Cleaning ?

[GroundS.KeepeR]

I was wondering how everyone cleans their points ..Can you harm flint in any way ? What are the dos and don'ts ?

 

[Th3rty7]

Hot water and a shamwow...It's AMAZING!


Chemicals and hard scrubbing with a brush can take off some patina. All you really need is hot water and a paper towel or cloth imo.

 

[RichPA]

I've been using hot water and a toothbrush. Is a toothbrush a bad idea?

 

[GroundS.KeepeR]

Hot water and a shamwow...It's AMAZING!


Chemicals and hard scrubbing with a brush can take off some patina. All you really need is hot water and a paper towel or cloth imo.

Ok what is shamwow?

 

[GroundS.KeepeR]

I've been using hot water and a toothbrush. Is a toothbrush a bad idea?

Not sure ..I been just using water to get the dirt off..I dont think i would use a tooth brush..But i could be wrong keep checking back ..

 

[Th3rty7]

https://www.shamwow.com/

only the greatest selling infomercial of alltime...sorry man, it's just a fine grained terrycloth that's really absorbant. I dont even have the real thing, I use a wallyworld knockoff, but it really does a good job.

 

[Martingeetars]

On your lithics a tooth brush and mild soap will work and not harm, come on its a rock for crying out loud!

 

[The Grim Reaper]

A soft tootbrush and warm water is all you ever need to clean your artifacts. Never use any soaps, cleaners, or abrasives on anything. I use one of my old toothbrushes after it is worn out. I then let them air dry on a paper towel.

 

[*Molly*]

(A soft tootbrush and warm water is all you ever need to clean your artifacts. Never use any soaps, cleaners, or abrasives on anything. I use one of my old toothbrushes after it is worn out. I then let them air dry on a paper towel.)

Thats the best way to clean them..

Molly.

 

[joshuaream]

I don't clean points unless they need it, but when I do I find that water and brush work just fine. If you find bone or shell, you really need to becareful of what you.

All of that said, patina on points or stone isn't going to come off with water. Take a broken piece or patinated flake sometime and scrub it with soap, bleach, gas, vinegar, etc., and you won't remove real, authentic patina. It makes me laugh when some one has a bogus point at a show and claims the previous owner didn't know better and accidentally scrubbed off the patina with soap and water.

Occasionally, I find pieces covered with caliche type deposits and I find that CLR cleaner is harsh but works well if you carefully paint it on one side. Hold the point flat over the sink and paint the bottom so that the CLR doesn't run to the other side, rinse it off and repeat. It works well and one side will still have the original patina. A surprising number of Mayan artifacts are found with such a thick layer of caliche that they take a blow torch to heat the caliche to it into calcium oxide which comes off with white vinegar.

 

[GroundS.KeepeR]

On your lithics a tooth brush and mild soap will work and not harm, come on its a rock for crying out loud!

I always like to make sure..To me its more then just a rock..Thanks for looking

 

[GroundS.KeepeR]

https://www.shamwow.com/

only the greatest selling infomercial of alltime...sorry man, it's just a fine grained terrycloth that's really absorbant. I dont even have the real thing, I use a wallyworld knockoff, but it really does a good job.

Thanks

 

[GroundS.KeepeR]

A soft tootbrush and warm water is all you ever need to clean your artifacts. Never use any soaps, cleaners, or abrasives on anything. I use one of my old toothbrushes after it is worn out. I then let them air dry on a paper towel.

Thanks

 

[Adena_man]

I just use warm water and a soft toothbrush.

 

[GroundS.KeepeR]

(A soft tootbrush and warm water is all you ever need to clean your artifacts. Never use any soaps, cleaners, or abrasives on anything. I use one of my old toothbrushes after it is worn out. I then let them air dry on a paper towel.)

Thats the best way to clean them..

Molly.

Thanks

 

[GroundS.KeepeR]

I don't clean points unless they need it, but when I do I find that water and brush work just fine. If you find bone or shell, you really need to becareful of what you.

All of that said, patina on points or stone isn't going to come off with water. Take a broken piece or patinated flake sometime and scrub it with soap, bleach, gas, vinegar, etc., and you won't remove real, authentic patina. It makes me laugh when some one has a bogus point at a show and claims the previous owner didn't know better and accidentally scrubbed off the patina with soap and water.

Occasionally, I find pieces covered with caliche type deposits and I find that CLR cleaner is harsh but works well if you carefully paint it on one side. Hold the point flat over the sink and paint the bottom so that the CLR doesn't run to the other side, rinse it off and repeat. It works well and one side will still have the original patina. A surprising number of Mayan artifacts are found with such a thick layer of caliche that they take a blow torch to heat the caliche to it into calcium oxide which comes off with white vinegar.

I never clean nothing i find ..only with water ..I just see alot of peoples on here and they are always clean looking..Mine look good wet but when they dry they dont look as good ..