<<well, ok,
masses of corroded ferrous blobs...I have no  problem discarding), >>


I cringe when reading this sort of statement. I distinctly recall a slide  
show at a former SHA Conference in which a blob of rust had been x-rayed and  
found to contain a precise mold of a weapon. When drilled, the conservator  
poured a liquid inside that set up in a day or so. Then, they skillfully cracked  
the rusted outer surface to reveal a precise casting of the weapon inside. In  
the ocean, metal converts to oxides that bond with the surrounding sediments, 
 leaving molds of things like knives, pistols, cannon balls, and jewelry 
boxes.  Can you imagine discarding one of those rusty blobs? 
 
Ron May
Legacy 106, Inc.