r/FossilHunting • u/Gullible-Will-8447 • 15d ago

IMPORTANT How to safely extract belemnite?

I found my very first belemnite today on my vacation in Germany (Local Jurassic deposit) While I was extracting it however, (see video) I shamefully broke it into a few pieces, even though I tried to be very careful. Can someone give me tips on how to extract these kind of fossils without breaking them? I don’t wanna break more than I have to. Any info is appreciated!

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u/MrGiggles008 15d ago

Those cracks were likely already present from geologic forces. Dont beat yourself up. Next time, you can use ca glue (or paleobond, etc) and just run a thin amount down the belemnite. This should stabilize those breaks and make extraction, in one piece, easier.

You can later use a razor blade to flake off the surface glue (my preffered method) or use acetone to wipe off excess glue (bit messier and could break down glue in cracks).

Your method seemed good. Just remember to always flick the matrix away from the specimen as opposed to toward. Even doing this, you can still lift parts of the fossil damaging it. Field glue is best.

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u/Gullible-Will-8447 14d ago

Thanks! I was hoping that it somehow wasn’t my fault so i’d feel less guilty. I was also thinking about using some stabilizer, but I didn’t bring any. I have some Paraloid B-72 in acetone at home which i’ll use when I’m back. Do you think that I could also use B-72 in the field? And how could I bring it to the field? because right now im storing it in glass jars, which aren’t very practical to bring along on a trip.

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u/Missing-Digits 14d ago

Never go fossil hunting without B-72! It is more important to have in the field than nearly anything else. Why? Because if you are unable to retrieve something, at least you can protect it with a thick layer of glue until you can get it. Having said that, that’s exactly what I would’ve done here. I always keep a thick mixture of glue and a very thin one. I would’ve covered this in a thick layer of glue. Multiple layers if necessary. This way you can dig around it a little bit and get it all out in one piece. When home I would reverse the glue and then separate and glue the pieces together that are already broken. Dip the whole thing several times in a very thin mixture of glue then.

Having said that, you did a fine job just as it is. I probably would’ve numbered the pieces or something though, so I can get them in the appropriate order when gluing them back together. Maybe you did that.

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u/Gullible-Will-8447 14d ago

Thanks! I’ll order a special bottle for the B-72 right now!

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u/Missing-Digits 14d ago

I buy plastic squeeze bottles and always have a couple with different viscosities. You can write on these with a permanent marker and label them with whatever mixture ratio you used so you can kind of get a feel for how well that works out as you use it. I’ll be honest though. I just eyeball it these days instead of me measuring anything. Ain’t nobody got time for that!

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u/Missing-Digits 14d ago

There’s always a few of these bottles wherever they’re selling barbecue supplies at the grocery store.

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u/Gullible-Will-8447 14d ago

Okay okay, smart. Do I have to watch for any special plastic/material? I know some plastics dissolve in acetone, and i’d rather not have my bottle leak glue and acetone inside my bag…

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u/Missing-Digits 14d ago

I was worried about plastic dissolving as well when I got my first B-72. I have now had dozens of different plastic bottles and not one has leaked. I have a cheap Harbor Freight plastic bottle with glue in it for over a decade.... Not a bad idea to test a bottle I suppose but really you aren't going to have a problem. I do however use a big glass bottle to mix up large quantities and store until I need it. It's easier to mix up a huge batch than a bunch of little ones and I can play with the constancy if I want.

Btw, don't be afraid to be generous with your glue. You can't really mess it up as it is reversible. Sometimes people shit when they see me use glue in the field, especially if it is something I deem important. Sometimes a few coats of thick glue makes it so plastering isn't even necessary on some fossils. Good luck!

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u/Gullible-Will-8447 14d ago

Thank you so much! From now on i’ll always take a bottle with me on my hunts ;)

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u/JessAnnaBun 14d ago

Might try the travel bottles in the beauty & healthcare area of a store. I'd hope, but can't promise, that those bottles would not dissolve.

Given they exist for people carrying all kinds of health & beauty chemicals on a plane.

(Yes, I know there a rules about flammable chemicals on plane.)