richardh
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 391
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Post by richardh on Sept 18, 2016 22:29:55 GMT -5
Inspired by some of the photos here I did a little searching for ocean jasper for sale on line. I came across someone selling some material labeled sea jasper also known as ocean jasper from Madagascar. The add listing suggested that the two materials were the same thing. They had 5 pieces for $15 and as I was sort of fixated on the stuff I went ahead and ordered it. Looking back on it I think I paid way too much and looking closely at the material I received I am starting to think that sea jasper and ocean jasper aren’t the same thing. My question is, did I get taken for a ride? Second question is, how is the best way to tumble this? For example, should I just throw them in the barrel as is or should I try to cut them with the tile saw and then tumble them? Any feedback is appreciated.
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ubermenehune
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2016
Posts: 293
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Post by ubermenehune on Sept 18, 2016 23:53:07 GMT -5
I think you did receive ocean jasper, but probably not the most desirable patterns (based on my personal preference). I prefer numerous, smaller orbs on my specimens and I do see some indications of orbs on yours, but they look fairly large. I do think they'll look nice once you tumble and the orbs become more apparent. Right now, the roughness kind of hides them.
Not sure how large those are, but assuming their smaller than 2", I'd probably just toss them in the tumbler.
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dottyt
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2016
Posts: 305
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Post by dottyt on Sept 19, 2016 0:39:54 GMT -5
Inspired by some of the photos here I did a little searching for ocean jasper for sale on line. I came across someone selling some material labeled sea jasper also known as ocean jasper from Madagascar. The add listing suggested that the two materials were the same thing. They had 5 pieces for $15 and as I was sort of fixated on the stuff I went ahead and ordered it. Looking back on it I think I paid way too much and looking closely at the material I received I am starting to think that sea jasper and ocean jasper aren’t the same thing. My question is, did I get taken for a ride? It's very frustrating buying rocks to tumble online. Did you weigh your 5 pieces? How much did you pay for shipping? Were there any photos of what you were buying? The Sea Jasper I have seen hasn't looked stunning (nothing at all like quality Ocean Jasper), but some of it is nice when tumbled. I have never bought any. I once bought lower grade Carnelian online for tumbling. There were photos of "sample rocks" not the actual rocks (which is what you can expect with less expensive material from big sellers for obvious reasons). The sample photos showed a yellow-orange color. The ones I got were plain old boring grayish chalcedony. It wasn't all that expensive, but I complained to the seller. They said they didn't ship it from their location and they had a new source, so I should email a photo. I did, they agreed it wasn't as represented and they sent me out some orange ones without making me return what I got! I cannot say if what you got was as represented or not from the info you gave, this is just an example of one of the many things that can happen when you buy tumbling rocks online.
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richardh
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 391
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Post by richardh on Sept 19, 2016 5:41:53 GMT -5
I think you did receive ocean jasper, but probably not the most desirable patterns (based on my personal preference). I prefer numerous, smaller orbs on my specimens and I do see some indications of orbs on yours, but they look fairly large. I do think they'll look nice once you tumble and the orbs become more apparent. Right now, the roughness kind of hides them. Not sure how large those are, but assuming their smaller than 2", I'd probably just toss them in the tumbler. The largest one is a little more than 1.5". None are very large pieces and they do have some holes in them making me think none will end up being perfectly smooth.
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richardh
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 391
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Post by richardh on Sept 19, 2016 5:49:09 GMT -5
Inspired by some of the photos here I did a little searching for ocean jasper for sale on line. I came across someone selling some material labeled sea jasper also known as ocean jasper from Madagascar. The add listing suggested that the two materials were the same thing. They had 5 pieces for $15 and as I was sort of fixated on the stuff I went ahead and ordered it. Looking back on it I think I paid way too much and looking closely at the material I received I am starting to think that sea jasper and ocean jasper aren’t the same thing. My question is, did I get taken for a ride? It's very frustrating buying rocks to tumble online. Did you weigh your 5 pieces? How much did you pay for shipping? Were there any photos of what you were buying? The Sea Jasper I have seen hasn't looked stunning (nothing at all like quality Ocean Jasper), but some of it is nice when tumbled. I have never bought any. I once bought lower grade Carnelian online for tumbling. There were photos of "sample rocks" not the actual rocks (which is what you can expect with less expensive material from big sellers for obvious reasons). The sample photos showed a yellow-orange color. The ones I got were plain old boring grayish chalcedony. It wasn't all that expensive, but I complained to the seller. They said they didn't ship it from their location and they had a new source, so I should email a photo. I did, they agreed it wasn't as represented and they sent me out some orange ones without making me return what I got! I cannot say if what you got was as represented or not from the info you gave, this is just an example of one of the many things that can happen when you buy tumbling rocks online. They had a representative picture but not an actual picture of the stones that would ship. These do look fairly similar to the photo so I don't think they were deceptive. I just think I bought before I really knew what it was I was buying and probably paid too much. The thing I liked about the polished ocean jasper that I saw in photos that got me interested was all the little circles and I don't know if this will have them. If the circles are present I am having trouble spotting them in a the rough. That is why I started thinking that maybe I needed to cut them open to see the interesting patterns.
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Post by Garage Rocker on Sept 19, 2016 9:45:04 GMT -5
Richard, I had good luck with ocean jasper from rocktumbler.com, they also have nice picture jasper.
