Sealing real sea shells

[MermaidAqua]

So I just got back from France where we had loads of fun on the beach, some of which including finding loads of really cute shells! The tide came in a long way which brought loads of shells in but also went out again a long way leaving them in dry easy to sift through sand. Me and my sister found tons and spent ages looking for them until she found a hermit crab and freaked the hell out :lol: not that her reaction was funny or anything... (terrible sister alert) But enough back story I was wondering if I could use the shells for jewellery? I would really appreciate some tips on how to clean them and seal then, would a few layers of glue work or would I need to dip them in full on silicone? The shells aren't to big the biggest being maybe 5-6 cm wide? (as an estimate) Thanks in advance for any tips and as always feel free to move this thread if its in the wrong place ~MermaidAqua

[shimmygoddess]

I am interested in this answer too. I already drilled the holes and had planned to spray mine with a clear lacquer sealant. clueless though..LOL

[Miyu]

I know marine-grade clear resin (Like they use on the hulls of boats and ships, I think?) is waterproof, strong, and great at sealing all kinds of jewelry :) And you can get a big bucket fairly cheap (at least, more cost-effective than super-strong waterproof crafting resing).

[MermaidAqua]

Thanks for the advice Moonlight Mermaid , I will have to see what Homebase has as DIY in the UK is never as simple as it seems in the U.S! And can I ask how you drilled the holes in your shells Shimmy Goddess

[Mermaid Kalliope]

>> I just use clear nail polish... I've been trying to find something better.

[PearlieMae]

Cleaning shells is no harder than scrubbing with warm soapy water and rinsing them well. Let them dry thoroughly before coating them with anything. You can drill holes into shells with a rotary tool like a Dremel, just be sure to wear a particle mask and/or drill them outside...the calcium of the shell is not good to breathe in! Go slowly so the shell doesn't overheat, and rather than use a drill bit, I prefer to use a grinding tip...looks like a pointed eraser with grit. Drill the holes before coating with anything.

You can seal your shells with any spray polyurethane for a glossy or satin finish, or coat with a thick resin coating like Enviro-Tex. Just not both! Any spray coating will de-gas and the resin on top will never cure properly. Make sure you let them sit for at least a week, to ensure the coating has hardened completely.

Practice on some not-so-perfect shells until you get good at it. Good luck!

[MermaidAqua]

Thanks everyone! Ill definitely be trying all of these idea's, Ill probably use clear nail polish on the smaller shells for charms and as soon as I get some lion-claw shells for a top ill look for something a bit more heavy duty. This is why I love mernetwork, everyone is so friendly thanks again guys :)

[shimmygoddess]

My husband used his drill press and went very slow. I found a clear laquer spray at the Hardware store that seems to work. there was a satin and glossy option

[Aziara]

I wasn't even aware that the shells should be sealed! Will chlorine and seawater damage them if I do not seal them?

[PearlieMae]

You don't have to seal them. A lot of times they look better just natural. Sealing them just makes them look wet, and a lot of time and enhances the colors. Sea water won't hurt sea shells. Honest. Chlorinated water might bleach them a little.

Don't use clear nail polish. It will chip and peel off and look terrible.

[Aziara]

Oh, so it's for the wet-look to bring out the colors! :doh: I just always used oil... It does have to be reapplied every time they get wet though.

[Miyu]

Yeah, I used to use nail polish to seal polymer clay, to paint things, etc... I've learned to just leave it for my nails, because either it flakes and peels and yellows, or it turns all gummy and kind of yellow.

I'm wondering if clear wood sealer would work for things like this... they *are* porous, aren't they? In particular, I have a small piece of white coral that I want to protect from breaking and chlorine and the like. If I dipped it in, let it soak, then let it dry, and repeat a few times, do you guys think that would work? (I did not buy or harvest this coral, it was among the many craft supplies I found when I moved to this house, so please don't think I'm contributing to coral harvesting)

[PearlieMae]

I would use something like Enviro-Tex resin to protect your pieces of coral. its very thick and cures hard, and it should protect your corals fairly easily.

Experiment on scrap first!

[MermaidAqua]

Oh! I didn't even realise they didn't have to be sealed, I probably still will seal some shells tho, for example a got a 1/2 KG bag of maybe 30 smallish shells at HobbyCraft (its like a British hobby lobby) I found them with the glass vases and fake flowers? The colours are great but lots of them have chipped or broken already, would sealing them help prevent cracking? Or would it have no effect at all? That was one of the main reasons I wanted to seal them :confused:

[shimmygoddess]

I decided to seal the shells I find on the beach b/c when they are not wet, they just do not look as pretty. All the shells I buy in the stores, must already be sealed with something as they have a sheen. I have also painted some shells and have a glitter paint that did not handle the water well, so I figured sealing those would be a good idea :)

[Miyu]

PearlieMae, you are such a wealth of information! When I have the funds for more mermaid supplies, I shall be picking up some of that Enviro-tex for sure... Where does one normally find it? Home Depot? Any special formula we should be on the lookout for?

