You would think there would be a clear non invasive polyurethane based preservative that could be painted over what little remains of these old stones. I realize as field researchers and collectors of information, none of us has the authority to do this, but it just seems since we're aware of the deterioration problem, there surely must be a solution to control additional deterioration and that this might be a far better solution than everyone coming along rubbing stones just to gleem a couple of letters or numbers. Once this preservative has been applied and a resistant surface achieved, rubbing becomes less of an issue to the stone. Just a thought. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joanne Gaudio" <jgaudio@charter.net> To: <ohbelmon@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2006 9:50 AM Subject: Re: [OHBELMON] My trip to Belmont County...using crayons? >I hate to be a voice of dissent, but after seeing first hand the fragile > state of some of the old gravestones in Belmont Co., I sure hope folks are > using good hard common sense when deciding how to "read" them. I visited > an > ancestor's grave this past summer in the St. Clairsville Methodist Church > Cemetery, and I was very sorry to see how that old red sandstone (if > that's > what it is) that some of the old monuments were made from, has crumbled. > It > just seems to flake off. My particular stone had a nice big, starkly > white, > bird dropping on it too, but I didn't try to wipe it off because I was > afraid of causing more erosion. The cemetery book had mentioned a repair > on > the stone that obliterated part of the date, but it was actually just a > spot > where the facing had crumbled away. ANY sort of touching would cause more > erosion on many of those old stones. So please, please folks, be very > cautious and err on the side of NOT touching when in doubt. Even tape can > be destructive, as can rubbing over paper with a pencil. My husband took > the best pictures he could and has worked on making them clear back at > home > with his Adobe Photoshop - not a perfect solution, but one that does no > further harm to the stone. Joanne Gaudio > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > OHBELMON-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.0.409 / Virus Database: 268.13.21/509 - Release Date: > 10/31/2006 > >

I agree....it's a shame that something can't be done, although I wonder just how many old graves would actually get any attention. The problem is, of course, that unless something is an economic money maker, no one is going to work and experiment to come up with a substance that will do the trick Another aspect is that often, what seems like a good idea today, may well prove to have been a disaster in 10 years....look at all the permanent records that well meaning people have plastic-coated......and earlier restorations on paintings that now have to be removed, etc. Whoever did those in the first place were trying their best...but, they just made things worse. Sandra " You would think there would be a clear non invasive polyurethane based preservative that could be painted over what little remains of these old stones. " -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.409 / Virus Database: 268.13.20/508 - Release Date: 10/31/2006