Post by sampson on Mar 6, 2012 16:30:23 GMT -5
Rock people have to be some of the best people in the world. I posted some of my jade creations on a different site and a member there contacted me and said that he was also a rockhound and wanted to send me some material to see what i could make with it. The package arrived yesterday and i am amazed at the wonderful material he sent me.
I have only cut a couple chatoyant pieces before this and these pieces are already so beautiful i am not yet sure how i could improve upon them. Part of the deal was that i have to make some thing different out of this material and share pictures of what i make so he can see my creations but i am almost scared to work with this amazing material.
If anyone has any suggestions or tips about cutting and shaping Chatoyant material such as this i would appreciate anything you could share about it. I know that to get the best shine you should cut parrallel to the fibers in the piece but other than that i have very little experience with this type of stuff.
First pics are an amazing slab about 5" by 4" and 1/4" thick. The orange fibers are perpedicular to the slab and don't shine too much but the blue fibers are parrallel with the face and really shine well. Pics show both sides.
![](http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l312/rollnburn/_DSC0288.jpg)
![](http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l312/rollnburn/_DSC0284.jpg)
Next is a tumbled piece about 1.5" by 1" and around 1/2-1/4" thick. It has amazing colors and both the orange and blue shine well.
![](http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l312/rollnburn/_DSC0264.jpg)
![](http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l312/rollnburn/_DSC0268.jpg)
![](http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l312/rollnburn/_DSC0270.jpg)
Next piece is a little chunkier and has some really nice twisted long fibers in it. About 1.5" at the longest side by 1" by about 3/4".
![](http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l312/rollnburn/_DSC0276.jpg)
![](http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l312/rollnburn/_DSC0281.jpg)
The next piece i would call Hawks eye but i am not sure if it is just a large pure piece of the blue material of the Pietersite or if they are even different materials or the same. No matter what is is or is called i love it and i can't put it down. I just keep playing with it in the sun and it is so beautiful i just can't set it down.
![](http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l312/rollnburn/_DSC0253.jpg)
![](http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l312/rollnburn/_DSC0258.jpg)
![](http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l312/rollnburn/_DSC0263.jpg)
And the last piece is a chunk of Labradorite that has been face polished on one side but i can also see some really nice flashy layers through the rough side. It has a couple fractures in it but about half of it looks really solid and should work up nice. It is kinda chunky shaped and about 3" by 2" by 1.5".
![](http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l312/rollnburn/_DSC0292.jpg)
![](http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l312/rollnburn/_DSC0294.jpg)
I like photography and enjoy taking pictures but as anyone who has photographed this type of material knows it can be a real challange to get the fire to show well in pics. I tried various angles, some different lighting and backgrounds and i think i took over 100 shots to get these shots. I am still not really satisfied with the pics but most of them are OK i guess, but i may still try again when i have a bit more time.
Hope you like the pics and if anyone has any tips or ideas how to work these pieces i would appreciate any ideas.
Sampson
I have only cut a couple chatoyant pieces before this and these pieces are already so beautiful i am not yet sure how i could improve upon them. Part of the deal was that i have to make some thing different out of this material and share pictures of what i make so he can see my creations but i am almost scared to work with this amazing material.
If anyone has any suggestions or tips about cutting and shaping Chatoyant material such as this i would appreciate anything you could share about it. I know that to get the best shine you should cut parrallel to the fibers in the piece but other than that i have very little experience with this type of stuff.
First pics are an amazing slab about 5" by 4" and 1/4" thick. The orange fibers are perpedicular to the slab and don't shine too much but the blue fibers are parrallel with the face and really shine well. Pics show both sides.
![](http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l312/rollnburn/_DSC0288.jpg)
![](http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l312/rollnburn/_DSC0284.jpg)
Next is a tumbled piece about 1.5" by 1" and around 1/2-1/4" thick. It has amazing colors and both the orange and blue shine well.
![](http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l312/rollnburn/_DSC0264.jpg)
![](http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l312/rollnburn/_DSC0268.jpg)
![](http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l312/rollnburn/_DSC0270.jpg)
Next piece is a little chunkier and has some really nice twisted long fibers in it. About 1.5" at the longest side by 1" by about 3/4".
![](http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l312/rollnburn/_DSC0276.jpg)
![](http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l312/rollnburn/_DSC0281.jpg)
The next piece i would call Hawks eye but i am not sure if it is just a large pure piece of the blue material of the Pietersite or if they are even different materials or the same. No matter what is is or is called i love it and i can't put it down. I just keep playing with it in the sun and it is so beautiful i just can't set it down.
![](http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l312/rollnburn/_DSC0253.jpg)
![](http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l312/rollnburn/_DSC0258.jpg)
![](http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l312/rollnburn/_DSC0263.jpg)
And the last piece is a chunk of Labradorite that has been face polished on one side but i can also see some really nice flashy layers through the rough side. It has a couple fractures in it but about half of it looks really solid and should work up nice. It is kinda chunky shaped and about 3" by 2" by 1.5".
![](http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l312/rollnburn/_DSC0292.jpg)
![](http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l312/rollnburn/_DSC0294.jpg)
I like photography and enjoy taking pictures but as anyone who has photographed this type of material knows it can be a real challange to get the fire to show well in pics. I tried various angles, some different lighting and backgrounds and i think i took over 100 shots to get these shots. I am still not really satisfied with the pics but most of them are OK i guess, but i may still try again when i have a bit more time.
Hope you like the pics and if anyone has any tips or ideas how to work these pieces i would appreciate any ideas.
Sampson