Jim Gordon
Fri, 22 Sep 2000 15:51:06 -0700
While I agree wholeheartedly with the admonition against applying any substance to a gravestone, even application of water is a bad idea -- it can seep into the minute cracks and crevices and cause damage. Besides, not all gravestones were made of granite, some were marble (less well known as calcium carbonate). Calcium carbonate is very suhject to erosion by all sorts of acidic materials, especially chlorine and fluorine. As we should all know, both of these substances are abundant in tap water. The mirror trick is highly recommended by professional genealogists; however, the glass mirror from K-Mart is a bad idea. As anyone who has ever prowled a graveyard is well aware, they are full of little bumps and snags and roots that can cause one to trip. And when you do, carrying this huge mirror, what happens? The mirror goes one way, you go the other and all of a sudden you are surrounded by shards of broken glass. A better idea is that advanced by George Morgan of "Ancestry Daily News." He recommends a polished metal mirror. He aslo suggests a solution for the lack of a third hand to hold the mirror: An artist's easel, or similar tripod to prop the mirror against. You set the tripod up close to where you are surveying, angle the mirror until you get the view you want. Then put the mirror against the tripod, walk back and click away! Cheers Jim Gordon Laurel, MD USA richhart wrote: > > FYI > more headstone info from another list.. > > From: "Gail Meyer Kilgore" > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: [CO-CEMETERIES] Gravestone Pictures > Date: Mon, 4 Sep 2000 23:40:29 -0700 > > The Association of Gravestone Studies recommends that > nothing be used on > stones but perhaps a spraying of plain water and - > carefully - a soft brush. > No chalk, no shaving cream, no toothpaste. Harmless as > they are to humans, > the chemicals can enter into minute fissures in the old > stones and cause > damage over time. > > To take pictures of the stones use a large mirror. Buy an > inexpensive one > about 5 feet tall and 2 feet wide from K Mart. You do > need a helper for > this, to hold the mirror to reflect light at an angle. > Some of those soft > white stones that are impossible to read come into sharp > relief using this > method. No matter the time of day. It even works on a > lightly overcast day. > > Rubbing is prohibited in most of the old cemeteries. > > ==== LDS-GENEALOGY Mailing List ==== -- ! ==== LDS-GENEALOGY Mailing List ==== LDS-GENEALOGY-L FAQ location: http://members.tripod.com/~Genealogy_Infocenter/ldsgen-list.html