>I have a fairly "fresh dead" cowrie with what looks like some algae
>dis-coloring.  It won't come off by scraping at it and I'm loathe to
>try wiping some bleach over it.  Any suggestions as to how I might
>remove it?
>
>Chris

Stick it in your mouth for a couple of hours.

I couldn't resist...

Honestly, bleach won't hurt glossy shells. The gloss is due to the
carbonate, which is not soluble in sodium hypochlorite (laundry
bleach).

>try oiling the shell. It does some wonders...

Beware microfractures. The oil will penetrate these and a short way
into the shell on either side, leaving a slight darkening along the
crack. This happens with any glazed shell eg cypraeids, volutids and
marginellids. I no longer oil these.
--
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin
New Zealand
Fossil preparator
<[log in to unmask]>
Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut

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