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richardh
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 391
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Post by richardh on Sept 19, 2016 10:18:37 GMT -5
Richard, I had good luck with ocean jasper from rocktumbler.com, they also have nice picture jasper. Thanks, I will check that out. Looks a lot less expensive than what I bought already. I still wonder what the difference is between sea jasper and ocean jasper.
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dottyt
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2016
Posts: 305
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Post by dottyt on Sept 19, 2016 10:57:22 GMT -5
I still wonder what the difference is between sea jasper and ocean jasper. "Ocean Jasper" is the trademarked name for material from the original mine near Marovato on the Ambolobozo Peninsula of Madagascar, owned by Paul Obenich. It has been mined out and is often extremely expensive. Some actual Ocean Jasper(tm) is of low quality; it is less expensive but (imho) way overpriced. Some other Orbicular Jasper (the orbs are the circle things) would be a better choice. "Orbicular Jasper" would be a more mineralogical and generic name for jasper with circles, but not necessarily rings. Okay, I am pretty sure about that. Now I am less about this and would appreciate being corrected by more knowledgeable people: "sea jasper" is any jasper from a sea bed. It can be of any quality in regard to color and pattern.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2016 12:00:21 GMT -5
Some, perhaps most, "Sea Jasper," "Sea Sediment Jasper" and "Sea Bed Jasper" isn't even jasper. It is a term used in particular by Chinese sellers to describe a soft material that usually comes dyed and/or stabilized that more than occasionally gets sold as something else (everything from Biggs to Ocean jasper). I don't think that is what the photos show in the OP, though.
BTW, material analogous to jasper that forms in limestone sedimentary sea beds is properly called "flint" (if nodular) or "chert" (if occurs in larger bodies) rather than jasper.
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Sept 19, 2016 12:17:22 GMT -5
Most of the answers are as above... just to note a rule I keep to - only buy material where the photo shows the actual item(s). Not much help now I'm afraid, and a personal rule: you pay your money and take your chances!
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richardh
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 391
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Post by richardh on Sept 19, 2016 12:49:27 GMT -5
I still wonder what the difference is between sea jasper and ocean jasper. "Ocean Jasper" is the trademarked name for material from the original mine near Marovato on the Ambolobozo Peninsula of Madagascar, owned by Paul Obenich. It has been mined out and is often extremely expensive. Some actual Ocean Jasper(tm) is of low quality; it is less expensive but (imho) way overpriced. Some other Orbicular Jasper (the orbs are the circle things) would be a better choice. "Orbicular Jasper" would be a more mineralogical and generic name for jasper with circles, but not necessarily rings. Okay, I am pretty sure about that. Now I am less about this and would appreciate being corrected by more knowledgeable people: "sea jasper" is any jasper from a sea bed. It can be of any quality in regard to color and pattern. That's very interesting and all makes sense. I tried doing a Google search and kept coming up with pages about meaning with a bunch of rambling about all thee powers the rocks are supposed to have. After reading your post and then searching for orbicular jasper I came up with something more along the lines of what I was looking for. Thanks!
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richardh
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 391
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Post by richardh on Sept 19, 2016 12:53:53 GMT -5
Most of the answers are as above... just to note a rule I keep to - only buy material where the photo shows the actual item(s). Not much help now I'm afraid, and a personal rule: you pay your money and take your chances! Great advice. I'm definitely learning that buying online is definitely a roll of the dice.
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dottyt
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2016
Posts: 305
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Post by dottyt on Sept 19, 2016 13:17:43 GMT -5
I tried doing a Google search and kept coming up with pages about meaning with a bunch of rambling about all thee powers the rocks are supposed to have. LOL. I think our metaphysical friends have the rights to their beliefs and I am fairly opened-minded, but they sure have messed up rock searches. I have never checked "the meaning of Ocean Jasper(tm)" and don't know it's powers (beyond financially helping those who bought it years ago and want to sell), but I am guessing it "clears your chakras" right?
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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 Sept 19, 2016 13:17:53 GMT -5
Personally, I think sea jasper is simply the low grade leftover tailings from the ocean jasper digs. Kind of like at the Fredericksburg show where they had a truckload of what some call Serape Agate which to me looked like poorly patterned leftovers from crazy lace digs. Poor folks trying to make a living off scavenging old mine sites are quick to name a new variety simply to promote sales. Just my opinion...Mel
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richardh
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 391
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Post by richardh on Sept 19, 2016 14:29:46 GMT -5
Personally, I think sea jasper is simply the low grade leftover tailings from the ocean jasper digs. Kind of like at the Fredericksburg show where they had a truckload of what some call Serape Agate which to me looked like poorly patterned leftovers from crazy lace digs. Poor folks trying to make a living off scavenging old mine sites are quick to name a new variety simply to promote sales. Just my opinion...Mel I think you are probably right in this case. The other two pieces have been in the tumbler for a couple of days and none of them really show any sign of the orbs that ocean jasper is known for. This might very well have come from the mine that produced ocean jasper but this definitely isn't the good stuff as far as I can tell. Live and learn
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Post by roy on Sept 19, 2016 15:39:16 GMT -5
sea jasper is a ocean jasper look alike that most dishonest dealers will try to sell as oj it comes from indonesia i have some but have been having problems with photo bucket not letting me post pictures
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