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Post by jakesrocks on Aug 24, 2013 22:32:19 GMT -5
Saw some picture jasper recently that's coming out of China too. But it looks nothing like good blue Biggs.
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The Dad_Ohs
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Post by The Dad_Ohs on Aug 24, 2013 22:34:33 GMT -5
I am more curious about this use of stone on blades than anything right now, and even if I did make some scales, I doubt I'd make many. It's just a fascinating subject:). Obsidian is an ideal material for blades as it can be sharpened to a molecular level that steel cannot achieve. Original, old time scalpels were at one point made from stones like obsidian because it cut a clean thin line that healed well and also because steel scalpels hadn't become the norm yet. There are a few surgeon still using Obsidian bladed scalpels in surgery & cosmetic surgery to reduce the amount of visible scarring when the incisions heal. I saw a picture taken through a microscope of a surgeons steel scalpel edge vs a obsidian blade and the ob blade was smooth while the edge of the scalpels blade was jagged which meant as fine a blade as a scalpel has, it still tears he skin when cutting thus increasing the amount of visible scarring after it heals. and that concludes our discussion on blades for this afternoon!!
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The Dad_Ohs
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Post by The Dad_Ohs on Aug 24, 2013 22:38:44 GMT -5
what about Amy Sage or Tiffany stone?
Tiffany Stone, to my knowledge was only mined here in the U.S. and the claim was bought out by Tiffanies in N.Y. hence the name. and that is a well known U.S. name too.
just my other 2 centavos!!
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Post by mohs on Aug 24, 2013 22:45:37 GMT -5
I saw a picture taken through a microscope of a surgeons steel scalpel edge vs a obsidian blade and the ob blade was smooth while the edge of the scalpels blade was jagged which meant as fine a blade as a scalpel has, it still tears he skin when cutting thus increasing the amount of visible scarring after it heals. and that concludes our discussion on blades for this afternoon!! Cool Ohs ! That what the leather strop is for It straightens those micro teeth on the razor edge to make it keen & mean Blues & Rock is definitely indigenous to America
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Post by jakesrocks on Aug 24, 2013 23:05:44 GMT -5
You could always take a thin slice of each state stone and epoxy them together. 25 slices on each scale. Then all 50 states would be represented.
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Post by mohs on Aug 24, 2013 23:10:43 GMT -5
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gemfeller
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Post by gemfeller on Aug 24, 2013 23:22:02 GMT -5
Bills have been introduced into Congress over the last several decades for all of these, but as far as I have been able to determine, all of them have quickly died. You're right. I researched the legislative failure a few years ago but tourmaline stuck in my mind. How about chiseling off a hunk of Plymouth Rock? That's pretty American. Seriously, I'd recommend Morrisonite, Caressite, Bruneau or maybe fine Willow Creek jasper. I haven't seen anything like them from any other country. Bruneau is well known and unique as far as I can tell.
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Post by mohs on Aug 25, 2013 0:13:31 GMT -5
O.K someone start a poll & we'll elect a the best rock to represent America & we'll throw it at Congress for immediate approval mostly
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Post by mohs on Aug 25, 2013 0:21:33 GMT -5
and all this talk of Rock and no one had the sense to post a darn rock picture ![http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/stedmo/f2f2f2f2/goldbearingvulquartzre.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/stedmo/f2f2f2f2/goldbearingvulquartzre.jpg) I elect gold in quartz as the American rock of choice what would you do without me ? mostly
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Post by mohs on Aug 25, 2013 0:26:18 GMT -5
and not to forget Thunder Eggs ! ![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/stedmo/thunderbacklitre.jpg)
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Post by helens on Aug 25, 2013 8:42:25 GMT -5
I don't know about a 'national rock'. Doubt this Congress is capable of passing anything:).
Gold in quartz looks like really neat stuff, I don't have any of that yet:).
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Geoff
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Post by Geoff on Aug 25, 2013 11:40:21 GMT -5
Thanks for all the great and informative info guys! So quick compilation of the most visually recognizable US rocks (I'm sure there's a lot more, and of course all indigenous rocks from the US are US rocks, but of the ones that on sight most people would say that's an American rock): 1. Picture Jaspers (including: Owyhee, Biggs, Deschutes) 2. Dino Gembone 3. Llanite 4. Az rainbow petrified wood 5. Candy Rhyolite / Nevada Wonderstone (are there rocks found in other nations that resemble this?) 6. Flints- Alibates, Ohio Flint Ridge Flint (are there flints from other nations that resemble this?) 7. Gold in Quartz (is this only found in the US?). South African picture jasper looks very similar and is cheaper. ![](http://www.minersgallery.com/upgrade/published/publicdata/MINERSGA2012/attachments/SC/products_pictures/AfricaPicJasSl002a_enl.jpg) I personally feel that Llanite is the most American rock.
