#cremains — Public Fediverse posts

#WordyWednesday: Keepsake Urn

A miniature version of an urn designed to hold a very small token amount of cremated remains. Ideal for families who are splitting their loved one up among several people. They're sometimes chosen for infants and pets. Capacities can range from one to fifty cubic inches (regular urns hold around two hundred cubic inches).

Keepsake urns don't have to match the main urn! You can choose from a variety of shapes and colors, including jewelry (typically holds a few grains up to a small pinch of cremated remains).

Rule of thumb: one pound of pre-cremation weight will yield approximately one cubic inch of cremated remains. A 150 lb. person = 150 cubic inches. HOWEVER, that's a guideline that depends on factors like height, bone density, and cremation container.

If you're buying an urn (full size or keepsake) online, ALWAYS check the capacity! Photos can be misleading. Know whether you're looking at a regular urn or a keepsake. Consult with your mortuary for guidance and try to err on the larger side. Cremated remains that don't fit into the urn(s) provided must be attached to the side in a temporary cardboard or plastic urn.

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#FuneralFactFriday: Cremated remains aren't "ashes" (plus, how much do you get?)

Cremated Remains = mostly bone fragments, plus some ash from the cremation container and trace particles of brick from the chamber. The fragments are pulverized in an industrial blender (called a cremulator) into a coarse, sand-like consistency. Surgical implants, like hip replacements, are pulled out of the fragments before processing and are usually collected for recycling.

General Guideline: One pound of pre-cremation weight yields approximately one cubic inch of cremated remains. A 150 lb. person = 150 cu. in., now weighing about 4-9 lbs. This varies slightly based on height, bone density, and whether the person was cremated in a cardboard container or a solid wood casket.

This information is critically important if you're shopping for an urn online! If you order one that's too small, the crematory must attach the excess in a cardboard or plastic urn and include it with the chosen urn. An average urn should hold about 200 cubic inches. Watch out for "keepsake" urns which are designed to only hold a token amount (usually 3-20 cu. in.).

Bonus fun fact: the alkaline hydrolysis method (AKA water cremation) yields approximately 20-30% more cremated remains than flame cremation! The process is gentler, so more of the delicate bone matrix is preserved. It's not lost to the air currents.

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