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Post by kk on Oct 25, 2014 6:52:38 GMT -5
As promised/threatened before, let me start a post of pics in regard to Montana Agate. I hope that we can continue this post by having you add your own favorite pieces, and if it suits admin, they can make it a sticky, easy to find for newcomers and/or people looking for material in general. Montana, to me, is one of the most versatile materials to work with. Can be frustrating at times, but is always good for surprising results. To me, Montana gave me the starting-point into carving proper. Had done Fire Agate before that, but even now, I do not consider working Fire Agate as carving.  At the time, I just discovered Forums, and dove into virtually any material, trying to learn cabbing and broke too many things. In order not to waste the material I started to carve simple grooves. Literally, the first carving ever attempted:    Cabs in diverse colours, shapes and inclusions         some more rather special cabs:     And of course carvings         OK till here for now, Thanks for looking, Kurt |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller 
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,600
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Post by jamesp on Oct 25, 2014 7:52:38 GMT -5
Good grief. From another planet. Only Kurt.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,718 
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Post by Fossilman on Oct 25, 2014 8:43:35 GMT -5
Kurt.........................Beautiful,beautiful,beautiful work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In my opinion,Montana agate is "TOPS" in my books too!!!!
HOLY MOLY awesome work!!!
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Post by connrock on Oct 25, 2014 11:20:21 GMT -5
I love Montana Agate too! My work is nowhere near as nice as your carvings,etc but I do like working with it,,,,   Some of my favorite slabs I cut and polished,,,,      Great thread you posted here,,,,, connrock |
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Post by kk on Oct 25, 2014 11:35:16 GMT -5
I love Montana Agate too! My work is nowhere near as nice as your carvings,etc but I do like working with it,,,, Great thread you posted here,,,,, connrock What do you mean?  You got a fantastic eye for layout and with it caught fantabolous pictures. The slabs have super potential too , and are suitable to be re-cut in all sorts of shapes for eventual use in jewelery when the time comes. |
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,718
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Post by Fossilman on Oct 25, 2014 12:15:08 GMT -5
Connrock,those Montanas kick butt!!! Crazy cool!!!!
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,718
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Post by Fossilman on Oct 25, 2014 12:16:35 GMT -5
All my Montanas are in the slabbed stage yet..Even cut one that is Iris.....
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bcrockhound
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2014
Posts: 418
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Post by bcrockhound on Oct 25, 2014 21:06:15 GMT -5
Montana is just amazing. I am still too bewildered to figure out, you made all those in the first post? Ridiculous. Nice ones too, connrock. Seriously prize work.
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The Dad_Ohs
fully equipped rock polisher
Take me to your Labradorite!!
Member since September 2012
Posts: 1,860
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Post by The Dad_Ohs on Oct 25, 2014 21:44:11 GMT -5
I have some 30+ pounds of rough Montanas in buckets in my shop and love to work them when I get bored and am looking for something different. I love the variety of shapes too!! Everytime I dig into a bucket I know that I will spend time just looking at a few pieces and marveling over the color/shape/texture of each piece!!
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Post by kk on Oct 25, 2014 22:26:50 GMT -5
Montana is just amazing. I am still too bewildered to figure out, you made all those in the first post? Ridiculous. Nice ones too, connrock. Seriously prize work. Thank you all for the kind comments. Yes, this is an accumulation of pieces that I did over the past 4 years. Most/a lot of them where made specifically to participate in Forum contests as I don't have any use for cabs as such. Still have a medium box full of slabs and heels, so there is sure more to come in the future.  Cabs are usually cut and shaped (sides and tops)with a two inch wheel attachment on the Foredome. The carving naturally uses diverse burrs. Sand with sticks and paper and followed by 17 and 50K diamond-paste. KISS in short. |
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Post by connrock on Oct 26, 2014 8:47:50 GMT -5
I appreciate your kind words but it takes a LOT more time,work and creativity to carve like you do then it does to polish a slab or cut a cab and set it.I've tried carving and it's NOT an easy thing to do!
