[meteorite-list] gao specimens and surface treatments/ oils...

From: Michael Farmer <meteoriteguy_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2007 10:23:58 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <587948.2516.qm_at_web33101.mail.mud.yahoo.com>

Dirk, I did not think that you disparaged my Gao's, I
merely used your email as an entry into the
conversation and told how I clean my Gao stones.
Mike
--- drtanuki <drtanuki at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Dear Mike and List,
> I have seen nothing but quality from you Mike and
> I
> was not addressing your Gaos or at least did not
> mean
> to imply anything about your Gaos.
> I even encouraged Steve publicly on the meteorite
> chat list to ask you for more Gaos because I have
> seen
> the quality and size that he wants and you have
> them.
> The abrasion tool that I have seen can be used to
> remove soil or rust from the Gaos and other
> meteorites. It is basically a sandblaster that has
> a
> stylus like a pen. I don`t know what a "bead
> blaster"
> is.
> Anyway I agree with Mike leave it to the buyer to
> choose what he wants to buy. But as I stated as my
> own personal preference...natural is best.
> Motor oil on any meteorite would not be a good
> idea
> as it contains corrosives. Special light machine
> oils
> (such as some sewing machine oils) can safely be
> used
> on irons and OCs; but certainly not on any C
> meteorites; and ALL oils are a no-no on anything you
> want classified and should absolutely be avoided on
> "new falls" (oils can and will damage very expensive
> equipment and also skew analytical results; advise
> the
> researcher as to how you cut the meteorite IF he
> forget to ask; normally researchers will take some
> precautions by re-cutting and cleaning with alcohol
> and degassing, etc.).
> NEVER use mineral oil (baby oil) on any meteorite.
>
> Mineral oil attracts water and will promote rusting.
>
> I have commonly seen this used on irons and PLEASE
> don`t do so.
> Enough for now. Sincerely, Dirk Ross...Tokyo
>
>
> --- Michael Farmer <meteoriteguy at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > Dirk, my Gao stones are cleaned with a bead
> blaster
> > using tiny glass beads. It does not change the
> > stone,
> > it removes the soil which is embedded in the thick
> > fusion crust on gao. I have never seen a painted
> > one,
> > although I did see one moron soak some in motor
> oil
> > (the slimy exterior and smell gave that one away).
> > I have nearly 40 kilograms of Gao, 90% of which is
> > uncleaned, so let the buyer decide what they like,
> > that is what makes the world go round.
> > Michael Farmer
> > --- drtanuki <drtanuki at yahoo.com> wrote:
> >
> > > Dear List, Sorry this was meant for the List as
> > > well
> > > as Dougao.
> > > >
> > > > Dear Dougao and List,
> > > > Doug you asked a very interesting question.
>
> > > Many
> > > > Gaos (NOT ALL) have been cleaned by using an
> air
> > > > abrasion tool. Some even have been painted a
> > nice
> > > > shade of black using charcoal grill paint and
> > > > others
> > > > painted with an airbrush.
> > > > I cannot comment on Steve`s collection as I
> > > have
> > > > not seen them personally. I agree with you
> Doug
> > > > that
> > > > the meteorite should not be tampered with by
> > > > cleaning;
> > > > but this is my/our personal preference and NOT
> > > what
> > > > sells. Most customers want new-looking black
> > > fusion
> > > > crust IF at all possible. I agree with Doug
> > that
> > > > Steve should add a naturally aged Gao IF he
> > truly
> > > > wants to represent Gao in his collection.
> > > > Good job Steve; and thanks Doug for your
> > > > comments!!!
> > > >
> > > > Sincerely, Dirk Ross...Tokyo
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --- MexicoDoug <MexicoDoug at aim.com> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Hi Steve and List,
> > > > >
> > > > > I just had a little fun browsing around your
> > > > > Gao-Guenie collection pages.
> > > > > It was quite enjoyable and I wanted you to
> > know
> > > > that
> > > > > your efforts to put
> > > > > together the web pages are appreciated. My
> > > > favorite
> > > > > photo is of the 137.5
> > > > > gram specimen.
> > > > >
> > > > > I do have one comment where I am in
> > disagreement
> > > -
> > > > > apparently with most of
> > > > > the collecting community. That would your
> > > > > preference to buy them only
> > > > > "cleaned". Not having the experience with
> the
> > > > > Gao-Guenie you have, I
> > > > > wouldn't know how they are being "cleaned".
> > > (And
> > > > > would like to know the
> > > > > whole Geschichte on "HOW NOW BROWN GAO?")
> But
> > > it
> > > > > doesn't look like it is
> > > > > with a superficial passing of a clean rag.
> > > While
> > > > > scientifically cleaning is
> > > > > generally a "no-no", in the case of
> > Gao-Guenie,
> > > I
> > > > > doubt this is really very
> > > > > crucial as there must be over a ton of this
> > > > > meteorite to go around and study
> > > > > for those so inclined. But this is not an
> > Iron
> > > > > meteorite where cleaning can
> > > > > actually be important for the preservation
> -
> > as
> > > > you
> > > > > mentioned, it is simply
> > > > > an H5 stony chondrite.
> > > > >
> > > > > As the world's major Buyer of Gao-Guenie,
> you
> > > > > actually are influencing the
> > > > > major sources then to clean their specimens.
>
> > > May
> > > > I
> > > > > suggest you add
> > > > > uncleaned stones to your Gao Museum as well,
> > for
> > > > > those of us who enjoy
> > > > > gawking at your world class acquisitions,
> > there
> > > is
> > > > > something missing when we
> > > > > can only see artificially spiffed up crust
> > > > > everywhere when we also love to
> > > > > see the meteorites more as they are found
> > > in-situ.
> > > >
> > > > > I personally think your
> > > > > collection comes up short because it is
> > missing
> > > a
> > > > > nice, large Gao-Guenie
> > > > > recently found with killer orientation
> > > > > characteristics visible.
> > > > >
> > > > > True, when they originally fell, they were
> > > rather
> > > > > dark crusted, but the
> > > > > stones on your page, in some cases look even
> > > > darker
> > > > > than the natural fresh
> > > > > fusion crust color and like some NWA's that
> > have
> > > > > artificially sandblasted
> > > > > black crusts. As I mentioned, there is
> enough
> > > > > Gao-Guenie to go around so
> > > > > there is room for both cleaned and uncleaned
> > > > > specimens. But why should we
> > > > > rub all of our meteorites with generic Botox
> > and
> > > > not
> > > > > see them for the
> > > > > beauties they naturally are and the way the
> > > occur
> > > > at
> > > > > the locality? As a
>
=== message truncated ===
Received on Tue 27 Mar 2007 01:23:58 PM PDT