Steve-
I'm sure I speak for everyone on the list when I say that I hope you've
made sure those cannonballs are not still live, before you go trying any
"agressive conservation."  You might destroy more than "study
opportunity"....
 
Incidentally, there's a great photo of Norman Barka at Yorktown Battlefield
in the 1970s, casually leaning his hand on what later turned out to be one
of five 150-lb live  cannonballs ("Clues to America's Past" - Special
Publications Division, National Geographic Society, 1976:p.160).
 
Cheers,
-Jack Eastman
[log in to unmask]
 
----------
> From: Steve Boxley <[log in to unmask]>
> To:
> Subject: Regarding metal conservation by annealing
> Date: Monday, June 01, 1998 5:21 PM
>
> All,
>    The general consensus from the replies I have received both on and off
> the list is that this type of aggressive conservation technique destroys
> alot of study opportunity.  The artifacts I was looking into trying this
> technique on are cannonballs.  I know there are cheaper and easier ways
> to do this kind of large ferrous object, but I simply wanted to try
> something new (other than the hammer and chisel method!).  Besides, who
> has the money for any of these archaeometallurgist studies.  I know,
> maybe in the future.  Don't worry about it, I will not knowingly destroy
> any possible information routes available to us!  Thank you for all who
> responded.
>
> --
> Steve Boxley,  Ja.T., M.N.
> The Virginia Foundation for Archaeological Research, Inc.
> [log in to unmask]
>