[Bonetools] cleaning concretions off bone/antler surfaces

[h13017cho at helka.iif.hu]

Herman Boehm sent me this query which I am now passing on to the
rest of you. Iusualy pick the looser bits off with a dental tool. I have also
suggested ulta-sound. This is a real problem in the basicsoils in this
part of the world.

Alice

Hello,
I don´t know if you can remember me from your visits in vienna last
winter/spring. I´m one of the students of Karl Kunst and we had a short
discussion last winter about some strange late neolithic cattle rib tools.
i´m writing to you because of a specific problem (karl gave me your e-mail
address and said i should ask you..): do you know a quite fast, low budget
method to remove sinter from bones and antler without facing the risk of
surface damage? the "normal" method in vienna would be to use a acidic
solution but i think the risk for rather small surface modifications is
too high. the bones themself are pretty well preserved but i don´t have
any experience in this subject of restauration. mechanical methods seem
also quite risky to me. all other methods i heard of or read about should
be quite time consuming and expansive and since this is the material for
my masters degree I'm not financed and can´t spend a lot of money and also
can´t afford to wait for another year or so...
it would be great if you could write me your opinion what to do.
i hope to hear from you and
wish you all the best
Herbert Boehm