Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,463
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Post by Sabre52 on Dec 9, 2007 14:20:20 GMT -5
Howdy folks, Well, Roxy asked so heres some of the California obsidianites with crinkly exteriors we call " Dried Prunes". Most run from 1/2- 5" in diameter and most of these are 1-3". The rough exteriors hide interiors of high quality obsidian mostly the red and black varieties in any pattern you can imagine. Gold and silver sheen, various banded types, rainbow, midnight lace etc can be found and an occasional nodule has the speckled interior that looks like little stars in a translucent sky. The location is around the Plum Creek campground just out of Davis Creek, Calif. and in many areas, the ground is paved with this stuff. I'd always fill my pockets while deer hunting to the point of being too heavily loaded to hunt any more. Here are a few pics: Rough Prunes: Cracked prunes showing interiors: A starry slab off a prune:
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deedolce
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2006
Posts: 1,828
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Post by deedolce on Dec 9, 2007 14:32:32 GMT -5
WOW, those are awesome! And in CA too! Have you done any cabs to share with us?
dee
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Post by midnightrocksi3 on Dec 9, 2007 14:34:25 GMT -5
Hey Sabre You are the coolest! I Love those red and black ones !!!! omg those are wicked looking! Is there much you can do with these types of rock? do they break or chip easy? are they only good to tumble? or can you cab them too? I sure would like to get my fingers on some of those prune ones. I like the patterns in all of them .. so that last one is that translucent or is any of them?
Roxy
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,463
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Post by Sabre52 on Dec 9, 2007 14:49:14 GMT -5
Dee: *L* I'm ashamed to admit I hardly ever cab obsidian because here in Calif it's so common and I find the patterns kind of boring when compared to all the neat agate and jasper we have.
Roxy: Yep obsidian chips easy which is why so many arrowheads abound where I collected this material ( Government land though so you can't pick up artifacts!). They are excellent tumble material as they are very high quality obsidian but if you don't slab them, it takes awhile to grind away the rough exterior. Wonderful cabbing material too, if you like to cab obsidian which as I mentioned above, I don't *L*. The last one with the white spots is very translucent and when held to the light, shows both bands and the spots. IN the black and red ones the black areas are usually translucent. And Roxy, I've got lots of this and you live in Arizona. Always up for a flat rater trade for Arizona agate etc. Just let me know, we can exchange some pics and do a trade....Mel
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Post by midnightrocksi3 on Dec 9, 2007 15:04:14 GMT -5
YOOOOUUUU BETCHYA! Sabre tell you what.. I think I can handle that trade.. since I am here and happen to know one of the bestestess Rock and Agate guru's this side of AZ.. I'm sure she'll help me pick out some of the Gooder stuff.. Even if I have to make a special trip out there and that I don't mind that at all.. I've been needing a Rock hunt and this is a perfect opportunity! So I'll get back to you for suuure!!! *smiles*
Roxy
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,463
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Post by Sabre52 on Dec 9, 2007 15:26:42 GMT -5
Very cool Roxy! Lets not do the trade till after Xmas though OK? I live in a small town and went to the PO the other day and it's pure hell right now! The line is endless. I hate standing in line at the post office so if we wait till after Xmas, It'll bee much easier to send out a package. Just Pm me sometime after the holidays and we'll set up a trade....mel
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Post by midnightrocksi3 on Dec 9, 2007 15:39:40 GMT -5
LOL and I thought I was the only one who hated holiday lines.. lol.. So I got no problem with waiting till after the hussel is over with..So Until Then.. *smiles*
Roxy
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Post by texaswoodie on Dec 9, 2007 16:55:49 GMT -5
I don't see a lot of obsidian, Mel, but that's probably the best I've ever seen.
Curt
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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 Dec 10, 2007 12:07:29 GMT -5
What a striking difference between the outside and the inside! Beautiful rocks!
