Henry
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2013
Posts: 452
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Post by Henry on Oct 23, 2019 0:01:37 GMT -5
Thanks everyone.
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Henry
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2013
Posts: 452
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Post by Henry on Oct 19, 2019 2:53:01 GMT -5
Hello again. Here I have a piece of something of which I can't identify. All I know is that it was collected by my Grandmother from somewhere in the U.S. The only thing I can tell is that it is obviously opaque and feels very dense. I this some sort of river rock with layered sedimentation? Thank you Henry
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Henry
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2013
Posts: 452
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Post by Henry on Oct 16, 2019 19:34:30 GMT -5
Hello again. I found this stone along the coast of San Simeon Creek, San Luis Obispo County. California. Is this a brecciated jasper matrix, with some sort of agatized chalcedony inclusion? Thanks again, Henry
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Henry
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2013
Posts: 452
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Post by Henry on Oct 16, 2019 18:35:54 GMT -5
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Henry
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2013
Posts: 452
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Post by Henry on Sept 27, 2019 11:24:38 GMT -5
All righty, quick update. As previously mentioned, I performed the actone test as well as the "hot needle test" per NRG. They both past. After the hardware grade application of acetone, the piece remained unscathed. And I performed the hot needle test on the back (where there previous imperfections in the first place)With the near-red hot needle, there NO penetration. (it wouldn't budge, even being forceful) So, my only question is after all of those tests, why it failed the U.V. test. Is it because, it may be heat treated or even "pressed amber"? Which the latter, i'm only guessing it's not.
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Henry
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2013
Posts: 452
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Post by Henry on Sept 26, 2019 17:52:01 GMT -5
Did ya do the hot needle test? Nope, not yet.
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Henry
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2013
Posts: 452
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Post by Henry on Sept 26, 2019 16:38:03 GMT -5
Hello all. I recently went to Tallinn, Estonia on a holiday. Whilst there, I found 7 shops that dealt in Baltic Amber (that were owned by the same people). Since I don't know anything about the product, I decided to take a risk, (albeit a small one) and buy a pendant. Now, i've been reading a multitude of articles about fake amber, so if possible, I would like some insight or ideas on what this actually is. I looked all over the net and did some very minor tests 1)Floats (with the exception of the metal part areas) in salt water. 2)Has static cling. 3)Tested the back area with 91% alcohol, and it didn't get sticky or "melt" Sorry, don't have acetone. 4)FAILED the U.V. test, as it didn't glow. So is this stuff "pressed" amber? Or what might it be? Now, since one would need to do a multitude of tests to ascertain what this might be, I completely understand that any answer here is subjective. I would just like some...well as said before...insight. Thanks ahead of time. Henry
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Henry
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2013
Posts: 452
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Post by Henry on May 24, 2019 12:10:04 GMT -5
I really like that teardrop Yeah, Allan really knows his lapidary stuff. The larger blank, actually fell (very chippy piece) to pieces and he had to make due with what he had. So he took what was left and made it into the tear drop pendant.
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Henry
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2013
Posts: 452
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Post by Henry on May 23, 2019 19:45:05 GMT -5
Here we go. With some Big Sur jade material I found, Allan from jadedivers.com, was able to create a bead and the remainder into a tear drop pendant. The other piece was a cobble that was just polished. The cobble has a high chance of something called "revert". It may all turn back to olive-green...possibly. (oh well. LOL)
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Henry
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2013
Posts: 452
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Post by Henry on May 2, 2019 12:53:03 GMT -5
Nice find. I love jade. Any other pieces to show us? Hey Stephan. I have a rough, small cobble that is being free form polished, via grinder. The other is being made into a wearable bead. I'll post they when they're done. It may be a while, as the lapidary jade specialist I go through is REALLY busy with family life, and other jade orders.
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Henry
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2013
Posts: 452
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Post by Henry on Apr 25, 2019 21:38:19 GMT -5
Oh, instead of slicing it to form a front and back (which would alter/break the piece due to the deep crevice)piece, cut it down the middle to form a left and right piece in accordance with the first pic?
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Henry
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2013
Posts: 452
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Post by Henry on Apr 25, 2019 20:39:19 GMT -5
Hello all. Need some ideas. So, I found this rough cobble at a place called "Point Pinole" in the San Francisco East Bay. At first I was gong to consider it "leaverite", but I took it home to keep one of my planters from falling over. Most recently, I took a good look at it and noticed it has agatized lines in some spots. So, I would assume it's some sort of jasper-agate mix. My quandary is this: Polishing would almost be out of the question, because of the holes all over the piece. Cutting it is not an option, because of that massive crevice, and you couldn't get a symmetrical, even cut any where. (also, the crevice has pseudo. or wannabe druzy in one spot...so I don't want to alter it)That being said, I really like this piece, but i'm not sure how to prep. it as presentation piece. It look great when it's wet, but extremely dull when dry. any ideas? Thanks!
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Henry
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2013
Posts: 452
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Post by Henry on Apr 25, 2019 18:10:21 GMT -5
Hello again, need some help identifying the matrix and inclusions. This was retrieved at Willow Creek, Big Sur. Unfortunately, I didn't do a "scratch test", but it was hard enough to take a uniform mirror polish. (decided not to tumble/round it down, as I really liked the rough shape) The green areas are translucent. With the exception of the gray ares in the second picture (vertical top to bottom), 70% of the piece had a waxy appearance to it prior to tumbling. The rock feels really dense. Other than that, I have no other info. Thanks!
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Henry
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2013
Posts: 452
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Post by Henry on Apr 25, 2019 18:00:07 GMT -5
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Henry
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2013
Posts: 452
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Post by Henry on Jun 12, 2018 19:33:52 GMT -5
For the Irish users of this board, there is an ancient, extinct volcano called "Crogan Hill" in Co. Offaly. Has anyone ventured there to rockhound, or are the mineral constituents there, not conducive to agate or jasper formation? Thanks! Henry
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Henry
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2013
Posts: 452
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Post by Henry on Apr 22, 2018 22:36:25 GMT -5
So, I guess it's rather difficult to...well...guess the age?
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Henry
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2013
Posts: 452
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Post by Henry on Apr 21, 2018 10:30:55 GMT -5
Fossilman:Could it be a Plesiosaur, or something more modern? Also, does the tooth appear to be there by coincidental sedimentation or intentional, as by a predator/scavenger?
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Henry
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2013
Posts: 452
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Post by Henry on Apr 19, 2018 22:33:33 GMT -5
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Henry
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2013
Posts: 452
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Post by Henry on Apr 17, 2018 22:43:09 GMT -5
Fossilman:Thank you! Good to hear. I got it for a relatively inexpensive price as well.
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Henry
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2013
Posts: 452
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Post by Henry on Apr 16, 2018 9:15:50 GMT -5
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