I've been researching the best way to preserve my bottle diving finds, and there seems to be a wide variance of opinion on what is necessary amongst both wreck-diving book authors and bottle divers themselves. Some divers simply let the bottles dry and plop them on a shelf, others (like me up until now) soak them in frequently-changed fresh water for a few months before letting them dry. I've also read at least one source that said it's only necessary to soak pre-1800's glass (although it's not clear whether this is a function of the fact that it's handblown glass, or that it's been underwater for 200+ years... in which case a 100 year old bottle should be soaked for half as long, as opposed to not being soaked at all under that guideline).
Has anyone encountered factual research that suggests what kind of desalination steps are necessary, and in which cases? Personal experiences with the fate of bottles of various ages that were soaked vs. not soaked is also welcome!
Has anyone encountered factual research that suggests what kind of desalination steps are necessary, and in which cases? Personal experiences with the fate of bottles of various ages that were soaked vs. not soaked is also welcome!