Thanks you Gary. This is a very informative site. Maybe now we can get on with other postings. Dawn on a beautiful sunset night in Toronto Canada -----Original Message----- From: G. J. Vincent [mailto:ny2nj2co@att.net] Sent: September 17, 2004 6:29 PM To: CA-ONT-CEMETERIES-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [ON-CEM] Shaving cream on tombstones Brock Way wrote: > > Shaving cream simply does NOT harm the tombstone, and > if washed away, does NOT leave any residue. Think > about it - the principle solvent in the can is water > (it is the #1 ingredient), and the other ingredients > do not partition in the can. So how could the same > ingredients magically become insoluble in the SAME > solvent when applied in even greater volume later? > That notion simply defies the laws of physics. > Folks, I'm just an engineer, not an expert on stones. However, I do have some knowledge of physics and chemistry (organic and inorganic), and I know the difference between an emulsion and a solution. Shaving cream contains several organic acids, numerous oils, dyes, propylene glycol, and various glycerides. Some of these penetrate the stone matrix, and do NOT simply rinse off. They can damage the stone, or become nutrients for various organisms that can also be harmful. The Association for Gravestone Studies (http://www.gravestonestudies.org/), among others, state that shaving cream should NEVER be used on stones. I am more inclined to believe them than some unidentified source. Lacking any authoritative data to the contrary, I would never put anything other than light and water on a stone. If there is enough indentation to fill with shaving cream, chalk (an abrasive), or other foreign material, those same hollows can be filled with shadow by using grazing illumination. With only light touching the stone, I KNOW that I have done no harm. Gary Vincent Colorado, USA ==== CA-ONT-CEMETERIES Mailing List ==== READ the taglines! Before you ask for a lookup ...check http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~silentguardians ============================== Gain access to over two billion names including the new Immigration Collection with an Ancestry.com free trial. Click to learn more. http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=4930&sourceid=1237