Sorry, you just know all of the things, haha... :D

[PearlieMae]

No need to apologize! I'm happy to help!

You might be able to find Envirotex at Home Depot, because it is used to seal table tops, but you can definitely find it at craft stores like Michaels, etc. It's Envirotex Lite high gloss finish. There is really only one formula. It's a one to one mix, follow the instructions is the best way to use it. If you wrap your shells with wire, you can dip the shells and hang them to drip, otherwise, if you must lay them down, lay them on waxed paper or freezer paper. Mix a very small batch at a time, test on some scrap pieces to get the hang. Don't touch them for 24 hours! Drips can be trimmed off with an Xacto knife easier after the first day, but then will harden completely to a glass like finish in a couple of days to a week, depending on humidity.It is very sticky when wet, use gloves! Baby wipes will clean it off your hands while wet. If you are pouring it on something flat, bubbles can be removed by breathing on it with a straw. Gently blowing works because the carbon dioxide in your breath breaks the bubbles, not the force of your air.

There are lots of good videos on youtube on how to use it!

[PearlieMae]

Also! Very important! Don't use Envirotex over any kind of spray on sealer like lacquer or polyurethane! It will never harden and will stay gummy and sticky. You can use it over acrylic like Mod Podge or white glue or clear acrylic craft paint. In fact, if you decide to use it over paper, it's best to seal it with acrylics first.

[Miyu]

Wow, thanks for all the info! :D

[PearlieMae]

You betcha!

[MermaidAqua]

Thanks again PearlieMae guess I know what I'm doing this weekend then :) Homebase trip!

[PearlieMae]

I'm assuming you are in the UK, but I could be wrong. But here's a link to show you what you're looking for:

http://www.clarke-coatings.co.uk/envirotex.html

I didn't see it on their website, but you can get it through amazon.uk

[Mary Marine]

Thanks for the info! I just bought a bunch of shells and am still deciding how I want to finish them.

Quick question: should the back of the shells be sealed or left natural if they are going to be glued to a bra? I know it might depend on how you seal them or what glue you use, but I was curious what you guys have tried.

[Blaze]

Has anyone sealed sea horses before? I LOVE them and really want to add them into my necklace and more but:

1) Is it possible to get them from a humane supplier? i don't want them to be killed to accessorize my outfits

2) How do you seal them?

[Aziara]

I would think that dried seahorses would be very delicate... Not sure if there is actually a way to humanely dry out a seahorse--I'm pretty sure if it's already dead, it would decay too quickly to dry out right. Unless you have a tank of them and you just wait out the normal lifespan and yank it from the water as soon as it dies. Maybe a realistic plastic or resin seahorse would work? Like this? http://www.etsy.com/listing/162011579/seahorse-tiny-pendant-on-45cm-fine-shiny?ref=sr_gallery_8&ga_search_query=realistic+seahorse&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=all http://www.props4shows.co.uk/fish__sealife/plastic_seahorse_20_x_3cm/25634_p.html

[PearlieMae]

Thanks for the info! I just bought a bunch of shells and am still deciding how I want to finish them.

Quick question: should the back of the shells be sealed or left natural if they are going to be glued to a bra? I know it might depend on how you seal them or what glue you use, but I was curious what you guys have tried.

I've glued shells to a bra with silicone caulk and it works fine. Sealing them is not really necessary - they spent their entire lives in the water, should not be much different now that they're dead.

[Blaze]

I would think that dried seahorses would be very delicate... Not sure if there is actually a way to humanely dry out a seahorse--I'm pretty sure if it's already dead, it would decay too quickly to dry out right. Unless you have a tank of them and you just wait out the normal lifespan and yank it from the water as soon as it dies. Maybe a realistic plastic or resin seahorse would work? Like this? http://www.etsy.com/listing/162011579/seahorse-tiny-pendant-on-45cm-fine-shiny?ref=sr_gallery_8&ga_search_query=realistic+seahorse&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=all http://www.props4shows.co.uk/fish__sealife/plastic_seahorse_20_x_3cm/25634_p.html

I've tried to find natural looking replicas but no luck; I don't want one that looks fake.

[Aziara]

I've tried to find natural looking replicas but no luck; I don't want one that looks fake.
Understandable, I tend to be very picky about my accessories too. Just seems to me there would have to be decent replicas somewhere--the links I posted weren't from more than a 2 minute search, lol. Maybe try finding 'vegan-friendly dried seahorse'? If I had the time I'd put my google-fu to work :/

[Mermaid Galene]

Please, I beg you, do not buy/wear real dried seahorses. These animals are endangered worldwide, largely because of overfishing for the dried seahorse trade. Dried seahorses are, in fact, illegal in many countries.

