~~BigSky~~
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2016
Posts: 296 
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Post by ~~BigSky~~ on Mar 16, 2016 12:46:47 GMT -5
We've been sorting through a lot of rock, setting aside the ones we think may have iris hidden inside. We both are confused as to what characteristics to look for? How thick should your slabs be t get the iris to POP? Also, when you take pictures, wants the best way to get the iris to,show in the photo? We'll gladly take any info and thank you in advance. Once we start cutting, we will post pics. Have a groovy day y'all:)
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panamark
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2012
Posts: 1,343
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Post by panamark on Mar 16, 2016 13:25:05 GMT -5
The slabs have to be quite thin in order to get the iris effect I think. It is related to wavelengths and other physics properties. Unfortunately I can't find the info I had about the correct thickness. Someone here will know.
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~~BigSky~~
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2016
Posts: 296
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Post by ~~BigSky~~ on Mar 16, 2016 19:18:35 GMT -5
The slabs have to be quite thin in order to get the iris effect I think. It is related to wavelengths and other physics properties. Unfortunately I can't find the info I had about the correct thickness. Someone here will know. thanks. Yeah we've cut a few slabs, noticed the thinner we cut the better chance of seeing iris. So far we've cut a few shares that did have some iris and wow... Hopefully our suspicion is correct (we've got some cutting to do) and we end up with some killer iris slabs. |
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Mark K
Cave Dweller 
Member since April 2012
Posts: 2,819 
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Post by Mark K on Mar 16, 2016 20:01:56 GMT -5
I sat in Tom Harmon's shop the last time I was in MT talking with him and the iris agate guy. The iris guy had the biggest, highest quality iris agate I have ever even heard of. One slice was asking 800. I have talked to him before in Bozeman about the agate and he told me that you are likely to cut thousands of rocks before you hit iris. He showed me what to look for and taught me a lot about the agates. I can't explain over the internet well enough to make it make sense. Maybe I will run into you in May when I hit the river.
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Post by beefjello on Mar 16, 2016 20:03:24 GMT -5
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,723
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Post by Fossilman on Mar 16, 2016 20:51:00 GMT -5
I have one Iris agate,from 100's of slabs that were cut...........Not the best,but Iris....Yes,they have to be thin......
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~~BigSky~~
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2016
Posts: 296
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Post by ~~BigSky~~ on Mar 16, 2016 22:44:28 GMT -5
Thanks on all the feedback everyone. I've read stats and stories regarding iris shares and it's definitely luck of the draw to have or find such a rock. When someone says 1 out of so many will be iris I don't doubt. Question is this...do some people have a better eye at knowing which are more likely to be iris? There's certain properties to,look for so when examing a rock you should pay attention to  Also if you'd identified such properties, the chances to get lucky are?? I ask because we've picked out_set aside) what we believe could be iris and I guess before we five into this project and start cutting away...maybe we need to go through them again. They look so good from the outside but we all know its what lies within that really matters lol |
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~~BigSky~~
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2016
Posts: 296
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Post by ~~BigSky~~ on Mar 16, 2016 22:45:09 GMT -5
I have one Iris agate,from 100's of slabs that were cut...........Not the best,but Iris....Yes,they have to be thin...... thin to win is what they say  |
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~~BigSky~~
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2016
Posts: 296
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Post by ~~BigSky~~ on Mar 16, 2016 22:51:46 GMT -5
I sat in Tom Harmon's shop the last time I was in MT talking with him and the iris agate guy. The iris guy had the biggest, highest quality iris agate I have ever even heard of. One slice was asking 800. I have talked to him before in Bozeman about the agate and he told me that you are likely to cut thousands of rocks before you hit iris. He showed me what to look for and taught me a lot about the agates. I can't explain over the internet well enough to make it make sense. Maybe I will run into you in May when I hit the river. 800 bucks holy!!! Now wouldn't that be awesome ... If you are coming this way in May, let us know. Combined knowledge could make for a winning day. Maybe plan a day adventure of some sort:) |
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,064
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Post by gemfeller on Mar 17, 2016 0:14:44 GMT -5
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~~BigSky~~
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2016
Posts: 296
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Post by ~~BigSky~~ on Mar 17, 2016 2:33:42 GMT -5
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,723
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Post by Fossilman on Mar 17, 2016 9:44:49 GMT -5
In my honest opinion,the boring rough rock,with no colors in it,clear Montana agate,light brown Carnelian agate,light brown Brazilian agate-when cut thin,they all show signs that you can get an Iris coming out of the rock...
Just finding the right depth,angle and sharpness....
