[Rockhounds] Thanks and outcome of cleaning Thai rubies

[John Scully]

Thanks to all who offered advice on this subject.  Here is the upshot.
Muriatic acid worked -- it cleaned all of the waxy-shiny stuff off.  A hour
in a sonic cleaner got the pieces cleaner.

However, the specimens are just not as pretty as the coated ones.  So, I
took the 20 or so specimens that actually look like a complete sapphire or
ruby crystal and am cleaning them.  The other several hundred pieces will
remain bright and shiny and will go in my $3 and 50 cent boxes.

☺☺☺

John Scully