Conglomerate removal, delicate items

[SADS 669]

I have always wondered how Conglomerate is removed from delicate items?

 

[Blak bart]

I have to dig in my other device to retrieve some conglomerate photos kevin....somewhere I have multiple threads about conglomerates, and I have retrieved and recovered some great treasures Kevin !! Non ferrous object can often be recovered with careful cracking. Sometimes a bath of muriatic acid and water can be used to dissolve encrustation from delicate objects. I have recovered many great objects from bahamian conglomerates including a beautiful gold filled pocket watch. It takes all kinds of techniques for some tough items and iron item are the toughest to recover without damaging. Kevin ill get in depth with some techniques and examples later tonight....I have to work if you can believe that !! Let me try and find the gold watch thread !!

 

[Blak bart]

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/beach-shallow-water/627872-silver-conglomerate-bahamas-eqx.html

Here's one with silver objects kevin....cracked most of these silver pieces out of the conglomerate with careful gentle tapping and wiggling the objects free....after that a little muriatic acid and water bath to dissolve sand and oxidation concretion !!

 

[Blak bart]

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/today-s-finds/529578-gold-pocket-watch-spanish-wells-bahamas.html
Here's another kevin....I dissolved most of this concretion with 50/50 muriatic acid.....it took alot of time and I monitored the process carefully. Had to change the bath several times to have complete success....the gold was stained from the process, but polished up beautifully in the end !!

 

[SADS 669]

Thanks Bart, you’re the best

 

[Blak bart]

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/t...wells-bahamas-conglomerate-yeilds-statue.html

 

[Blak bart]

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/t...ate-yeilds-jewelry-spanish-wells-bahamas.html

For delicate items like these i had to definitely use the acid method !! To delicate to bang on !!

 

[Bill]

I am one of the original Lucaya Treasure Boys, and Blak Bart is spot on about recovery.

 

[SADS 669]

Thanks Bill,

 

[ARC]

Sledge hammers work wonders.

:P

But listen to mom's advice ... "DONT USE YOUR TEETH" !

 

[SADS 669]

Thank you so much, most helpful!

 

[TRG]

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/beach-shallow-water/627872-silver-conglomerate-bahamas-eqx.html

Here's one with silver objects kevin....cracked most of these silver pieces out of the conglomerate with careful gentle tapping and wiggling the objects free....after that a little muriatic acid and water bath to dissolve sand and oxidation concretion !!

Posted on your bookmark thread Bart. Very interesting!

 

[smokeythecat]

Truth be told I never took the cemented on sand off my Delaware shipwreck coin. It just looks cool with that on it.

 

[crashbandicoot]

Thanks guys,learned something today.All this time I thought conglomerate was a word for just like a big mess of stuff!

 

[Blak bart]

Hey kevin...is your conglomerate mainly rust ? Or is it more sand and coral ? Non ferrous items can be quite protected and come out nice in the rust conglomerates. But the iron objects do better in a sand concretion it seems. Rust conglomerate usally means the iron objects have deteriorated.....but the non ferrous items can be in good shape as the iron in contact will act as a zinc and protect silver !!

 

[Blak bart]

Man....im missing out on all the fun in the scuba hermit cave !!

 

[SADS 669]

Not found anything that needs releasing from conglomerate, I was just asking in case I do?

 

[Darren in NC]

Not found anything that needs releasing from conglomerate, I was just asking in case I do?

Suuuurrrre...wink, wink...

 

[SADS 669]

Get Stuffed Talley!!

 

[xaos]

Yes, the composition of the "conglomerate" is the key...

acid based, electrolysis, ultrasonic....

first step is to get a good xray to see what your got.
I found the best, and cheapest is to find a veterinarian that does field visits. These are the largest and most powerful xray devices (and the cheapest!) You get a big well defined image...

with this, you can start with a CO2 bath or other light acid such as oxalic to loosen it up, (limeaway used to have oxalic acid, which made it soo good)
or if from the xray, you know there is nothing there, uses an engraver/dremel to start removing pieces...this will cut down on the soak time.
Watch the acid though, muriatic will stain some metals...
I usually go to electrolysis before acid. this with an the engraver or dremel...