I'll never cut the slabs in the photos!Those slabs tell a story about my introduction to Montana Agate many,many years ago when I didn't even know the difference between agate,jasper or any other type of rock for that matter!Living in CT I had NO idea that there were such beautiful rocks out there and one day while reading a magazine I saw Montana Agate rough for sale.Although I've never been to Montana I was(and still am) "intrigued" with it and stories of the "Big Sky".How could I not buy rocks from Montana? LOL I ordered about 50 lbs of it at about $1.50/lb and when it got here I was kind of disappointed because of the way it looked on it's surface!I only had an 8" trim saw at the time but was soon cutting slabs out of the agates that would fit in my saw.It wasn't long before I cut the slabs in the photos and is when my love for Montana Agate all started!
I've cut a couple hundred pounds of it through the years but never found any with the same beautiful patterns and colors of those in my first slabs.
The pendant in the 2nd photo also has a special meaning to me.It was one of the very first sterling silver pendants I made and it sat very proudly for years on a stand I made for it in one of my mineral specimen display cabinets.I had NO intention of it ever leaving that cabinet but sometime things change in our lives and we change our minds about things that are dear to us and have a special meaning,,,,,,,
A woman/rockhound who I had never met LOVED that pendant from the 1st day I posted photos of it and kept going on and on about it.She was a VERY generous,friendly,helpful woman who always seemed to be doing things for others and not much for herself.
I found out through the "grape vine" that she had been diagnosed with terminal cancer so I sent her the pendant.To say the least,she was overjoyed with it and told me that after she dies she would have her son send it back to me.I told her I would have none of that and that she was to take it with her on her way to Heaven!She died a few months later and a little bit of Montana went with her.
S,,,yes I do love Montana Agate in many ways!
connrock
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Post by MrP on Oct 26, 2014 10:01:31 GMT -5
KK Your carvings are fantastic. Carving Montana Agate has to take a long time and a lot of work.
Don't let Connrock kid you about his work. My young bride has the pendent in connrocks first picture. It is beautiful and very well crafted. She wears it often.........MrP
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Post by pghram on Oct 26, 2014 19:21:20 GMT -5
Wow, great works of art from some superior material.
Rich
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zarguy
fully equipped rock polisher
Cedar City, Utah - rockhound heaven!
Member since December 2005
Posts: 1,791
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Post by zarguy on Nov 7, 2014 18:24:12 GMT -5
Kurt & Connrock, Thanks for the visual feast. Montana Moss agate was what started it all for me at the age of 8. Some of it is fractured as heck, but between fracture lines lie wondrous scenes.
There's a woman from North Dakota who sells her carved Montana agate at the Pow Wow in Quartzite. Her carvings remind me of your first one Kurt. Grooves is the theme. She canoes the Yellowstone & hunts her own agates. I've bought slabs from her the past 2 years. Check her out if you make it to the Pow Wow.
Lynn
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Post by kk on Nov 8, 2014 6:49:27 GMT -5
. Check her out if you make it to the Pow Wow. Lynn That would be absolutely a feast for the senses. I'm a fan/sucker for any cultural activities, so throw in some dance and native music and I'm all in. Unfortunately its not going to happen anytime soon. But eventually, I will partake on a proper Pow Wow. Its one of 18 things in the Bucket-list. |
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zarguy
fully equipped rock polisher
Cedar City, Utah - rockhound heaven!
Member since December 2005
Posts: 1,791
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Post by zarguy on Nov 8, 2014 20:27:01 GMT -5
They call it a Pow Wow, but it's not a Native American event, just a lowly rock swap meet.
Lynn
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Post by kk on Nov 8, 2014 20:28:00 GMT -5
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At the time, I just discovered Forums, and dove into virtually any material, trying to learn cabbing and broke too many things. In order not to waste the material I started to carve simple grooves. 
You got a fantastic eye for layout and with it caught fantabolous pictures. The slabs have super potential too , and are suitable to be re-cut in all sorts of shapes for eventual use in jewelery when the time comes. 
