RocknCritter
spending too much on rocks
Member since November 2008
Posts: 489
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Post by RocknCritter on Nov 18, 2012 21:28:17 GMT -5
This is what happens when you spend 80 hours a month cutting and these aren't even all the results This is Carnelian from China and I don't know if it has been heated or 100% natural. New Mexico isn't well known for dinosaur bone. The red, yellow and oranges tones are what attracted me originally. Lace opal comes from south central Utah. The stuff needs to be stabilized and you have to fill in the pits. I usually don't cut man altered materials yet made an exception for some more Mojave or Metal Matrix stones. Another batch of metal matrix. Between the two pixs, this is about half of what was cut. Now to my second favorites recently finished: Royal Aztec Agate from Mexico. Despite everything else, how can anyone not have a favorite agate or four......or more? The "All Stars". When people first see these, a common response is "Are those real?" Yes, Virginia. These are real. It's stabilized chrysocolla from the Ray Mine and gem silica from the Inspiration Mine - both in Arizona. A closeup. Thanks for looking.
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Post by Tony W on Nov 18, 2012 21:48:35 GMT -5
Way to go! Great set. Got to say I love all the altered ones, lol....but the bone is really good too! T
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Post by FrogAndBearCreations on Nov 18, 2012 21:55:20 GMT -5
Wow, beautiful big batch of cabs!
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Post by christopherl1234 on Nov 18, 2012 22:20:17 GMT -5
My oh my how you have been busy!! All set for the Pow-Wow this coming January. Did you ever cut any of that material I traded you? Michael (who does the knife scales) stabilized some and made some beautiful knives.
Your cabs rock mister Critter!!
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mossyrockhound
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2011
Posts: 1,278
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Post by mossyrockhound on Nov 19, 2012 17:36:00 GMT -5
I really enjoyed your photos - great eye candy! And such variety.
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Post by talkingstones on Nov 19, 2012 20:22:49 GMT -5
All are beautiful, but I must confess that the NM bone floored me! Beautiful stuff!!!
Cathy
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rockfarmer
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since July 2011
Posts: 93
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Post by rockfarmer on Nov 19, 2012 23:08:00 GMT -5
WOW WOW WOW. Love the dino.
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adrian65
Cave Dweller
Arch to golden memories and to great friends.
Member since February 2007
Posts: 10,777
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Post by adrian65 on Nov 19, 2012 23:15:57 GMT -5
All are beautiful, but the natural beauty of Royal Aztec and Gem Silica cannot be beaten.
Adrian
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,466
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Post by Sabre52 on Nov 19, 2012 23:50:58 GMT -5
Holy smokes that's a lot of beautiful cabs! I'm a big fan of the Royal Aztec and the bone is my second favorite. I believe the guy at our local show told me the Chinese carnelian is heat treated and the ones I cut showed a lot of fracturing I'd attribute to that cause. Fantastic red in the material though....mel
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Post by stoner on Nov 20, 2012 2:01:16 GMT -5
Excellent cabs and photos too!
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Post by mohs on Nov 20, 2012 10:33:14 GMT -5
80 hours in a month! Now that real career That AZ silica is a beautifully done gem grind on ! Ed
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borock
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since April 2011
Posts: 225
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Post by borock on Nov 20, 2012 10:37:55 GMT -5
Very nice
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Post by Bikerrandy on Nov 20, 2012 16:35:36 GMT -5
Awesome post, those are some beautiful cabs!! I really love the gem silica, amazing color
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pporky
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2007
Posts: 1,932
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Post by pporky on Nov 20, 2012 19:29:20 GMT -5
I really like it when theres so many beautiful cabs to check out
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Post by Bejewelme on Nov 20, 2012 19:38:57 GMT -5
WOW Oh WOW!!! I was slobbering all over and it just got better and better, love the Mojave stuff then Royal Aztec and gem silica, and that bone, what an awesome bunch of cabs and the photos are killer!!!!
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Don
Cave Dweller
He wants you too, Malachi.
Member since December 2009
Posts: 2,616
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Post by Don on Nov 20, 2012 19:56:31 GMT -5
thats the first time I've ever seen anyone cab up that lace opal. I collected some a few years back but it has so many holes and fractures, I haven't messed with it. beautiful colors though. You do excellent work!
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Post by beefjello on Nov 20, 2012 20:06:46 GMT -5
I really like the dino bone set, and that Ray Mine stuff.. WOW!!
Never been a fan of the regurgitated reconstituted stuff, but the red with silver veins is kinda neat.. looks a lot like dino bone.
Very impressive output!
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RocknCritter
spending too much on rocks
Member since November 2008
Posts: 489
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Post by RocknCritter on Nov 20, 2012 21:41:50 GMT -5
Thank you everyone for all the feedback. I got a little distracted the last few days working on my house. It's nothing like what Adrian is doing! The weather has been so warm here, it's almost spooky. I certainly feel extremely lucky to be able to do something I enjoy to make a living. It's not easy at times yet it beats the heck out of the rat race. Christopher - I'll have to post some pixs of your shattuckite tomorrow. I've cut about half of it and people seem to like it as an alternative to turquoise. I'm not really sure if I'm going to Quartzsite this year. While I personally like it, the wind and dust takes a big toll on my stones. Mel - I'm betting the carnelian is heat treated too. Since a lot of the materials coming out of China have been altered, it's hard to see why this stuff wouldn't be also. I'll see the vendor in a few months and have to ask them about it. Don - I took cutting the lace opal as something of a personal challenge. My friends have the mining claim and really have never had any good examples of what is possible. Below are before and after examples. All the cabs needed to be stabilized in acetone and 330 epoxy and then the pits filled with super glue. The first batch was a little frustrating until I started using a 600 grit flat lap as the third step as a substitute to a 280 grit belt. The final polish makes it look like lace agate.
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hubrocks
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since April 2011
Posts: 1,563
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Post by hubrocks on Nov 21, 2012 1:32:24 GMT -5
Man I'm speechless, such a great variety of some really great cabs!!!!!!!!!!.................Hub
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Post by Tonyterner on Nov 21, 2012 10:27:25 GMT -5
Man that's a lot of cabs. All are really nice. I gotta say the man-altered material is my fave.
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