I live with live seahorses, and I can tell you they are highly intelligent, emotional, magical animals. To me, killing a seahorse to dry it for display or to grind it up for dubious "medical" uses is like doing the same thing to a dolphin. Before you consider purchasing a slaughtered seahorse, please educate yourself:

http://gurukul.ucc.american.edu/ted/SEAHORSE.HTM

http://www.seahorsehawaii.org

http://seahorse.fisheries.ubc.ca/why-seahorses

[Mermaid Galene]

You can buy very realistic seahorse molds on Etsy. From one of these you can make a polymer clay seahorse and paint it in whatever colors you desire. This is the ethical, and more artistic, alternative to real seahorses.

[Aziara]

Thanks, Galene, I had no idea that so many were taken from the wild! That's terrible! I'll certainly look for a faux seahorse for accessories. I always thought that the pet trade was mostly captive bred too...

[Mermaid Galene]

You're right, pet seahorses are mostly captive bred. I got my first generation from Ocean Rider Seahorse Farm in Hawaii, and they had babies, so now I have a second generation tank. It's really the dried seahorse trade, particularly for Asian markets as an aphrodisiac, that's threatening seahorse populations in the wild (along with pollution and global warming). Thanks for not minding my tirade! I just love seahorses so!

[BayouMermaid]

As someone who works in the aquarium industry, I can confirm that most pet stores are now selling captive bred seahorses, especially as seahorse farms become more popular. That being said, if you are buying a dried seahorse, you can pretty much guarantee that it was plucked from the wild and left to dry in the sun. Sad... :(

[Kishiko]

It is sad what's happening with them ): cruel is all there is to it. But honestly I don't buy into the whole "global warming" thing because the earth is actually cooler now than it was thousands of years ago. That's why there's not any of those giant animals that they've found those fossils for because they required the extreme warm climates to grow that large. Species come and go, it's just the circle of life (:

[Aziara]

As for global warming, you know they used to grow grapes in Norway in Viking times? So yeah, we are much colder nowadays.

[Mermaid Galene]

Um, not to stir up controversy, but the vast majority of scientists worldwide have no doubt at all that global warming is not only happening now, it is happening at a faster rate than even they could have anticipated. Is it colder in some locations than previously? Yes. Are some areas having particularly brutal and snowy winters? Yes. (I live in one of those areas.) And many areas are having unusually beastly hot summers. (Also here.) The severity of storms has also increased many magnitudes beyond what has previously been seen before: super tornadoes, tsunamis, etc. The fact is, the forces that drive weather - ocean currents and atmospheric instability - have been dramatically disrupted by the overall increased temperature of this planet, and it is incontrovertibly global warming that is causing these extremes. Not to mention the absolutely incredible pace of glaciers melting, polar ice caps shrinking, previously fertile areas of the earth becoming desert, and species everywhere being endangered by these global changes. Species come and go, yes, but extinction does not happen at this rate in nature. Make no mistake: this is a human-induced phenomenon, and our species will not escape the consequences of our actions.

[Kishiko]

Actually if youve noticed over the last few years, scientists and activist have begun saying "climate change" rather than global warming because even they know the earth is Cooler. If you look at the records, I think the last three or four years if I remember right, the ice caps and the ice in the arctic and Antarctic actually was thicker than it has been for the last 10 odd years. Have there been noticeably hotter summers? Yes. Have there been bad storms. Yes? Though on record, there have been worse before. Also, core temperatures of the earth have been declining over the last decade. Ice ages have cyclically occurred about every 10,000 years, with another one due right around now. About every 25 to 30 years, the oceans churns the colder water from below to replace the warmer water at the top, then the surface water naturally heats up again, causing the flux of "suddenly warming temperatures" that we often see. It's completely natural. Humans causing pollution does not contribute to it, or very minimally if at all.

[Mermaid Galene]

I think we will just have to agree to disagree on this.

[Kishiko]

I think that sounds good! And I just hope you know I meant absolutely no disrespect, debating is just kind of my thing. I love throwing opinions and facts around with people! *cyber handshake*

[Mermaid Jaffa]

Or glass seashells and seahorses. Glass beads can be used too.

[Gem Stone]

I think that sounds good! And I just hope you know I meant absolutely no disrespect, debating is just kind of my thing. I love throwing opinions and facts around with people! *cyber handshake*

I can second this. Kishiko can be stubborn, and not easily swayed once she believes in something. Good qualities I mean, just not if you're on the opposite side of the argument

[Mermaid Galene]

Oh yes, I get that. I come from a long line of debaters myself. If nothing else, I hope this sort of discussion prompts people to do some googling (of primary science sources, i.e., science journals with original data and analysis, not popular media) and educate themselves on the issue. Everyone's entitled to an opinion, especially informed opinions.

And I think we can all agree that seahorses are fabulous creatures and we should do what we can to protect them. After all, merfolk are supposed to be stewards of the sea!

[Mermaid Galene]

Yes, I just bought a couple of these artsy little ponies to use in headdresses: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheSeahorseShop?ref=l2-shopheader-name

Very abstract, but somehow still lifelike!

[Mermaid Galene]

And this is one of the reasons I fell in love with seahorses:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtU7qkT1f-Q

[Gem Stone]

Question guys, if someone got huge conch shells from the beach, how would one remove the top layer of calcium from the top?


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