|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Jul 19, 2023 11:08:45 GMT -5
I have had Namibian Pietersite on my radar for quite some time. I got the chance awhile back to cab a couple small pieces...which just left me wanting more! LOL This last week I picked up a chunk from rxscram off his website barnhouselapidary.com and just finished slabbing it a little bit ago. Very interesting material. It is super fibrous...reminiscent of Tiger Eye. The blade grabs this material! Sometimes I'll hold a piece of rough and "shave" off the edge so I can get a decent heel cut that's workable. I could feel the blade grabbing this material while I was holding it...wanting to rip it out if my grip! Because it is fibrous, you have to be SUPER careful of slivers! Gloves and safety glasses are a MUST HAVE!! I had a glove on the hand holding the rock, but my hand running the tile saw didn't. I had to hose off the saw table after every cut because of the slivers all over. I still managed to get one small one in my non-gloved finger. Dug it out...with minimal damage! LOL Thought I'd post pics of the slabs for 1dave so he could have a specimen thread to look at! (Just teasing Dave!  ) Now I'm going to have to figure out when I can work these on the wheels...because I already want to move these to the front of the queue! LOL         |
|
|
|
Post by Starguy on Jul 19, 2023 11:15:05 GMT -5
That is really interesting material. You did a really good job slabbing it. I can hardly see any saw marks.
|
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Jul 19, 2023 11:17:42 GMT -5
That is really interesting material. You did a really good job slabbing it. I can hardly see any saw marks. That's 'cause my blade's half wore out from cutting these dang hard Prairie Agates! LOL Thanks my friend. It's probably one of the most expensive materials I've worked with...so far! LOL |
|
|
|
Post by Starguy on Jul 19, 2023 11:20:54 GMT -5
That is really interesting material. You did a really good job slabbing it. I can hardly see any saw marks. That's 'cause my blade's half wore out from cutting these dang hard Prairie Agates! LOL Thanks my friend. It's probably one of the most expensive materials I've worked with...so far! LOL I’m looking forward to seeing some finished cabs. Does it polish well? The colors are all over the place. |
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Jul 19, 2023 11:25:31 GMT -5
That's 'cause my blade's half wore out from cutting these dang hard Prairie Agates! LOL Thanks my friend. It's probably one of the most expensive materials I've worked with...so far! LOL I’m looking forward to seeing some finished cabs. Does it polish well? The colors are all over the place. The last stuff I worked polished well. It has a chatoyant effect like Tiger Eye does!  |
|
realrockhound
Cave Dweller 
Chucking leaverite at tweekers
Member since June 2020
Posts: 4,495
|
Post by realrockhound on Jul 19, 2023 12:09:29 GMT -5
I get 50% of those slabs. Per the United rockhounding federation code RHF 166-500-0020. Code states that all friends of realrockhound are required by law to supply him with 50% of all the owners obtained material or face federal penalties. I don’t make the rules, just abide by them.
|
|
gunsil
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2023
Posts: 345
|
Post by gunsil on Jul 19, 2023 12:21:03 GMT -5
I love the African pietersite! I looked at what rxscram had for sale but I have several big slabs I got at Quartzite five years ago and they are more pure blue material without the brown. That stuff is HARD, and takes a superb polish. I've had to really push on the wheels to shape and polish it. You'll get some spectacular cabs from those slabs!
|
|
|
|
Post by chris1956 on Jul 19, 2023 13:17:54 GMT -5
Those slabs look amazing!
|
|
|
|
Post by rockjunquie on Jul 19, 2023 16:34:43 GMT -5
 Beautiful!
