[meteorite-list] Patina

[Gary K. Foote]

Hi Walter,

I used a wre brush on a rotary tool [Full  sized variable speed drill - lol]  I thought 
it worked out pretty good.  Thank you.

Gary

On 12 May 2006 at 11:32, Walter Branch wrote:

> 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
> >
> >
> >
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