uncoat Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 I just picked up a sharks tooth that almost fully incased in matrix. I found this on the Oregon coast. Somewhere a bit less known for sharks teeth. So will a well planned hit with a hammer be the best way to go? Or should a use an air chisel? I guessing a hammer to the right edge would do the trick but i really dont want to break it. The rock should crack at the enamel of the tooth right? Any advice? Thanks, Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dactyll Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 Nick...... If what you say is true about the about the location you found the tooth being unusual, its certainly worth trying to preserve the tooth.... hitting it with a hammer is just too risky and an air chisel is a little aggressive for a shark tooth..... If you dont have the equipment yourself I would consider finding someone who has airscribes and does fossil preparation for others possibly somewhere near you, or someone you can post the tooth to..... Im sure these guys will help with a contact......with the right equipment they will tease the tooth out of the rock and then maybe air abraid the last bit of the matrix off.... Its certainly not worth risking whacking it with a hammer.... Maybe they can leave the tooth attached to the rock on the non display side and make it as a natural stand with a flat base to display the tooth.... a photo of the rock and tooth would help.... Cheers Steve... And Welcome if your a New Member... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncoat Posted July 23, 2010 Author Share Posted July 23, 2010 Nick...... If what you say is true about the about the location you found the tooth being unusual, its certainly worth trying to preserve the tooth.... hitting it with a hammer is just too risky and an air chisel is a little aggressive for a shark tooth..... If you dont have the equipment yourself I would consider finding someone who has airscribes and does fossil preparation for others possibly somewhere near you, or someone you can post the tooth to..... Im sure these guys will help with a contact......with the right equipment they will tease the tooth out of the rock and then maybe air abraid the last bit of the matrix off.... Its certainly not worth risking whacking it with a hammer.... Maybe they can leave the tooth attached to the rock on the non display side and make it as a natural stand with a flat base to display the tooth.... a photo of the rock and tooth would help.... Thanks alot for the advice Steve. Its prolly not super rare or anything but Oregon is not florida. Not a commen find. I will post a pic as soon as the sun comes out. Not alot to see though. Just a bit of the root and a tiny bit of enamel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 pics are necessary but there is not a good way without messing with the piece to tell whether the fossil is harder than the matrix or not. using brute force to try to extract a shark tooth from matrix will frequently result in a destroyed specimen. most people without access to professional tools will pick away at the matrix with a pin vise or something in a very careful effort to expose the fossil. but there is technique involved and you should read up on fossil preparation before you attempt anything since the piece isn't going anywhere and you can delay attempting to deal with it until you're sufficiently armed with information and whatever tools you wish to try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bear-dog Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 I second the motion to leave the tooth in the matrix.I have a great white I found and prepped it like mentioned. Everyone that sees it comments on it. Bear-dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncoat Posted July 23, 2010 Author Share Posted July 23, 2010 Here are some pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hybodus Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 I third the motion - and by the way, fossil shark teeth from the Oregon coast are VERY desirable, and NOT very common on the market- If enough of the tooth is exposed for a general ID, leave it alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hybodus Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 We posted at the same time. Send it to one of the awesome prep guys in your geo that are members of this forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 OOF! That matrix looks hard! It's going to take an air scribe (in experienced hands) to expose that tooth. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 yes, interesting piece, but i'd definitely use a magnifying visor, an air scribe, and air abrasives on that piece, and i'd doing it very carefully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THobern Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 (edited) I've heard of megs from Oregon, but that's really interesting. Great find, very uncommon. The matrix looks incredibly hard; maybe try the user RJB. Edited July 23, 2010 by THobern Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siteseer Posted July 24, 2010 Share Posted July 24, 2010 The Astoria Formation (Early-Middle Miocene) contains concretions with vertebrate fossils inside but I think there is more than one formation exposed along the Oregon coast that yields fossil-bearing concretions. Other local collectors, pro or private, recognizing the rock type might be able to tell you the formation and age. Good luck on the prep. Here are some pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncoat Posted July 24, 2010 Author Share Posted July 24, 2010 I've heard of megs from Oregon, but that's really interesting. Great find, very uncommon. The matrix looks incredibly hard; maybe try the user RJB. So does that look like a meg then? Thats what i thought when i found it but i guess thats what everyone is kinda hoping for when they find fossil sharks teeth. Im still pretty new to my Paleo Aro so i guess i will look for someone local to prep it. Thanks for all the great advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dactyll Posted July 24, 2010 Share Posted July 24, 2010 Uncoat...... Thats going to look 'fabulous'.... left on the rock with a cut base for display..... chose your prepper carefully.... ask to see some similar pen and abrasive work before you chose......There are preppers and 'preppers'....and that deserves the best if its as rare as these guys say..... Cheers Steve... And Welcome if your a New Member... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted July 24, 2010 Share Posted July 24, 2010 You already have a scribe! Cool...practice on some low-value stuff in the same matrix; when you're ready, take it on yourself. You'll defer the gratification, but the payoff is a self-prepped fossil (and experience with the scribe). "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wRick Posted July 24, 2010 Share Posted July 24, 2010 So does that look like a meg then? Thats what i thought when i found it but i guess thats what everyone is kinda hoping for when they find fossil sharks teeth. Tough to say with so little exposed, and nothing for scale. But, to me, those serrations look deeper than a meg, it could be a great white. "There is no difference between Zen and Purgatory and Time Warner Cable, and they are trying to tach me this, but I am a dim impatient pupil." ----- xonenine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THobern Posted July 24, 2010 Share Posted July 24, 2010 Just my two cents, but with a fossil that rare, I wouldn't do it yourself. Get someone with a decade or two of experience. With a piece as rare as an Oregon meg, it should be worth the cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bikerboyzx6r Posted August 4, 2010 Share Posted August 4, 2010 Uncoat... what did you decide to do? Im intrigued Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncoat Posted August 9, 2010 Author Share Posted August 9, 2010 Uncoat... what did you decide to do? Im intrigued Well im going to have someone prep it for me. Right now i don't have the time to be looking for people in my area who can do that... As soon as i have some free time i will be asking a few people i have in mind. Anyone here in the Oregon area that i can trust to do a great job or knows of someone who can? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PRK Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 (edited) What might the size of your tooth be? And surely by now you have made some progress I just found this post today, otherwise I would have responded sooner. I do/have done the work on all my Oregon fossils PM me I've got many questions. Edited February 14, 2013 by PRK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VisionXray23 Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 Tough to say with so little exposed, and nothing for scale. But, to me, those serrations look deeper than a meg, it could be a great white. I second that. I'm pretty sure it is a great white judging from the serrations and shape of the root. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichW9090 Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 Many of the concretions found along the Oregon Coast respond well to acid preparation, if done by someone familiar with the technique. The plural of "anecdote" is not "evidence". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raptor Lover Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Hey uncoat, how did the tooth turn out? "Or speak to the earth, and let it teach you" Job 12:8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts