[Nhcoll-l] FW: Aged Shellac

[Paul Callomon]

From: Paul Callomon
Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2013 11:07 AM
To: 'angie thompson'
Subject: RE: [Nhcoll-l] Aged Shellac

Hi Angie

Fossils are tricky, as whatever solvent you use will be absorbed by the matrix. If you want to try anyway, I'd suggest using alcohol (methanol, ethanol or isopropanol) and toothbrushes. Brush some alcohol onto the surface, then absorb it off immediately with paper towels before it gets a chance to evaporate, so the fluid comes off the specimen and not into it. Repeat until the shellac is gone.
As with any treatment like this, though, try it on a sacrificial specimen first. Don't use water - it'll get into the matrix and can cause cracking and spalling.

Paul Callomon
Collections Manager in Malacology, Invertebrate Paleontology and General Invertebrates
The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, PA  19103
callomon at ansp.org<mailto:callomon at ansp.org>
Tel. 215-405-5096
ansp.org
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