A few have come close,but no cigar...LOL
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~~BigSky~~
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2016
Posts: 296
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Post by ~~BigSky~~ on Mar 17, 2016 12:12:57 GMT -5
In my honest opinion,the boring rough rock,with no colors in it,clear Montana agate,light brown Carnelian agate,light brown Brazilian agate-when cut thin,they all show signs that you can get an Iris coming out of the rock... Just finding the right depth,angle and sharpness.... A few have come close,but no cigar...LOL that's what we thought. We've got quite a few rocks that this theory applies too. So let's say we've set aside 100 states that all share similar characteristics, out of that 100, hopefully we get 20 with iris. What seems to be similar with the iris we've cut so far is this milky yellow on either side of the banding. Do you know what I'm referring too? Its usually always present on the outside of where the iris will be. Being uneducated doesn't help, adds to the confusion but makes a great mystery. We've been cutting a few here and there and if the ones we've cut (a dozen or so) I think we got iris on 3 or 4. Nothing to fancy but iris was present. Hopefully the more we learn about it, the better our chances |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2016 13:35:57 GMT -5
Just recalling looking at the iris pieces I have, the banding where the iris appears has to be very tight - to the point of the layers causing the effect being invisible without magnification. I dragged out a piece and in that one the iris areas look like nothing more than a bit of slightly milky or clear agate when lit from the front (you cannot even see the banding that causes the iris under 10x magnification). Under magnification and backlit, there is an interesting wavy dispersal pattern that doesn't correspond to the banding direction in other, visible layers (hinted at in the red area in the photo below, though I could not get it to show what I see with my eye through a 20x loupe). As has been said, you have to cut as near as possible to straight through/perpendicular to the obvious banding in order to even hope for iris layers. Just don't damage your eyesight searching for iris too long using sunlight or strong backlighting. The iris effect should be somewhat visible in thin, dampened pieces even under indirect light in the background. If it isn't, then anything that even might be there probably isn't going to ever show the best iris. |
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~~BigSky~~
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2016
Posts: 296
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Post by ~~BigSky~~ on Mar 18, 2016 13:15:47 GMT -5
Just recalling looking at the iris pieces I have, the banding where the iris appears has to be very tight - to the point of the layers causing the effect being invisible without magnification. I dragged out a piece and in that one the iris areas look like nothing more than a bit of slightly milky or clear agate when lit from the front (you cannot even see the banding that causes the iris under 10x magnification). Under magnification and backlit, there is an interesting wavy dispersal pattern that doesn't correspond to the banding direction in other, visible layers (hinted at in the red area in the photo below, though I could not get it to show what I see with my eye through a 20x loupe). As has been said, you have to cut as near as possible to straight through/perpendicular to the obvious banding in order to even hope for iris layers. Just don't damage your eyesight searching for iris too long using sunlight or strong backlighting. The iris effect should be somewhat visible in thin, dampened pieces even under indirect light in the background. If it isn't, then anything that even might be there probably isn't going to ever show the best iris. now this is what iris is all about. Beautiful wow!!! Thanks for sharing your knowledge, I'll utilize all of it. I have to ask how long did it take to capture this picture? Its tricky to do right? Lighting has to be perfect I'd imagine. We tried to get shots like this with a couple iris agates and we couldn't get it. Well I should say we couldn't get the effects like I see you got in this picture. Awesome stuff |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 19, 2016 11:43:11 GMT -5
now this is what iris is all about. Beautiful wow!!! Thanks for sharing your knowledge, I'll utilize all of it. I have to ask how long did it take to capture this picture? Its tricky to do right? Lighting has to be perfect I'd imagine. We tried to get shots like this with a couple iris agates and we couldn't get it. Well I should say we couldn't get the effects like I see you got in this picture. Awesome stuff I was trying to grab a photo of the wavy moire pattern inside the iris stripes by shooting through a loupe, and pretty much failed at that. Backlighting does have to be at the correct angle, or you won't get much more than a hint of the rainbow. Depending on your camera, you may want to try switching off the autofocus and manually focusing. If shooting in sunlight, it may also help to cut a hole in a black piece of paper, and tape the agate into (or hold in front of) the hole to block out all light coming from around the sides (which can mess with the light sensor). Same stone just using macro without the loupe, sides blocked, in sunlight (left/first lit from front; right/last lit from back): Though I still struggle getting the focus right, getting the iris isn't difficult once you've figured how your camera works. |
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Post by beefjello on Mar 21, 2016 14:03:47 GMT -5
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~~BigSky~~
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2016
Posts: 296
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Post by ~~BigSky~~ on Mar 22, 2016 11:00:34 GMT -5
Finally found a couple I have. I think they're Brazilian.    those look like iris to me..very nice. Were gonna start cutting some today I believe, hope we get what you've got there.... |
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,723
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Post by Fossilman on Apr 3, 2016 9:18:12 GMT -5
I will have to find my Iris,I think it's of a Brazilian or Carnelian agate...
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~~BigSky~~
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2016
Posts: 296
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Post by ~~BigSky~~ on Apr 3, 2016 14:17:00 GMT -5
I will have to find my Iris,I think it's of a Brazilian or Carnelian agate... I'd like to see it... You probably have it in your secret location lol |
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Also if you'd identified such properties, the chances to get lucky are?? I ask because we've picked out_set aside) what we believe could be iris and I guess before we five into this project and start cutting away...maybe we need to go through them again. They look so good from the outside but we all know its what lies within that really matters lol
