Adhesives for baleen

Jim Wortman <jim [at] talbot-ship-and-rail__com> writes

>Does anyone have any experience with adhesives compatible with
>baleen?  ...

Although my experience with baleen is limited, I have found that
many types of hard animal tissue are softened by immersion in warm
5% Decon-90 (aqueous) surfactant or any other neutral pH detergent.
Baleen should become quite malleable after an hour or two in such a
solution and will dry out to its normal rigidity afterwards but will
require rinsing in dionised water to remove traces of the
surfactant, following treatment.

Simon Moore, MIScT, FLS, ACR,
Senior Conservator of Natural Sciences.
Hampshire County Council
Recreation and Heritage Department
Museums and Archives Service
Chilcomb House, Chilcomb Lane
Winchester SO23 8RD, UK
+44 1962 826737


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 20:36
                Distributed: Saturday, January 27, 2007
                       Message Id: cdl-20-36-002
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