I never cease to be amazed at the unprofessional responses made to this list. Is no one allowed to make a mistake anymore? It is far too easy, in this medium, to disregard professional courtesy and opt for so-called sarcasm/humor. I, for one, hope this is not becoming a lasting trend. Sincerely, Bill Stirrat >"...just a topic for conservation and feed back." "...no lectures about >calling conservators." > >Assume the position and imagine the flame. > >"Consider the possibility," Jack said, with a tight grin, "that a >misinformed curator, too cheap to call in a conservator, and too short of >time to reference the literature may have over done some leather dressing >and that what looks for all the world like white mold is fatty spue. > >"You could have removed the spue and reduced the reservoir of fat with a >reasonably safe solvent such as VM&P naptha. But, No! You had to >compound the problem with saddle soap! > >"One of these days, you should live so long, you'll learn that good >advice, early on, is cheap at half the price. However, given the way >you're going now, you'll likely end up becoming a museum director." > >Jack C. Thompson >Thompson Conservation Lab. >Portland, OR > >[log in to unmask] >[log in to unmask] >http://www.teleport.com/~tcl/index.html > >On Thu, 14 Mar 1996 [log in to unmask] wrote: > >> We have in our collection leather bridles, halters, reins, saddles, >> saddlebags and so forth that have a white "bloom," which I'm assuming is >> mold. It wipes clean, and I've used basic saddle soap which also removes >> the film. The items are stored in a climate controlled HVAC building, but >> I'm wondering if there isn't enough air circulation. Has anyone else had >> this problem? >> Please, no lectures about calling conservators. This is just a topic for >> conservation and feedback. >> Thanks. >> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ William H. Stirrat (Bill) Evaluator/Market Researcher ? ! Our Minnesota Science Hall o Science Museum of Minnesota /( )\ 30 East 10th Street /\ St. Paul, MN 55101 [log in to unmask] As always, opinions expressed are my own. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~