[Nhcoll-l] Keeping bills shut

[Simon Moore]

Hi Nina,

You’re looking for something that’s easily reversible and I have successfully used neutral pH PVA (rev with water)  or one of the old-fashioned fish adhesives like pearl glue (also rev in water).  Superglue is OK as it reverses with acetone but you need to be careful that there is no acetone soluble paintwork nearby when reversing.

With all good wishes, Simon 

Simon Moore MIScT, RSci, FLS, ACR
Conservator of Natural Sciences and Cutlery Historian.

www.natural-history-conservation.com


> On 20 Nov 2025, at 14:57, Black, Nina <npblack at fas.harvard.edu> wrote:
> 
> Hi All,
> 
> Does anyone have advice for an archival glue that can be used to keep bills closed when preparing bird skins, or perhaps can suggest a good method for this? We always tie them shut with string through the nostrils, but for some birds that have long bills or oddly shaped ones it is hard to keep it closed. Some colleagues have used regular super glue, but I am not so keen on this idea
> 
> Thanks,
> Nina
> 
> Nina Black
> Curatorial Assistant
> Ornithology & Mammalogy
> Museum of Comparative Zoology
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