Sabre52
Cave Dweller 
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,504
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Post by Sabre52 on Jun 5, 2015 14:07:12 GMT -5
Howdy folks, Clayton and the P pups delivered another couple hundred pounds of Rio Grande agate yesterday. Clayton and I both are always commenting on how the dang Amerinds always seem to find the best agates and smack them up for arrowhead material so he finds just small pieces or spalls of the coolest agate types. Here is what I mean. Just a small fragment of a really outstanding nodule with both poppies and fantastic sagenite fireworks from an Indian mound. Why oh why could this not be a whole big nodule?  Dang Injuns anyway!!!!!  Closeup:  |
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,723 
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Post by Fossilman on Jun 5, 2015 14:57:18 GMT -5
HOLY MOLLY and a nice little score!!
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Post by orrum on Jun 5, 2015 17:46:41 GMT -5
X2 WILD!!! WE WANT TO SEE A SLAB!!!
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,504
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Post by Sabre52 on Jun 5, 2015 18:14:37 GMT -5
I've been studying the piece and may see a way to get a single slab off it but that will be about all. I have one intact nodule that shows similar pattern and promise but not the same colors. I may have some time to saw on Monday and if I do I''ll post pics for sure.....Mel
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Post by orrum on Jun 5, 2015 18:33:54 GMT -5
Oh thank you Mel that is one intetesting rock pardner!
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Post by washingtonrocks on Jun 5, 2015 19:42:01 GMT -5
X2 WILD!!! WE WANT TO SEE A SLAB!!! I second that request. Curious to see what those white "sprays" will look like set against those yummy reds and yellows. Awesome agate! |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jun 5, 2015 19:46:14 GMT -5
Sure it's not coral ?
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Post by gingerkid on Jun 5, 2015 20:51:08 GMT -5
Wow, that's stunning, Sabre52! Are those white sagenite needles in the agate? That would make a gorgeous display piece. |
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,504
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Post by Sabre52 on Jun 5, 2015 22:23:24 GMT -5
James: Nope, not coral but rather sagenite pom poms.
Jan, Yep it would but it's not large at all, just the tip of a larger nodule. Might yield one slab big enough for a good sized free form cab and that's about it. I'm hoping the whole nodule I have will also have those pom poms. This specimen shows no indication of the sagenite on the exterior but the other does, so I have hopes it will be a good one. Of course the moss agate I showed cut in my previous post showed fantastic poppies or pom poms on the exterior and nuttin at all inside...Mel
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Post by Rockoonz on Jun 6, 2015 1:00:45 GMT -5
If from a mound was it heated so it would flake?
We spent Memorial day at an agate site that is adjacent to where agate was heated for knapping into tools.
The hillside below the mine is black from ash and has lots of rejected chunks, seems what looks nicest for lapidary is not so good for knapping.
Elizabeth dug through the old ash and brought some nice ones home, I broke the 12 inch saw with a chunk today.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jun 6, 2015 7:19:19 GMT -5
If from a mound was it heated so it would flake? We spent Memorial day at an agate site that is adjacent to where agate was heated for knapping into tools. The hillside below the mine is black from ash and has lots of rejected chunks, seems what looks nicest for lapidary is not so good for knapping. Elizabeth dug through the old ash and brought some nice ones home, I broke the 12 inch saw with a chunk today. Coral is similar. The grainy coral is more colorful, glassy stuff more sterile in color. Grainy absorbs more salts and minerals adding to color. Either polishes and works fine. |
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,504
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Post by Sabre52 on Jun 6, 2015 7:52:56 GMT -5
Lee, I don't think this is heated material. The pieces I chip to see what's inside are very tough and not at all brittle like the heat treated pieces I sometimes find here on our ranch. Clayton tells me that it does not appear any final knapping was done at this location. All the flaked pieces found there seem to be very crude and are probably just trade blanks and big spalls crudely pressure flaked for easy transportation. Think this was manly a temporary campsite/ collecting area for the Amerinds and not a village site where they sat to do final work on points or blades....Mel
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Post by captbob on Jun 6, 2015 10:47:13 GMT -5
Very cool Rio! I might have to start cutting into some of mine -
as soon as I can figure out how to hold them in the vise!
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Post by snowmom on Jun 7, 2015 5:13:53 GMT -5
now, when Mel says some agate is cool, he isn't fooling. That is awesome! Its a rock having its own party.
Can't wait to see what you do with this one!
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Post by orrum on Jun 7, 2015 5:57:59 GMT -5
Hey Captbob get a slab grabber from Tony/catmsndew. I luv mine I can cut end cuts without waiting for glue or use the longer bolts and cut tegg or round cobbles!
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Dang Injuns anyway!!!!!
