Crinoids from Cumberland Lake, Kentucky

[Kentucky point]

My mom found these over the weekend at Lake Cumberland. She and a friend must have found over 1,000 of these little things, and split them between themselves. Ron, I believe this is your thing, Crinoids...



Some of them already have holes, and some do not. Is there a way to open up the wholes without breaking them? How would y'all suggest cleaning them?

Here's the big question. She wants some of them to be shiny, like the ones she see's on necklaces. Dare I ask how to do that?

[Ron Kelley]

Hey Ethan, That is a huge haul of crinoid stems. The ones I have were recovered from an ancient site in Texas. They all had holes in them. I strung them up on five thirt inch strands.

[tomf]

Crinoid City!

[oldrocks2]

All I find in IA are crusted in a soft rock and a soak in vinegar desolves the rock off. I think it must be limestone the way it reacts. No damage to the stems. As for the holes you might have to do a little drilling if you want to string them. Found some slabs of complete ones and had to use dilute muriatic acid brushed over the slab to make them show nice, GLASSES GLOVES.