First a running water phase in which the iron is carefully scrubbed free of any remaining concretion, corrosion product, and reduction residue. Next the static rinse phase where the artifact is placed in deionized water for two days. This stage should allow any electrolyte that has penetrated the wood to rinse clear. After the artifact is thoroughly rinsed it is ready to undergo wood conservation. Sucrose, the chosen bulking agent for this procedure, has demonstrated a mild temperament in regard to iron stabilization, unlike PEG which promotes corrosion.
Subjective evidence suggests that sucrose solutions actually inhibit iron corrosion.
Bulking treatment of the wood follows the procedure outlined on page 32. It should be noted that weight gain cannot be used as an accurate determination of treatment completion due to the fact that only part of the artifact is wood. Instead, a liberal time table comparing similar sized artifacts will give a good indication when the bulking procedure is complete. After bulking the artifact is removed from the sucrose and excess solution is rinsed from the metal surfaces using distilled water atomizers. The artifact should then be slow dried using the procedure outlined on page 37.