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Realized I was scrubbing pot sherds with a wire brush for months

Saw this post about cleaning techniques on here. Felt proud of how clean my pieces were. Then someone at the lab asked why I had so many scratch marks. Turns out wire brushes destroy the surface and can erase tiny markings. Got a soft toothbrush now and a soak method. Anyone have a go-to cleaning routine they trust?

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kimr102mo ago

OUCH I feel this so hard. Did the exact SAME thing with a medieval pottery rim - scrubbed it raw with a Brillo pad thinking I was being thorough. My supervisor just stared at me like I'd murdered someone. Now I use a bamboo skewer and distilled water soak, just let the crud dissolve slowly.

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king.wyatt2mo ago

Three weeks into my first field school I was sitting there with a DREMEL trying to clean a piece of Roman Samian ware. Everyone thought I was insane but I was just trying to get the dirt off. My instructor literally took the tool out of my hand and handed me a toothbrush and a bowl of water. I felt so dumb but hey at least I learned before I wrecked too many pieces. Soft toothbrushes and patience are the way to go for sure. Bamboo skewers sound perfect for the stubborn stuff though I might steal that idea from your supervisor lol.

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