Adrian
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Post by midnightrocksi3 on Dec 10, 2007 15:22:42 GMT -5
Hey sabre.. guess what I finally decided to see if that rock I had was a tear in fact.. well I think maybe more towards just obsidian.. cuz when I went to break a piece off.. to see if it would tumble.. which I know it will now.. it's pretty solid . but the end piece broke finally It looks like that shiny glass in the inside. so I'm guessing it's just obsidian? not an apache tear? . either way it reminded me of that shiny black in that red and black one you got showing... and I can't tell if it's going to be transulentor not because one side is still covered in a thick muck cover , but it would be cool if it was so I tossed it in the tumbler.. anyways just thought I'd share that.. *smiles*
Roxy
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,463
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Post by Sabre52 on Dec 10, 2007 16:04:13 GMT -5
Roxy: I guess I didn't make it clear before but "Apache Tears" are simply obsidianites or obsidian nodules that are of very high quality volcanic glass. All obsidian is volcanic glass and of the same sort of composition. The Apache Tears" thingee is just sort of a marketing name based on an Amerind legend that supposedly explains the origin of those nodules found around Superior, Arizona perlite deposits and prized by native Americans for knapping stone implements. Basically, though quality and chemical makeup may vary some, most obsidian is pretty much the same stuff....Mel
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Post by midnightrocksi3 on Dec 10, 2007 16:23:09 GMT -5
OH .. well maybe that's why I like them then! But that explains why I've never seen a tear anything else but a tear.. never reshaped except for round.. and tumbled.. That's why I was asking about the prunes you have if they can take another shape .. So yeah I got it that they were all from basically the same family.. but still different.. does that make any sense? Uh.NM. don't answer that LOL .. but thanks again for the info..I was just hoping to have found a Huge one.. that was clear.. that's all.. *smiles* Roxy
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,463
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Post by Sabre52 on Dec 10, 2007 16:43:44 GMT -5
Roxy: Your's could be clear or at least semi-translucent as I've seen "Tears" from Arizona and Nevada that were fist sized and larger that were clear smoky gold or silvery color inside. Very pretty stuff! I can remember my dad faceting a pair of ear rings for my mom from just such a "Tear"....Mel
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Post by midnightrocksi3 on Dec 10, 2007 16:56:55 GMT -5
Well I'm hoping for the best..if it is.. I'm tossing the rest of it in the tumbler and hope for the best! .. so far what's left is a sorta a circle with on side kinda flat.. so not sure if I could fix it with what I got.. anyways.. I've made a few things with them. one was a wind chime with the tear in as the bell ringer and a eye piece for the top.. turned out ok. since it was clear and it was the only way I knew of how to show it off. but never thought of earrings.. I imagine those would be cool.. something I'd wear too.. Hmm I think I'll have to give that a try.. do you know if he used a drill to facet an eye screw? or bell cap? I might just have it a try.. *smiles* Roxy
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,463
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Post by Sabre52 on Dec 10, 2007 18:02:01 GMT -5
Roxy: The ear ring stones were dangles shaped like faceted teardrops and, as I recall, he used silver bell caps. I was like 10 at the time so don't remember much else except they were some of my mom's favorite ear rings for years and years....Mel
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Post by midnightrocksi3 on Dec 10, 2007 21:20:04 GMT -5
Awww sweet.. Yup I think I'm gonna give that a try.. Thanks *smiles* Roxy
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Post by cina on Dec 10, 2007 21:51:21 GMT -5
Them be some yum yum looking Prunes!!
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Post by BuiltonRock on Dec 11, 2007 13:34:25 GMT -5
I want to live out West.
Hey Mel, Thanks for giving us locations to hunt. I will make a driving trip out that way When Peyton is a little older and want to hit some of these sites.
I like obsidian it cabs up nice, just make sure you got all the scratches out before the next stage. One scatch shows up like a hundered on that stuff.
john
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Post by Tonyterner on Dec 14, 2007 12:01:15 GMT -5
Wow Mel that is the nicest obsidian I've seen.
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