[meteorite-list] Patina
From: Walter Branch <waltbranch_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri May 12 11:32:24 2006 Message-ID: <002701c675d9$40d212a0$6a01a8c0_at_DrCollman> Hi Gary, Nice clean up job. Did you use any chemicals or just the wire brush. I recently got one of Bill Mason's meteorite rust removal kit and I have been experimenting with it. -Walter Branch ----------------------------------------------------- ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gary K. Foote" <gary_at_webbers.com> To: <MexicoDoug_at_aol.com> Cc: <Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com> Sent: Friday, May 12, 2006 10:25 AM Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Patina > Thanks Doug, for your thoughtful analysis. I had a piece of campo with an unusual shape > that came to me rusty and not looking like it was going to stop rusting. I took a wire > brush to it and removed the rust and now have a specimen that still shows flight details > and has nearly no rust. The only drawback is that I had to expose the high spots right > down to shiny metal to get the rust out of the low spots. I'm sure I lost some material, > but think it was minimal. > > I've seen pallasites chopped up into medallions and such on ebay and think that kind of > manipulation is over the line, but I believe that what I have done makes the specimen > more 'enjoyable' to view. If you would like to see pics of before and after the links > are below; > > Before: http://www.meteorite-dealers.com/images/campo-the-hand-600.jpg > > After: http://www.meteorite-dealers.com/images/campohand-wirebrushed.jpg > > Gary > > On 12 May 2006 at 9:47, MexicoDoug_at_aol.com wrote: > > > Gary F. writes: > > > > <<Which is best value wise? Original condition with dirt and natural patina > > or cleaned > > with patina left or cleaned and polished free of patina?>> > > > > Gary, > > Patina...if patina is an arrested natural finish, sounds awesome to me. > > > > There is "cleaned", and then there is "cleaned" just as there are stones and > > there are irons, and "scientific value" and "sentimental value" and "trade-in > > value". Never clean stones with solvents. Distilled water and reagent grade > > alcohol are in a questionable category here and questionable equates to not > > necessary. If the dirt comes off with your hands (and not a wire brush by > > wearing down the surface of the stone or iron, of course it is recommendable to not > > have such dirty meteorites in your collection - they will make everything > > dirty wherever you put them.) The one exception to the solvent rule is the > > ultimate form of cleaning - hacking off slices. To make a cut, you will need a > > friendly solvent - but you aren't asking about cutting. > > > > If you have a stable iron, the same applies. In economics there is a value > > to an option. Give the next guy a chance with the option "to clean or not to > > clean, and that is the question". If you choose to clean it, you will > > eliminate some of the demand because you have killed that option for those who want a > > natural meteorite. Less demand = less value both scientifically and one would expect > > monetarily. Same goes for whether you should cut a nice looking whole individual - don't. > > > > If you don't have a stable iron, you don't have much choice in the matter. > > Either you find an acceptable way to clean it or you will be left with a pile > > of junk. Pile of junk futures are not very scientifically or commercially > > valuable, though in this field there are suckers born every minute to keep such > > futures alive. The iron is rented anyway as it is a matter of time... So brush > > it with a stainless brush, boil it in parrafin, strip it, coat it in PU, > > pickle it a bit and then saponify it in caustic soda, vacuum pack it in beef jerky > > factory, sell it on ebay, whatever your heart enjoys. Have as much fun as I > > do when you are handed a sledgehammer at a carnival to smash a useless car, or > > as a shifty used car dealer who fixes up an old jalopy enough to have his > > hapless* customer drive it out the door...If it is a rare iron, though, better yet > > leave it alone and trade or give it to a museum so they can evaluate how to > > best preserve it for humanity, unless you realistically believe you can do a > > better job or have Bill Mason on your staff. > > > > *cool word, borrowed from a recent post > > > > Hope this helps. As you can see I am of the strict don't clean anything > > unless it is absolutely necessary belief. But then you have the irons that are > > borderline. For them, you want the natural naughty Squirrel Nutkin finish-and > > not sandblasted down to the patina and beyond- if an arrested natural nutshell > > exists. But if it doesn't (because one didn't develop, or because the soil > > was part of it and now the soil is removed), a good wire brushing may be in > > order though you will lose some weight, you will minimize the surface area for > > absorption of water and buildup of other catalytic corrosives... > > > > Saludos > > > > ______________________________________________ > Meteorite-list mailing list > Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com > http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list > Received on Fri 12 May 2006 11:32:17 AM PDT |
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