossils I have yet to receive identification for with higher-quality images in about a week.

 

Here is an Onchopristis I purchased from a museum. After inspection and contrast with other barbs other collectors own, I have come to the conclusion that the barb is likely composite. In the images below, I have highlighted what I believe to be the original fossil in red. Do other people on the forum support this conclusion? Also, why does it seem to have a blood groove?

 

 

Thanks for the help, and hope you have a good day.

[Tidgy's Dad]

I think that the areas that you have highlighted are just where more of the matrix has been removed, a lot of this specimen is still covered in matrix. 

I would say this is a single specimen but has been broken and glued back together not particularly well. 

[Psittacosaur9]

17 hours ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

I think that the areas that you have highlighted are just where more of the matrix has been removed, a lot of this specimen is still covered in matrix. 

I would say this is a single specimen but has been broken and glued back together not particularly well. 

Yeah, that would make sense. Would it be possible for me to prepare it further? I don't have access to any specialist equipment right now but a complete barb would look a lot better than a poorly prepared one.

[Tidgy's Dad]

9 hours ago, Psittacosaur9 said:

Yeah, that would make sense. Would it be possible for me to prepare it further? I don't have access to any specialist equipment right now but a complete barb would look a lot better than a poorly prepared one.

I only use a pin vice or board pins.

Get pretty good results with a little patience and a steady hand. 

[Psittacosaur9]

15 hours ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

I only use a pin vice or board pins.

Get pretty good results with a little patience and a steady hand. 

So with a board pin, would I simply scrape the matrix away from the barb?

[Tidgy's Dad]

8 hours ago, Psittacosaur9 said:

So with a board pin, would I simply scrape the matrix away from the barb?

There's probably better ways of doing it but that's what I would do. 

More or less grain by grain and see how it goes. 

[deltav2]

Is this from Morocco? Because I have purchased teeth from there (squalicorax, enchodus), and I was able to remove the thin layer of matrix on it with easily in a few minutes using a wet toothbrush without damaging the teeth but if its from another region maybe the matrix will be too hard to do that, but it is worth a try.

[Psittacosaur9]

3 hours ago, deltav2 said:

Is this from Morocco? Because I have purchased teeth from there (squalicorax, enchodus), and I was able to remove the thin layer of matrix on it with easily in a few minutes using a wet toothbrush without damaging the teeth but if its from another region maybe the matrix will be too hard to do that, but it is worth a try.

Ok thanks, I'll try to do that as the barb is from Morocco. Then I'll scrape away any matrix. I'll probably have to do this in a couple of weeks, as I'm very busy for a while.

[trilobites_are_awesome]

I agree real but bad glue job.