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Post by vegasjames on Aug 25, 2013 18:58:48 GMT -5
You could use red beryl. Strictly found in the US and you could sell the knife for a fortune. ![(party)](//storage.proboards.com/1258779/images/PsELmPUKrCpOcOwOprWp.gif)
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Post by helens on Aug 25, 2013 19:01:39 GMT -5
After r2d said that, I looked up Royal Sahara Jasper... and was all bummed out...
As for red beryl, how would anyone know that was a red beryl visually, vs ruby or pink tourmaline:)?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2013 19:14:26 GMT -5
I think vegasjames was joking, though I'd sure like to see such a knife. A bixbite (aka, "red beryl" or "red emerald") from Utah or New Mexico is going to be small, and the matrix is too crumbly to use as a knife handle. A bixbite would make a nice accent stone, however, and so far it hasn't been found anywhere outside the U.S. You'd distinguish it from tourmaline using the same criteria you use to distinguish between emerald and green tourmaline or green sapphire. RI is going to be distinct from those 2. It is more difficult to separate bixbite from pezzotaite, which is not really a beryl and which comes from Madagascar and Pakistan (it is also rare, but often gets sold as bixbite by online sellers). Pezzotaite tends to be pinker than the raspberry color of most bixbite, but at small sizes it can be difficult to tell the difference. Buy rough and cab/facet yourself, or buy cut stones from a reputable cutter who gets their rough from a miner (the rough in matrix looks different than the pezzotaite rough I've seen).
BTW, the RSJ does differ in color range and patterning from Biggs (just as Biggs differs from Deschutes, Succor Creek, African Queen, etc.) – not that many people can tell the differences.
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Sabre52
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Post by Sabre52 on Aug 25, 2013 19:48:50 GMT -5
This is actually a tough one as so many US agates and jaspers have no comparible type in other countries. I've never seen Morgan Hill or Guadalupe type poppy from anywhere else though there are poppies from other countries. Africa ( Namibia) has some fine picture jasper and I think Russia does too but they're not really like ours. Tiffany stone is quite unique as is Burro creek Purple Jasper. Nothing else in the world I've seen like Dryheads, Fairburns or Tee Pees and may of our plume types are unique to the US ie Woodward, Graveyard Point, Cary. Paul Bunyan, Bloody Basin. Paisley and many more. I really love the 50 state knife idea. Wish I had the skills....Mel
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Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2013 20:58:34 GMT -5
This is actually a tough one as so many US agates and jaspers have no comparible type in other countries. I've never seen Morgan Hill or Guadalupe type poppy from anywhere else though there are poppies from other countries. Africa ( Namibia) has some fine picture jasper and I think Russia does too but they're not really like ours. Tiffany stone is quite unique as is Burro creek Purple Jasper. Nothing else in the world I've seen like Dryheads, Fairburns or Tee Pees and may of our plume types are unique to the US ie Woodward, Graveyard Point, Cary. Paul Bunyan, Bloody Basin. Paisley and many more. I really love the 50 state knife idea. Wish I had the skills....Mel Only 26 states have state rocks geology.about.com/od/regional_geology/a/staterocklist.htm2 list coal TN is "limestone" 5 list "granite" 2 list "agate" we are not making a very nice set of knives with such a generic list of stones.
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Post by Pat on Aug 25, 2013 21:12:35 GMT -5
Maybe state gemstones could be used, too.f Those states with the less interesting state rocks, could substitute their more interesting state gemstones.
Example: California's state rock is serpentine, but the state gemstone is benitoite.
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Sabre52
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Post by Sabre52 on Aug 25, 2013 21:25:19 GMT -5
I love T-eggs but they are pretty cosmopolitan and found in many countries unless you choose a particular bed.....Mel
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Post by gemfeller on Aug 25, 2013 21:38:02 GMT -5
Bruneau Jasper would be my choice. The colors and patterns are easily identifiable and don't look like stone from any other part of the world. You never know what will be discovered tomorrow of course but as of now it's uniquely American. It's also very attractive and is available with great matching patterns for knife scales.
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