|
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,059 
|
Post by gemfeller on Jul 19, 2023 19:42:42 GMT -5
I love the African pietersite! I looked at what rxscram had for sale but I have several big slabs I got at Quartzite five years ago and they are more pure blue material without the brown. That stuff is HARD, and takes a superb polish. I've had to really push on the wheels to shape and polish it. You'll get some spectacular cabs from those slabs! Just a thought from hard (expensive!) experience. When Pieersite shows the sort of patterns these slabs do, it's likely the cut was made across little bundles of Hawk's eye (blue Tiger's Eye) and other assorted minerals to create the spangled effect. It's very pretty but using too much pressure when grinding can easily cause it to split along the little network of lines between the spangles. The shortened pieces of asbestos easily break apart creating splinters as described. |
|
goldfinder
Cave Dweller
Member since December 2020
Posts: 273
|
Post by goldfinder on Jul 19, 2023 22:58:48 GMT -5
Excellent slabs jasoninsd! Can't wait to see the cabs these produce! My wife surprised me with a chunk of pietersite from rxscrams eBay for my birthday last month. I've been studying it (or just being chicken lol) trying to figure out if there is a "right" or "wrong" way to slab pietersite for the chatoyant effect. Whatever you did looks like you slabbed it perfectly! |
|
|
|
Post by Pat on Jul 19, 2023 23:31:54 GMT -5
I love the chaotic mess that is pietersite! Thanks!
|
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Jul 19, 2023 23:50:25 GMT -5
I get 50% of those slabs. Per the United rockhounding federation code RHF 166-500-0020. Code states that all friends of realrockhound are required by law to supply him with 50% of all the owners obtained material or face federal penalties. I don’t make the rules, just abide by them. I must have lost my copy of that code! LOL I love the African pietersite! I looked at what rxscram had for sale but I have several big slabs I got at Quartzite five years ago and they are more pure blue material without the brown. That stuff is HARD, and takes a superb polish. I've had to really push on the wheels to shape and polish it. You'll get some spectacular cabs from those slabs! Thanks! I've been in love with this material from the first moment I saw it! (I'm not letting my wife read that sentence! LOL) Those slabs look amazing! Thanks Chris! We'll see if the cabs come out! LOL  Beautiful! Thanks Tela! I cut four preforms on the saw today...but haven't final shaped them on the wheels yet...hopefully tomorrow night!  I love the African pietersite! I looked at what rxscram had for sale but I have several big slabs I got at Quartzite five years ago and they are more pure blue material without the brown. That stuff is HARD, and takes a superb polish. I've had to really push on the wheels to shape and polish it. You'll get some spectacular cabs from those slabs! Just a thought from hard (expensive!) experience. When Pieersite shows the sort of patterns these slabs do, it's likely the cut was made across little bundles of Hawk's eye (blue Tiger's Eye) and other assorted minerals to create the spangled effect. It's very pretty but using too much pressure when grinding can easily cause it to split along the little network of lines between the spangles. The shortened pieces of asbestos easily break apart creating splinters as described. Thank you SO much for posting this! I could tell when I was cutting it that there "could be" some issues when on the wheels...and you confirmed my suspicions!! I have a very heavy hand on the wheels...so I'm going to have to be super cognizant of my pressure! Excellent slabs jasoninsd ! Can't wait to see the cabs these produce! My wife surprised me with a chunk of pietersite from rxscrams eBay for my birthday last month. I've been studying it (or just being chicken lol) trying to figure out if there is a "right" or "wrong" way to slab pietersite for the chatoyant effect. Whatever you did looks like you slabbed it perfectly! Thanks GF! Nice birthday present!! I got the chunk wet last night and sat there looking at it trying to figure out how I wanted to cut it. It wasn't a "block"...so I took a couple cuts off one end, knowing it was "against" the grain (pictures 3 & 6). I did that so I could get a better cut on the other section going "with" the grain (the rest of them). The one's going with the grain is what gemfeller is talking about. I love the chaotic mess that is pietersite! Thanks! Thanks Pat! That's a PERFECT way to describe Pietersite...a chaotic mess!! |
|
khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,980
|
Post by khara on Jul 20, 2023 0:23:47 GMT -5
Love Pietersite. Fell in love with it over a decade ago when I first saw it. Slabs were way out of my price range but I think I did manage to get one. It must be in my do not cut stash. Left the hobby for that decade or so and came back to find Chinese pietersite had made an appearance. Don’t know anything about that but it struck me as odd. Definitely a different look to them. Interesting about the cutting, good to know. Hoping to see your cabs soon!!
