[Rockhounds] Repairing Herkimer Clusters

[Donald Tuttle]

> What glue do you all recommend for reattaching a herkimer crystal to the  rest of the crystal group?  I tried elmer's (don't think it's going to 
work; can't keep my hand still long enough).



Darryl:
I've been doing minor repairs to Herk clusters for nearly 20 years using a  gel-type cyanoacrylate glue.The stuff goes under dozens of brand names  but look for some wording like 'crazy glue gel'  or 'instant gel' on the packaging. A small dollop at the point of contact between the crystal and the substrate is usually enough to reattach the Herk securely in a minute or two. 

Don't try to use the regular version of this glue--it's too runny and just dribbles out on the rock and gives the specimen a fake, spilled varnish look that cries out "I'm repaired, I'm repaired!" look. If you can see the glue spot with the naked eye, then it's a lousy restoration,  in my book. 

It is an edict of ethical mineral collecting conduct that specimens not be faked in any way, or enhanced by adding crystals to the cluster that 
weren't there as provided by nature. I have seen specimens displayed at mineral shows with crystals glued willy nilly across the face of a piece of rock obviously not even the correct dolomite parent rock. One time, I found a dealer with quartz Herks glued in holes of broken pieces of red brick because he thought they made better, more colorful tabletop decor specimens that way! 

Crazy glue gel is totally reversible by swabbing the glue joint with acetone nail polish remover (using proper ventilation, of course) and waiting a few minutes for the glue to dissolve and the remover to evaporate. Elmer's Glue-All is a casein-type  glue suitable for bonding most porous materials such as paper and cloth, and semi-porous materials like wood or pottery, not rocks or minerals. 
Donald L. Tuttle 

 



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