How to Take care of Carved Seashells

Carved Sea Shells are beautiful and are used to make cameo jewelry or the top of the shell is carved to make a paper weight. Sardonyx and Carnelian are the type of seashell that are used. They do need special care to keep them looking good. Here are some tips on how to do that.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Seashell

1. 
   Carved Seashell

   Take the time to dust your shell, especially the deep ridges in the cameo. Dust will settle in there and begin to darken the color over time. If yours already has a lot of dust on it then go to step 2.

2. 
   Otherside of seashell

   You can rinse a shell off to remove the dust, just make sure you dry it thoroughly with a soft cotton cloth. Do not use soap or any other cleaner as it may leave a residue or scratch the surface. Do not rub hard, a rinse is all you need. Do not leave your shell to soak as it is not necessary will take off the finish that was put on by the carver.

3. 

   Your shell was oiled and buffed by the carver before you got it. To keep the luster you should oil the shell about once a year. Do not use Olive oil as it will eventually turn the shell yellow. Use mineral oil instead.

4. 

   Store your shell in a padded case or out of direct sunlight. UV rays will fade the color after many years and it will be so subtle you may not notice it at first. You want it to remain the same color as when you got it.

[betterbody]

on 7/7/2009 I learned something new reading your eHow article on taking care of carved seashells! Thanks.