Concretion material on an artifact?

[Shemanese]

What's the best way to remove? I know muriatic acid is used sometimes on brick, but will that remove patina? Just curious...

 

[rockman0_12]

don't use any acid. try white vinegar for the concretion. or just leave it on since there's no faking that type of deposit. finger nail polish remover works on glue or paint without harming patina.

 

[Bent-Twig]

What's the best way to remove? I know muriatic acid is used sometimes on brick, but will that remove patina? Just curious...

That is a form of patina . Leave it be. Show me a picture of it please.

Twig.

 

[SwampHunter]

I have seen arrowheads set in walkways before.
I have found hardstones(grinders, hammerstones, etc.) at old houseplaces that have mortar on them. I am guessing they where used for fireplaces, wells and such.
There is also an old house down the road that has an OLD outbuilding with alot of chert that is mixed in with the cement.... some of the pieces even look like they were worked.
My grandpa told stories of bushel baskets of arrowheads being hauled out of particular fields around here so no doubt that some farmers seen these as being available to mix in with mortar.
Around here artifacts have been used in cement for different purposes.

 

[Vicegrip]

vinegar will help break down the mortar. reacts with the lime just as muriatic acid .vinegar is a 5% acid solution.
we use muriatic to clean brick as well as exposed aggregate. I've never seen it hurt real stone(will eat sand or cultured stone)eats metal, lime and patina.

 

[Shemanese]

Thanks Vicegrip..