Also, Jason you mentioned you are heavy handed. Have you replaced any of your wheels yet?
|
|
khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,980
|
Post by khara on Jul 20, 2023 0:32:40 GMT -5
goldfinder Ok, what is this rxscrams eBay user name, or a link to a listing?? That particular name isn’t yielding any results. You never know when one may need some Pietersite…🤓
|
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Jul 20, 2023 0:33:41 GMT -5
Love Pietersite. Fell in love with it over a decade ago when I first saw it. Slabs were way out of my price range but I think I did manage to get one. It must be in my do not cut stash. Left the hobby for that decade or so and came back to find Chinese pietersite had made an appearance. Don’t know anything about that but it struck me as odd. Definitely a different look to them. Interesting about the cutting, good to know. Hoping to see your cabs soon!! Also, Jason you mentioned you are heavy handed. Have you replaced any of your wheels yet? I've worked the Chinese Pietersite. I have a couple more slabs of that tucked away... I'm hoping to have the cabs done this week sometime...hopefully! LOL Ummm...yes...all the soft wheels have been replaced. I say that with a bit of "guilt"...because I jacked them up trying to do some things I shouldn't have been doing. I use to use the edge of the wheels. It really worked well because it was like another grit (like the 600 acted like a 400). Anyway, the cabs would slip off the edge sometimes and catch the foam padding. Totally ripped them up...on several of the wheels. The 1200 and 3000 I jacked up because I worked some Batcave on them...with no water. The Batcave I was working was wicking up the water and wouldn't polish. I worked them dry and it polished up amazingly well...but cracked the surface of the wheels as they got too hot. |
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Jul 20, 2023 0:36:06 GMT -5
goldfinder Ok, what is this rxscrams eBay user name, or a link to a listing?? That particular name isn’t yielding any results. You never know when one may need some Pietersite…🤓 |
|
khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,980
|
Post by khara on Jul 20, 2023 0:48:53 GMT -5
Right on Jason.👍 Oh, ha, I already had him favorited, but good to know suppliers that other people here like.
And, don’t feel bad, I will take your life lesson (on the wheels) and learn from it so that your expense isn’t lost in vain!👍🤓
Here’s a free one for you.. don’t spray a yellowjackets nest with the garden hose. Even if accidentally. They will develop an instant grudge and will attack en masse and sting the bageezus out of you. Learned that one just today!
|
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Jul 20, 2023 1:02:28 GMT -5
Right on Jason.👍 Oh, ha, I already had him favorited, but good to know suppliers that other people here like. And, don’t feel bad, I will take your life lesson (on the wheels) and learn from it so that your expense isn’t lost in vain!👍🤓 Here’s a free one for you.. don’t spray a yellowjackets nest with the garden hose. Even if accidentally. They will develop an instant grudge and will attack en masse and sting the bageezus out of you. Learned that one just today! I posted his actual website in my original post. I prefer to buy from someone's website if I can...that way they're not paying eBay fees. Yeah...I "took one for the team" teaching that lesson about the wheels! LOL - I knew better...but rolled the dice and came up snake eyes! LOL Yeah...in a "previous life" I did pest control for a living. I know what you're saying about yellowjackets. They're inherently mean...really really mean! Sorry you got nailed today! We have a lot of European Paper Wasps in our area. They're huge compared to yellowjackets...but they're not mean like yellowjackets. People get scared of them because they're large...but they don't mess with someone unless they get messed with (like when people try and swat at them). My favorite species we have out here are the Mud Daubers. The ones we have around here look like they have a metallic sheen to their color! They're another one that aren't "aggressive". |
|
|
|
Post by amygdule on Jul 20, 2023 19:32:01 GMT -5
Nice
Slice
n Dice
into Cabs
|
|
)
Beautiful! 
Beautiful! 
