Removing deposits from flint: Updated-Photo Added

[1320]

I found a nice point this weekend but it's so encrusted with junk, I can't see the flint. I tried vinegar for 24 hours and that didn't phase it. I doubt that olive oil will either. Treefrog has mentioned using acid to clean his finds and I'm wondering if that's a good solution, looks like it works great for him. If so, what type of acid? Any other non acidic approaches?

This is the piece in question, would you dip it?

[olroy70]

Limestone? CLR


I do think cleaning any more than dirt doesnt do any good. a nice limestone coat indicates age!

[Treasure_Hunter]

I don't know about others, but the last thing I would ever do with any indian artifacts I found is give them an acid bath with anything stronger.... All I would ever do is gentlely wash them with a toothbrush. People use to shellac them but that ruined the value of them.....

[sorefoot]

Try real warm vinegar. Cold vinegar takes much longer.

[Tnmountains]

Muratic acid. Use caution with it and use outside and do not inhale. It is what they use to clean concrete and tile. Ask Treefrog he has to clean the calcium deposits from his and they look great. Some will say do not do anything but look at TreeFrogs before and after pictures. Some points are so corroded if you want to enjoy the beauty and workmanship and keep them in your collection you must clean them.

[catherine1]

Treefrogs before and after pics are great. I would find out how long to dip them. Don't worry about hurting the authenticaction of the artifact. Just document it by showing a before and after pic on this forum.

[Treasure_Hunter]

If your never going to sell them and plan to keep them it doesn't matter, if you do plan to sell them it will make a difference to a lot of buyers....

[Tnmountains]

If your never going to sell them and plan to keep them it doesn't matter, if you do plan to sell them it will make a difference to a lot of buyers....

True. But gosh T_H who in their right mind would sell their collection

[catherine1]

I would buy it, but its not for sale. Nice find. I believe we are talking about something not seen before.

[Treasure_Hunter]

If your never going to sell them and plan to keep them it doesn't matter, if you do plan to sell them it will make a difference to a lot of buyers....

True. But gosh T_H who in their right mind would sell their collection

I have sold some of my average field finds in years past, but kept the good ones.....Eventually my collection will get sold, either to help support me in my old age if my son doesn't want them. What good are they going to do me when I am in my 90's other then to help buy my oatmeal and depends....

I have turned down several very nice offers for some of my artifacts, the water bottle and mourning flute and couple of the axes had many offers over the years and are still in my collection..... Like gold the value of them just go up.....

[Treefrog]

yes the acid will do it in seconds if you don't care to remove the deposits. the ones Ive been digging out are so encrusted you can not tell what color flint they even are.
it would be like having boxes of baseball cards all in packs never opened, never knowing even what you have untill you open them. I can't stand the wait. 2 rushes each find, 1st rush when it pops out of the dirt, 2nd rush when its clean and you see its much more beautiful than you even thought.
thats where the worth of each point is to me

Tree

[1320]

Many thanks for the replies. I'm not certain what the deposit is but it's cement like with embedded sand. Like some of Treefrogs, the one I found is completely covered on both sides, if not for the shape of the blade itself, I would never have known it was flint. I'll post before and after pics.

[tmodel]

you might try raw vinegar that you get at the health food section, it has not been pasteurised like the vinegar you buy to eat or can with has been! pasteurising, bringing to higher temperature than bolling to kill every thing in milk and vinegar just not the taste, and a lot of other things. this also kills the value of vinegar for medical use!! MURATIC ACIDIE is the one by some. it is at least [100]] times stronger than raw vinegar or more!! so please follow TnMountains advise about using it!!! Terry

[k1lla77]

i use oxyclean

[Lone Star]

Interesting . I always wonder about the deposits and natural encrustations and their value enhancing as is. Seems to me if it gets too clean the visual aspect of it's age being removed harms it's overall value. Many of the Early thru Mid Archaic sites we dug around central and west Texas gave up encrusted flint and bone and the amount depended on the particular soil composition and alkalinity.
We used cider vinager out the bottle to get pictures by days end.( TAAA) I used to bite my tounge though before I put any point thru the vinager bath. Thanks. Lone Star

[1320]

Would a piece like this have more value as is or cleaned?

[tmodel]

this point does not look high value like some you may find,, but i would still try RAW vinegar before i did muratic acidie. look at some of the other hunters points posted on Tnet like Twitch, Srv, Th3ty7 or TnMountains.. look at the what i call hinge scars you will see some dirt or discolloraion under them, this is one thing that buyers look for, too ciean and they will call it a new made point and not buy a lot of the time! on higher value points is where you have to realy watch what do to them.. your WIFE if you have one is the one who might need to sell them if some thing happend to you.. they might save the home for her and the little ones!!! these are just a few of the good ones the ones i had on papper handy so i maby could spell them right. Terry

[1320]

I agree T, this point isn't likely to be a high dollar one. I have soaked it in vineger for nearly 4 days with no effect.

[Lone Star]

I'm not a chemist anymore ,although I play one on TV.
Having worked as one in a past life 4o years ago I can tell you with great surety that Muriatic acid and vinager are very different and react much differently. Acetic Acid is concentrated vinager (for the lack of a better example) it's just about 250 X stronger. What vinager acid will disolve is a lot different than what muriatic acid (hydrocloric acid) will disolve and affect. Thanks Lone Star

[Treefrog]

this particular one I would have never known it had a bulls eye in the flint with out some heavy removal.
it is worth so much more to me in my frame with that beauty mark showing.
it all depends on why u dug it up. after all that work there is no way I'm gonna leave it looking that way. If I dig up a cumberland like that it'll be cleaned too. I'll photo it 1st and maybe get it papered if it looks worth while, then have it papered as the same point after I clean it. But unless its something really valuable, i'm looking for them for how great they look on my wall.
Tree