There are all sorts of reasons you shouldn't do this. BUT after using bleach, I find that narsty lime deposits can be removed by using muriatic acid. You gotta be careful. Use a cue-tip, and do it at a sink with running water. Small drop, fizz, wash off, examine.
   And, oh yes, the same acid can be used to remove discolorations on dentures. Same careful proceedure.
    Art
>
> From: Andrew Grebneff <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: 2004/12/02 Thu AM 05:30:40 EST
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Cleaning Delicate Varices
>
> >Ceratostoma coreanicum
>
> That'a a new one to me... do you have images?
>
> >I would appreciate any advice in this regard.  Does any of you have
> >experience with ultrasonic de-scaling, such as dentists do, with a
> >cleaning tip instead of a soak tank.  As M. Monfils pointed out a few
> >years ago, that tank cavitation can't remove the calcification, although
> >it, like bleach, might remove organic material in the layers and make them
> >more susceptible to removal, but his (your, M. Monfils) comments did not
> >address the de-scaling use of ultrasound.  Is it likely that that would
> >help?
>
> An ultrasonic bath won't loosen deposits very well, but can split
> fractured shells.
>
> I have used an ultrasonic scaler with good results on fossils, and it
> would probably work for softer encrustations on Recent shells. The
> scaler I had was an old unit with a watercooled transducer... the
> watercooling wasn't working, so it eventually overhearted and died.
> --
> Andrew Grebneff
> Dunedin
> New Zealand
> Fossil preparator
> <[log in to unmask]>
> Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> [log in to unmask] - a forum for informal discussions on molluscs
> To leave this list, click on the following web link:
> http://listserv.uga.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=conch-l&A=1
> Type your email address and name in the appropriate box and
> click leave the list.
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>

PLEASE NOTE: My new, long-term, and correct email address is: [log in to unmask] Please update your records!

----------------------------------------------------------------------
[log in to unmask] - a forum for informal discussions on molluscs
To leave this list, click on the following web link:
http://listserv.uga.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=conch-l&A=1
Type your email address and name in the appropriate box and
click leave the list.
----------------------------------------------------------------------