Simple Method to Preserve Dive Artifacts, Pottery Shards, Sand Dollars, Sea Biscuits and More
When I was doing some top-secret black water diving searching for early Indian artifacts, I learned how to preserve delicate artifacts the way the professionals do.
Here’s a recipe for easily preserving your dive find such as delicate sand dollars and sea biscuits! It works on pottery shards, wood artifacts, just about anything that is porous.
The beauty of it is that the mixture not only adds strength and durability, but also results in a matte finish that is not even noticeable.
Preservation Mixture Recipe:
1 part Elmer’s Glue
1 part water
That’s it! That’s the secret mixture!
Use a fairly soft paintbrush to combine the mixture, then paint it on your artifacts. As long as they are soaking up the fluid, keep painting.
I place mine in recycled lids so they don’t stick, and I can move them around. Any drips are contained – and usually soaked up by the thirsty pieces.
Allow them at least 24 hours to dry. Attempt another coat – if the mixture rolls off, they are saturated and your job is done.
Your brushes will clean easily in lukewarm running water.
On one attempt, I over-saturated some sand dollars, and they became glassy-looking. I simply ran warm water, and rubbed them extremely gently to remove some of the mixture. I then tilted them in a container, and tilted the container so they could “drain” overnight. Glossiness solved.
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My gorgeous UPF shirt made of recycled ghost nets! This rash guard is UPF 50+ Broad Spectrum made from recycled fishing nets and other discarded waste material. Stream2Sea has generously given me a discount code “KimW” for you to use at the checkout at checkout to save 10%. Divers and non-divers will love that it block UV rays and is chemical-free, just like their sunscreen!
Elmer’s Glue is such a standby. I use enough to purchase it by the gallon! Of course, don’t use glitter glue or anything much wilder than the “all purpose” variety. I find the no-name brands are about the same price, so I’ve always stuck with name brand for my precious artifacts.
Soft Craft Brushes come in all sizes.
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