Many thanks Emily.
I have tried cutting wheels (takes for ever and you need a very steady
hand and sometimes the wheel catches and pops out the transfomer circuit
breaker, yay!!) Heat - I am nervous in case it cracks an older piece of
glass (red-hot pokers too and sounds like that could end in tears!!)
Not (yet) familiar with the Fein range of tools.
Chem's, have had suggested a caustic poultice with sodium hydroxide -
definitely a job for rubber gloves, linseed oil can be effective but a
bit slow (?) and paraffin. There must be something that's fairly quick
and effective and doesn't hopefully involve corrosives, flammables, heat
- erm! Or will my gravestone (eventually) be engraved "He hated putty!"
?
Many thanks everyone and keep the suggestions coming.
With all good wishes,
Simon Moore, MIScT, FLS, ACR,
Senior Conservator of Natural Sciences.
Hampshire County Council,
Department of Culture, Communities and Rural Affairs,
Museums & Archives Service,
Chilcomb House, Chilcomb Lane,
Winchester SO23 8RD. UK.
Internal 8 327 6737
01962 826737
http://www.hants.gov.uk/museum/biology
-----Original Message-----
From: The Natural Science Collections Association discussion list
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Emily Mayer
Sent: 28 August 2009 13:11
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Old Putty
Hi Simon, if chemicals don't work you could try heat, My C1940's 'Home
Mechanic' book says 'very hard putty can be softened by holding a
red-hot iron against it' (then talks about heating up pokers!) probably
the best modern way would be with an electric soldering iron.
Otherwise maybe a tool like a Dremel with a suitable bit such as a
diamond or grinding wheel. Fein also make a great tool which oscillates
rather than spins which might work well.
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