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Preparation of Tool Mark Standards with Jewelry Modeling Waxes
Author(s) -
Petraco Nicholas,
Petraco Nicholas D.K.,
Faber Lisa,
Pizzola Peter A.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of forensic sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.715
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1556-4029
pISSN - 0022-1198
DOI - 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2008.00963.x
Subject(s) - wax , computer science , replication (statistics) , engineering drawing , ideal (ethics) , engineering , materials science , mathematics , composite material , philosophy , statistics , epistemology
This paper presents how jewelry modeling waxes are used in the preparation of tool mark standards from exemplar tools. We have previously found that jewelry modeling waxes are ideal for preparing test tool marks from exemplar tools. In this study, simple methods and techniques are offered for the replication of accurate, highly detailed tool mark standards with jewelry modeling waxes. The techniques described here demonstrate the conditioning and proper use of jewelry modeling wax in the production of tool mark standards. The application of each test tool’s working surface to a piece of the appropriate wax in a manner consistent with the tool’s design is clearly illustrated. The resulting tool mark standards are exact, highly detailed, 1:1, negative impressions of the exemplar tool’s working surface. These wax models have a long shelf life and are suitable for use in microscopic examination comparison of questioned and known tool marks.