Soot

Robien van Gulik <teyler [at] euronet__nl> writes:

>has anyone on
>the list any experience in removal of soot and smoke from objects?

I have worked on several soot and smoke damaged wooden objects and
generally speaking have obtained the best results using a mechanical
eraser (specifically a cordless Koh-I-Noor) with a vinyl eraser tip.
Having said that however,  it has been my experience that the
response of soot to treatment varies considerably over the object
(likely due to the varying amounts of heat different parts of the
object are subjected to).  I have usually had to use additional
treatment approaches, such as other mechanical cleaning methods or
wet cleaning methods where possible.  The presence of a surface
coating can  make removal easier if the soot is sitting on top of
the coating for the most part.  But if there has been intense heat,
the coating and soot are usually quite intimately bonded, leaving
one to face a decision about complete or partial removal of the
surface coating.

Conservators at The Canadian Conservation Institute have had
experience treating a wide variety of objects as a result of a
museum fire in Ottawa. I suggest you get in touch with Tom Stone
(tom_stone [at] pch__gc__ca) at the Institute.  He might also be able to
put you in touch with the conservators who treated objects after a
major fire at the The Royal Saskatchewan Museum .

Marsha Selick
Objects Conservator
58 Duncannon Drive
Toronto, Ontario M5P 2M2
Canada

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 10:15
                  Distributed: Friday, August 2, 1996
                       Message Id: cdl-10-15-005
                                  ***