RJB Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 I took this huge chunk of rock with me to Washington last September to trade for crab concs. I was actually undecided if I wanted to trade it. I wasn't sure if it was complete, would hate to do a trade and not have it work out, plus it was a heck of a lot of rock to remove for anyone who may have wanted to tackle it with prep. So,,,, I brought it back home. Today, I decided to take another look at it. Here is a picture of it. It weighs about 30 LBS. This rock comes from the Bear paw, is known as Scaphites crassus and is kree ta shus in age. Hows that for spelling? Ha!!! RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted October 30, 2015 Author Share Posted October 30, 2015 Ok, after I looked at for awhile, I decided to take a chisel and hammer and in a particular spot and give it a few Wacks!!! Yes I was scared! I saw a crack appear and then took my little tiny chisel and slowly pried it apart. Now I was super scared!!! and then,,,,,,,, WOW!!! What a miraculous split!!! I couldn't believe it!!! Here is what it looks like now. Just amazing!!! RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 Sweet Scaphites, and a big 'un! "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...
Herb Posted October 31, 2015 Share Posted October 31, 2015 nice, looks like fun! "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go. " I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes "can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted October 31, 2015 Share Posted October 31, 2015 (edited) Nice split, but you still have some shell left on the neg side, no? Would you just leave it like that, or reattach it and prep it (the hard way but you might end up with an even nicer, 'perfect' intact specimen that way ) I have a couple baculite concretions from Hornby I. that have done the same thing - you split them open and the very outermost layer comes off on the neg side, with some other bits besides. Someday I'll have them prepped out properly, and they will be splendid. Where are you getting these great scaphs? Edited October 31, 2015 by Wrangellian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptychodus04 Posted October 31, 2015 Share Posted October 31, 2015 Very nice. When I crack concretions, I usually just end up with broken fossils! Very cool. Regards, Kris Global Paleo Services, LLC https://globalpaleoservices.com http://instagram.com/globalpaleoservices http://instagram.com/kris.howe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted October 31, 2015 Share Posted October 31, 2015 Love them lucky splits! Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted October 31, 2015 Author Share Posted October 31, 2015 Hey Wrangelian. With about 1/4 inch of calcite on this thing there is no way I would try to glue it back on and prep down. That would be a true nightmare! I like the way its sittin in the rock, so im going to simply take off whats left on top, dig out the imbilicus and smooth out the rock around the critter and call it good. RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptychodus04 Posted October 31, 2015 Share Posted October 31, 2015 Hey Wrangelian. With about 1/4 inch of calcite on this thing there is no way I would try to glue it back on and prep down. That would be a true nightmare! I like the way its sittin in the rock, so im going to simply take off whats left on top, dig out the imbilicus and smooth out the rock around the critter and call it good.RB That sounds like a world of hurt for sure! I agree with your plan of attack. Prepping is a balance of appropriate labor and final results! Regards, Kris Global Paleo Services, LLC https://globalpaleoservices.com http://instagram.com/globalpaleoservices http://instagram.com/kris.howe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 You know better than I do as to what's worth doing, but what do you mean about 1/4" calcite? Part of the fossil itself, or surrounding it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted November 1, 2015 Author Share Posted November 1, 2015 Ok, this has got to be the shortest prep time for an ammonite that ive done. Came out perty good for such little work. Wrangellian. On some, like this one, there is calcite around the critter, on others it seems to be inbetween layers. RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptychodus04 Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Beautiful! Regards, Kris Global Paleo Services, LLC https://globalpaleoservices.com http://instagram.com/globalpaleoservices http://instagram.com/kris.howe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossilized6s Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 (edited) Great job with that Ammo, RB. Are you keeping the matrix so large? Edited November 1, 2015 by fossilized6s ~Charlie~ "There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why.....i dream of things that never were, and ask why not?" ~RFK ->Get your Mosasaur print ->How to spot a fake Trilobite ->How to identify a CONCRETION from a DINOSAUR EGG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted November 1, 2015 Author Share Posted November 1, 2015 Yeah Charlie. I love the matrix that fossils are found in. It is large and heavy, but to me, its very cool. RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossilized6s Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 I like it too. Hey, if you have room for it. ~Charlie~ "There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why.....i dream of things that never were, and ask why not?" ~RFK ->Get your Mosasaur print ->How to spot a fake Trilobite ->How to identify a CONCRETION from a DINOSAUR EGG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 Ok, this has got to be the shortest prep time for an ammonite that ive done. Came out perty good for such little work. Wrangellian. On some, like this one, there is calcite around the critter, on others it seems to be inbetween layers. RB What is it about calcite that makes it so difficult? Calcite is soft, no? (Nice job, btw) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted November 3, 2015 Author Share Posted November 3, 2015 Not soft, not on this fossil! Hard to work with. Once I become a god, there will be no more calcite. Ha!!! RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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